Miles Jones – Penobscot Nation Economic & Community Development
2024 Mitchell Center Intern
Academic Program:
Project: Penobscot Nation Economic and Community Development
Team Leaders: Sharon Klein, UMaine; Michael Burgess, Director of Economic & Community Development, Penobscot Nation
Why are you interested in the problem you are working on?
The processes involved with economic development have interested me since my freshman year of college, where I was first exposed to it via an economics 120 class with Professor Weissen. Being able to assist a community by using skills I have learned through my studies and working hands-on with infrastructure grants, mapping, community projects and communicating with regional stakeholders makes seeing real progress all the more valuable. Working with the Penobscot Nation allows me to experience economic and community development outside of the traditional municipal setting while getting to interact with a vital part of the Bangor community and a first-peoples group within Maine.
How could your work contribute to a sustainable future in Maine and beyond?
Sustainability can be accomplished via many fronts, and one of the benefits that working for a municipality provides is you get to engage in almost all aspects of sustainable development. At an individual project level I am currently assisting on a 1.3 megawatt solar build-out, as well as conducting a feasibility study for ecotourism on Penobscot lands, both of which aim to provide jobs and revenue to the Nation while minimizing ecological impact. At a macro level, completing projects such as these also help to set a precedent for sustainable development in lower income and Tribal communities, which I hope will begin to be carried over to other communities within Maine and eventually across the entire country.
What do you feel are the most important skills that you bring to your internship?
As a college student engaging with multi-year career professionals and given the timeframe of this internship, one of the most important skills I can provide is a second, more diverse opinion on various issues affecting the Tribe. In addition, my previous experiences in development at the municipal level within Maine allow me to compare potential outcomes that the Tribe is pursuing to those of my previous experience, comparing and contrasting the costs and benefits of each method and desired outcome.
What have you learned through your participation in this internship?
Part of the joy of this position is that I am able to work on a new topic every day of the week which is a breeding ground for learning new skills. So far I have been able to engage with and master hard skills (map making via ArcGIS, population analysis using ACS data, creation of evaluation and resiliency frameworks according to EDA federal regulations) and soft skills (practicing timely communication, writing more cohesively, integrating stakeholder feedback).
What are your personal goals for this internship? What do you hope to accomplish?
As a product oriented person, seeing results of something that I’ve worked on is what is most fulfilling. I hope to see my projects put into action and deliver real benefits to the Tribe over their assigned timeframes, and I hope to be able to further my existing skills (GIS, statistical analysis, infrastructure research et cetera) while learning completely new skills. Lastly, I hope to form valuable connections within Maine and Maine’s tribal networks, both socially and within economic development, that can help to further my interest in this field.
How do you like to spend your free time/down time?
As a member of the University of Maine Track and Field team, most of my time is occupied by school and track training. When I am not running or practicing, I enjoy reading non-fiction historical books, landscaping, being on the beach or hosting cookouts with my friends and family.
What’s your ultimate Maine experience?
Attempting to drive to the Bangor Walmart during a massive winter storm and stopping on the side of Stillwater Avenue to clear a fallen 30 foot tree with four other men, soaking myself in the process. I’ve never felt like such a Mainer until that moment.