Over the past several weeks, we’ve dodged thunderstorms and endured the heat as we hopped across a few key locations within our region of Western Pennsylvania. The incredible work we’ve seen has inspired us. Our local governments and agencies are focusing on redevelopment in our neighborhoods and parks, focusing on modernization, reinvestment, and resilience, and we’re proud to see our 2021 interns of the Municipal Intern Program (MIP) strengthening these efforts.

As we saw last year, internships during a pandemic posed considerable challenges. How could municipalities and local government agencies adapt internship work for an unknowable future? This year, our placement sites thought strategically, pivoting to new approaches and new systems.

Intern Joey Belanger, for example, is a student at the Community College of Allegheny County and Robert Morris University, and he was brought on in Ross Township for their large-scale technology upgrades. Like many municipalities in the region, Ross updated their municipal building’s technology in response to the pandemic. Their ultimate goal was to hold meetings virtually, and they needed someone to maximize their operations. Joey was a perfect fit.

For municipalities like the Town of Greenville in Mercer County, the show must go on. In 2020, we saw Intern Molly Shepler of Thiel College begin the challenging task of updating the Administrative Code. Greenville had just adopted a Home Rule Charter by resident vote in 2019, and this year, 2021, Molly continues the work she began last year.

The pandemic has resulted in a social shift for many individuals, and Intern Rohan Lambore explained he found himself reevaluating his goals and aspirations as well. After earning his Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, his Master of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, Christ’s College, and now currently attending a program at Harvard Extension, he returns to his hometown of Hampton Township for redevelopment work on the Comprehensive Plan with a focus on the Route 8 corridor.

This week, we’ll see our interns for a second Development Day, where we’ll focus on all things job hunting, including the range of government employment opportunities relevant to our interns. A few weeks later, we’ll see them again for our Recognition Picnic to highlight the work our 2021 MIP Interns accomplished this summer.

Keep up with our interns and their projects on our Instagram, where we’re highlighting their progress so far.

– Joy