Megan Daigneau transferred to the University of Utah after spending her first college years at Salt Lake Community College. Daigneau wanted to make the most of her time at the U, given that she only had two years until graduation. She knew that she wanted to pursue a career in the public sector and was eager to find experiences that would prepare her for post-graduation life. She discovered the Hinckley Institute and completed a local internship, which has had a lasting impact on her career.

Daigneau interned with the Utah Health Policy Project (UHPP) during the summer of 2016.

Prior to working at UHPP I had a limited understanding of the health disparities present in Utah. It was eye opening to learn about and learn from the experiences of those who were uninsured or under-insured in navigating the healthcare system in our state. This internship helped turn me into a lifelong advocate for a fair and equitable healthcare system.

During her time with UHPP, she helped coordinate and plan a state-wide conference. While this seemed daunting at first, Daigneau loved getting to see the event come to life and interact with various attendees which included healthcare officials, advocates and legislators.

Daigneau was able to stay on with UHPP and worked with them through the spring of 2017. During this time, she worked closely with the Executive Director on grant applications. This experience proved to be instrumental in receiving her first post-college job as a grant writer and helped determine the trajectory of her career.

Daigneau graduated from the U in 2017 with a double major in Consumer and Community Studies and Human Development and Family Studies.

Since graduation, Daigneau has worked for several nonprofit organizations in Salt Lake City, including Art Access and the Rape Recovery Center as a grants and operations manager. She then completed an MPA in 2023 at Boise State University. She currently serves as the Senior Manager of Operations for the Division of Research and Economic Development at Boise State University where she oversees all human resources and fiscal actions for the division and advises the Vice President for Research and Economic Development on strategic priorities.

I continue to volunteer and donate to social issues I care about, something that I grew interested in while interning at Utah Health Policy Project. I sit on the board of directors for two organizations: Wild Hearts Idaho and Art Access and advise both on matters related to grant writing, fundraising, and financial operations.

The Hinckley Institute is thrilled that Megan Daigneau’s internship has had such a lasting impact on her personal and professional life!