Summer of Service: During the summer of 2014 the IOP is proud to sponsor and work with over 150 students who are spending their summers in politics and public service around the world. Learn more about this program.
Authored by IOP Director's InternPalmer Smith.
This summer, I have had the opportunity to serve as an intern in the Office of Mayor Michael A. Nutter of Philadelphia. As part of the Office of Policy Planning & Coordination, I have researched a number of innovative municipal policies under consideration by the city government. These include, among others, gun safety legislation, universal pre-kindergarten, and evidence-based programming for at-risk women and girls.
Of the nation’s ten largest cities, Philadelphia has one of the highest poverty rates. This startling statistic must be addressed in order to achieve the Mayor’s long-term objective of creating “prosperity for all.” Although the City has steadily improved since the end of the Great Recession, there is still work to be done.
Outlined in the Mayor’s Priorities and Accomplishments document, the City of Philadelphia has implemented a number of policies that have led to increased private-sector growth, safer communities, and a greener economy. The Office of Policy Planning & Coordination has continued to build upon these efforts, proposing a number of exciting initiatives in line with the Mayor’s objectives.
For instance, on day one of my internship, I began researching Re: New Haven, a program that provides forgivable home and student loans to qualifying New Haven residents. In an effort to attract more long-term residents to the City, New Haven lawmakers have promised to provide $10,000 to first-time homebuyers. If they remain in their homes for five years, the City forgives the loan in full with additional benefits for those serving in the public sector. Similarly, New Haven Promise, the program’s student loan component, offers free tuition to graduates of New Haven public high schools who meet a number of attendance, academic, and community service requirements.
I have also researched best practices in universal pre-kindergarten from across the country, focusing on successful programs in Boston, Denver, and San Antonio that provide publicly funded, full-day instruction to their cities’ three- and four-year-olds. Study after study has confirmed the short- and long-term benefits of early childhood education. From higher performance on standardized tests and developmental assessments to lower rates of high school dropout, crime, and incarceration, successful universal pre-k programs offer economic and social benefits to the cities that enact them.
The ability to research these and other innovative policies has been incredibly rewarding. Under the leadership of the City’s Policy Director, Maia Jachimowicz, and Deputy Policy Director, Katie Martin, I have gained hands-on, substantive experience in municipal government I would lack were it not for the director’s internship program. As someone who hopes to remain in public service, the work ethic, character, and leadership abilities of these two women are simply inspiring. The next month of my internship promises to hold even richer experiences that will serve me well during the next academic year and beyond.