By Heather L. Melton, staff officer for the United Thank Offering

Typically, at this time of year, we begin to say farewell to our intern and prepare to welcome the new one. This year, I am thrilled to share that our current intern, Isabelle Watkins, will be joining me on the staff of the presiding bishop as the fulltime administrative associate for the United Thank Offering beginning July 19. 

Many of you have gotten to know Isabelle over the last year as she stepped in to do more with UTO than interns usually do while we were understaffed. Isabelle is the creative force behind many of our projects, from the annual report to the current redesign of the UTO Blog. Isabelle’s portfolio will expand in July to include planning upcoming pilgrimages, expanding the blog and developing new resources. She will also continue to be your contact person for all things relating to donations to the Ingathering. 

Isabelle, who grew up in Louisiana, is joining us after two years as the Julia Chester Emery Intern, a role she began after graduating in 2019 with a degree in psychology from Furman University in South Carolina. The first year of her internship she served at a Thistle Farms affiliate where she deepened her knowledge and experience of donor management and community engagement. She attended the first UTO pilgrimage to Spain, where she loved visiting grant sites and seeing how UTO changes communities through thank offerings. Isabelle spent part of her second year serving at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, working with their MANNA (Many Angels Needed Now and Always) community in the midst of the pandemic. 

Isabelle is especially looking forward to planning gratitude-inspired events, such as the annual UTO virtual race, and getting to know all of you better.