This article was written by Marketing Intern Morgan Byerley.
As the summer Marketing intern, my time at Scout has been marked by adventure and immersion into the clean energy space. Last week I found myself hurtling down Class IV rapids in a small raft with my coworkers. Literally “in the same boat,” we paddled down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs, dodging obstacles along the way. When we emerged from the creek dripping wet, I had a thought that has crossed my mind multiple times throughout this summer: this is not a typical internship.
I began my Scout internship six weeks ago after graduating from the University of Alabama and making the 1,340 mile journey across five states to arrive in Boulder, Colorado — a city I had never visited. On the journey to Boulder, the landscape began to change from the flat marshes of Louisiana to the snow-covered Rocky Mountains of Colorado. As I reached Boulder and saw the Flatirons for the first time, I recognized that it was a new beginning in a new city and role.
I’m not the only intern who traveled far to arrive at Scout. This summer intern program comprises of 14 interns hailing from 10 different states and traveling over 13,000 combined miles to arrive in Boulder. With degrees in electrical engineering, international relations, and MBAs, we all come from very different backgrounds, both geographically and academically. After a two-day onboarding process where we learned about every team at Scout and the core mission and values, our internship officially began. From the beginning, I noticed how the interns weren’t isolated from their team but allowed to directly contribute and take on tasks.
“What surprised me in a good way is how I’m actually part of my team,” said Jazelyn Martinez, an intern on the Land and Real Estate team. “I contribute ideas and am a member of the team rather than isolated and off on my own.”
Last week, interns focused on project development participated in field trips to potential project sites, gaining hands-on experience building relationships with landowners and community members.
“It was great to actually hear from people in the community about their views on solar and what role it’s going to play in the community going forward,” said Martinez.
East Region Development Intern Hope Robinson’s first site visit covered existing and future developments. “The big thing I’ve noticed in Scout is how they stay invested in the communities they’re working in,” said Robinson. “Seeing how much we’re actually doing to build a positive legacy and seeing how the project manager actually has a personal relationship with the landowners was impactful for me to see.”
Scout interns aren’t sidelined from the development process but play an active role in shaping company culture and participating in Scout’s high quality renewable projects. For three of the interns returning for their second summer at Scout, the company’s welcoming culture and interesting projects is what drew them to return.
“The employees at Scout are so passionate about their work and the company curiosity is contagious around the office,” said Abigail Alpert, an intern on the Asset Management Operations (AMO) team who returned for her second summer at Scout. “I learned so much last summer from my projects, my teammates’ mentorship, and talking to people on different teams, that I couldn’t believe only 12 weeks had passed.”
Construction Intern Drew Walters, also returning for his second summer, expressed similar appreciation for the people on his team and the continued opportunities for growth. “I’m always impressed by people on the team. There’s a lot of stuff I still don’t know, but I have a weekly meeting with my managers where I can just ask them questions and try to learn from them for half an hour.”
During the summer internship program, Scout interns are immersed in company culture and Boulder life through weekly events. This summer’s schedule includes events such as:
- Boulder Creek Lunch and Afternoon
- Red Rocks Movie Night
- Informational Lunch and Learns
- NCAR Tour
- Jack’s Solar Garden Tour
- Ralphie’s Green Stampede (RGS) Stadium Tour
Perhaps one of the most unique events occurred last week when every intern was personally invited to CEO Michael Rucker and wife Karen Gibbs’ home for a special intern dinner. For several hours, the interns enjoyed dinner on the patio while getting to hear more about the founding of Scout and Rucker’s vision for the future of the company.
“I think it’s a special thing, especially when Scout’s grown over a couple of years, to have that personal night with Michael and his wife. That’s something you don’t get at a lot of companies, so at least for me that meant a lot,” said Cason Baller, an intern on the Project Finance team.
For me and many other interns, one of the more meaningful parts of the internship program at Scout is how the company culture prioritizes a thriving community. Baller agreed, “It’s a special thing to be outside of work with your coworkers and establishing those bonds when you’re not talking about spreadsheets and presentations and just getting to know everyone.”