One Foot Forward: Grit, Growth, and a Career at INL

Whitney Fenwick, a proud Pocatello native and Idaho State University (ISU) graduate, is now enjoying a career as a Contract Specialist at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls. With a Bachelor of Arts in History (2019) and a Master’s in Public Administration specializing in Environmental Education (2021), Fenwick has leveraged her education in unexpected and exciting ways.

Discovering a Passion for History

Fenwick’s path to success wasn’t always clear. Not sure about what she wanted to study, Fenwick says she took a lot of Gen-Ed courses at ISU to discover what she wanted to specialize in, ultimately leading to her decision to major in history.

One of her biggest influences was Dr. Zack Heern from ISU’s Department of History. His passion for the subject ignited her own, and his detailed feedback on assignments improved her writing and research skills. 

She attributes her changed perspective to the assignments and guidelines in her courses, which played a significant role in shaping her approach to life. The concept-based assignments encouraged creativity, requiring her to "run with it" and develop mixed-media presentations that effectively communicated ideas to diverse audiences. Through this process, she learned to relay information in different ways to different people, gaining a deeper understanding that not everyone thinks in a linear or uniform manner. This experience helped her grasp how learning patterns worked internally.

Breaking Stereotypes About a History Degree

Fenwick relates how people would tease her by asking what she would do with a history degree, other than “doing well in Trivia Nights.” She then goes on to explain that, “the name and the type of the degree does not matter – what matters is what you learn in that degree. My degree in history taught me to be a thoughtful writer, and an exploratory researcher.” Fenwick says she uses those skills in her profession.

Balancing Education, Work, and Community Service

As a non-traditional student balancing full-time work, family responsibilities, and community service while studying, Fenwick had little time for extracurricular activities at ISU. However, she was involved in the Pocatello Planning and Zoning Commission and continues to serve as an ISU Alumni Board member.

Professional Journey: From ISU to INL

After graduation, Fenwick took on multiple roles at ISU including Regulatory Affairs Specialist (2019-2020), where she conducted internal audits to ensure accuracy and compliance; Legal Programs Manager (2021-2023), where she developed a legal training program, managed public records requests, ensured compliance with privacy laws, and implemented contract and property leasing systems; and Coordinator (2023-2024), where she managed projects and communications.

Since joining INL in 2021, Fenwick has found the laboratory’s vast scope and mission fascinating. “INL is huge,” she says. “It has about 7,000 employees, with 1,000 new hires this year alone.” She highlights INL’s strong recruitment ties to ISU, noting that half of her MPA classmates now work at the lab. INL hires graduates from diverse fields, including communication, sociology, and public administration. Fenwick says she appreciates how INL is one of the safest places to work—it’s heavily regulated with frequent checks.

Fenwick says she loves her work as a Contract Specialist, where she is responsible for technical writing, legal reviews, and government compliance, ensuring INL’s work aligns with regulations. Her MPA background helps her connect the dots between federal, state, and local government policies, allowing her to craft well-researched contracts.

Advice for Students

Reflecting on her academic journey, Fenwick credits ISU with shaping her worldview and critical thinking skills. “I had an opportunity to challenge my belief systems, my way of thinking, and learn information for myself.” 

For current and future students, Fenwick offers this advice: “You cannot do everything well all the time. You need to set priorities daily, and it will be fine if you set one thing down. Do not quit. Turn something in, put one foot forward, take baby steps on rough days.” She feels that doing this builds grit, character and resilience in a person. She also says that people need to make mental health the top priority always, as neglecting that may have adverse effects.

“Live a life to provide for yourself. Live a life filled with things you enjoy. It is very important to work, but that should not be the only thing in life.”