My Public Lands

Rob Sweeten, BLM Utah State Office

Since 2009, Rob Sweeten, BLM-Utah’s Historic Trail Program Lead, has mentored six students, most of whom began as BLM volunteers. In that capacity, the students worked exclusively with Rob on visual inventory work for several BLM-Utah field offices as well as Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Under Rob’s supervision, the young volunteers entered field data into the national BLM Geographic Information System database, which included digitizing map data and creating visibility analyses. As a result of Rob’s engaging student volunteers rather than paying a contractor, he enabled the BLM to realize a savings of $100,000 on one project alone. Rob ultimately worked to convert these students to temporary-employment status within the BLM or to secure them conservation corps internships with the American Conservation Experience youth organization.

Rob’s reputation for providing excellent training is widely recognized in the private sector as well as within the agency. In fact, two of his students were offered full-time positions with private industry even before their internships were completed. Rob has made it a personal goal to provide positive experiences to his student volunteers because he himself began his career as a BLM intern while attending Utah State University (USU). Rob feels a personal responsibility to lend a hand to students in an effort to repay the BLM for the mentorship that former BLM employees provided him. He spends many hours strengthening BLM-Utah’s partnership with USU by speaking to classes and meeting with professors to explain the BLM’s mission and promote available career paths.

Rob embodies the best qualities of a volunteer supervisor, displaying excellence in mentoring, coaching, and leadership. He truly continues to make a difference, for both the BLM and the students who have blossomed under his guidance. 

Read more about the Annual Making a Difference Volunteer Awards.