Hinckley Institute of Politics

✨ June Alumni Spotlight: Gerrit Seymour, U of U Class of 2016!

As a student, Gerrit Seymour immersed himself in a wide range of experiences, including an international internship with the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies in Ankara, Turkey; a local internship in a U.S. Congressman's office; and a Washington, D.C. internship with the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to his internships, Seymour served as a Hinckley student ambassador, student staff member, and eventually a full-time administrative program coordinator at the Hinckley Institute. Reflecting on these experiences, Seymour credits the Hinckley Institute with shaping both his professional and personal development.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies with an emphasis in Turkish Language, Gerrit went on to pursue graduate education and a career in medicine. Today, he serves as a full-spectrum Family Medicine Physician and Montana Family Medicine Residency core faculty member in Billings, Montana.

The Hinckley team is so proud of Gerrit and grateful for his years of involvement with our offices. We also enjoyed having Gerrit's wife, Katie as an intern and having them visit the office as alumni and new parents!

Read more at hinckley.utah.edu/alumni-spotlight



U Alumni

May Alumni Spotlight: Xanthe Larsen, Class of 1993!

An accomplished student, Xanthe earned a BA in Political Science, a BS in Economics, and minored in French. As a student, she participated in a Hinckley Internship in Washington, D.C. working for then Congressman Jim Hansen before returning to the University of Utah to complete a joint JD/MBA in 1997. Her internship experience proved pivotal and ultimately led to a full-time position.
Xanthe’s Hinckley experience had a lasting influence on her educational and professional path. Working on Capitol Hill exposed her to the complexities of politics, negotiation, and human behavior in decision-making processes. She carried these lessons into law and business school and into her career as a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions and international project finance. Xanthe describes her Hinckley experience as one of the most formative and valuable aspects of her undergraduate education.

Today Xanthe works as counsel for the firm GreenbergTraurig where she is an experienced business and finance lawyer with licenses in New York, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. She serves as a source of creative and innovative business strategies and helps her clients and companies navigate risk and develop strategy to pursue operational objectives.

Photo 01 - Hinckley Interns in Washington, DC Summer of 1990 (Xanthe Larsen is center front)

Photo 02: Intern Xanthe Larsen poses with Congressman Jim Hansen during her internship in Washington, 1990

Photo 03: Corporate headshot of Xanthe Larsen from GreenbergTraurig

May Alumni Spotlight: Xanthe Larsen, Class of 1993!

An accomplished student, Xanthe earned a BA in Political Science, a BS in Economics, and minored in French. As a student, she participated in a Hinckley Internship in Washington, D.C. working for then Congressman Jim Hansen before returning to the University of Utah to complete a joint JD/MBA in 1997. Her internship experience proved pivotal and ultimately led to a full-time position.
Xanthe’s Hinckley experience had a lasting influence on her educational and professional path. Working on Capitol Hill exposed her to the complexities of politics, negotiation, and human behavior in decision-making processes. She carried these lessons into law and business school and into her career as a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions and international project finance. Xanthe describes her Hinckley experience as one of the most formative and valuable aspects of her undergraduate education.

Today Xanthe works as counsel for the firm GreenbergTraurig where she is an experienced business and finance lawyer with licenses in New York, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. She serves as a source of creative and innovative business strategies and helps her clients and companies navigate risk and develop strategy to pursue operational objectives.

Photo 01 - Hinckley Interns in Washington, DC Summer of 1990 (Xanthe Larsen is center front)

Photo 02: Intern Xanthe Larsen poses with Congressman Jim Hansen during her internship in Washington, 1990

Photo 03: Corporate headshot of Xanthe Larsen from GreenbergTraurig

Good Luck Summer Interns!

Last week, we held intern orientation for all of the University of Utah students who will be participating in internships through the Hinckley Institute this summer. Possibly one of our biggest intern classes ever, the Global, U Service Corps, Washington, DC, and Local intern programs all combined to learn about how to be a successful and valuable intern. Regardless of how far they travel, or how large their host offices will be, we are so proud of these interns for engaging with the world around them and embarking on this impactful, professional experience.

We are excited to share that Tyler Shumway has been named a 2026 recipient of the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship—one of the nation’s most distinguished honors for students committed to careers in public service.

The Truman Scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, a sustained commitment to public service, and the intellectual strength to address the country’s most pressing policy challenges. Tyler’s selection places him among a highly competitive national cohort of future public service leaders and reflects the depth of his preparation to contribute meaningfully to the public good.

Congratulations, Tyler! 👏

Congratulations to HIP Talks winners! Another year of incredible speeches leaving a difficult task for the judges. Thank you to everyone who participated - public speaking is one of the scariest and bravest things we do and we were so impressed with the talented students who shared their words with us. 

A huge round of applause for our runners up, each awarded $1,000 scholarship:

Emma Bullert "I Built a Life Anyway" (audience favorite award)
Shachee Baraiya "The Life I Asked For"
Anna Locke "Mornings at the Bakery"
Jeremy Parrish "The Counter-Story"
Sophia Stine "I Am Lucky"

And a massive congratulations to our grand prize winner of $5,000:
RG Simbiak "Imperfection"

✨ April Alumni Spotlight: Sammy Flitton, U of U Class of 2015!

From interning in the U.S. Senate and the UK Parliament 🇬🇧 to attending high-level diplomatic dinners in Brussels 🇪🇺, Sammy Hinckley's experience took him around the world and straight to the top.

After graduating with a degree in International Studies, Sammy went on to study at the University of Oxford, work on Capitol Hill covering foreign affairs, and today serves as an attorney at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, advising clients on regulatory, corporate, and government affairs matters in both Utah and Washington D.C. 🏛️

Sammy credits his Hinckley internships, coursework, and mentors with opening doors he never could have imagined, and we couldn't be more proud to call him one of our own. 💙

Read more at hinckley.utah.edu/alumni-spotlight

🌍 Fashion has a footprint, let's talk about it.

In honor of Earth Month, join us for a panel discussion on sustainable fashion and what it really means to dress with the planet in mind. 👗♻️

📍 Hinckley Institute of Politics
🗓️ Wednesday April 15
⏰ 12:00 - 1:00 PM
🔗 Link in bio for more info

🚨WE'RE HIRING🚨

The Hinckley Institute is looking for passionate U students to join our student team! Whether you're keeping day-to-day operations running, hosting forums and events, or spreading the word about opportunities that change students' lives, there's a place for you here.

✨ Open roles:
📋 Student Staff
🎙️ Forum Hosts
📣 Student Ambassadors

Link in bio to apply!