I love the end of summer for the bounty of fresh produce coming from my garden. As I enjoy the benefits, I also recognize the hard work and dedication necessary to have a successful garden and am reminded of our unique, capacity-building Municipal Intern Program. Both require monitoring, both require nurturing, and both thrive when they have a team of people working toward the same objective.

The 2021 Municipal Intern Program (MIP) introduced us to another great group of graduate and undergraduate students who are now returning to their academic life after working full-time completing projects benefitting communities across SWPA. Seeing these energetic young leaders gives me hope for the future, and knowing that they have been a value to their placement site gives me great comfort.

As one placement site said: “With budgets stretched to the limits, having an intern from this program is invaluable. The intern provides a needed service to the community and MIP defrays the cost. Knowing that LGA is coordinating this means that it operates professionally with clear guidelines benefiting both the municipality and the intern.”

MIP is an incredibly important workforce development initiative that increases awareness of the myriad of careers available in local government. Each year, without fail, several of the placement sites will keep their interns working through the school year hoping to bring them on full-time once graduated. It truly is a win-win situation for both the placement sites and students.

However, this program would not be the success it is without our academic partners. Working directly with Career Services departments and faculty, MIP is promoted regionally and attracts students both locally and out of state. This year, we had five graduate students (Harvard Extension, PITT GSPIA, CMU Heinz) and nine undergraduate students representing:

• Community College of Allegheny County/Robert Morris University
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State University
• Sacred Heart University, Connecticut
• Thiel College
• University of Pittsburgh
• West Virginia University

I am so grateful for the partnerships that make our work possible and which make this region a great place to learn, live, work, and play.

– Joy