<p>The MORPC Local Government Summer Internship Program provides the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to obtain practical work experience with a local government within MORPC's 15-county region to prepare them for possible careers in public service. MORPC coordinates the recruitment and placement of students to match each host's request; hosts make the final hiring decision and provide an hourly wage. Interns work for a host for a minimum of 16 hours to a maximum of 40 hours per week for a 10- to 14-week period, which means there are both part-time and full-time positions available. The summer 2026 internship program will begin on May 12th and will end on August 14th.</p> <p>Interns gain applicable knowledge to enhance classroom learning by working with current government professionals throughout Central Ohio and acquire insights into the services provided by a regional planning commission. Interns also can attend monthly commission meetings as well as special MORPC-sponsored events and are paired with a MORPC staff member to serve as their mentor during the summer internship program.</p> <p>Previous Parks & Recreation interns have gained experience using ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Field Maps, Cityworks, Beehive, Microsoft 365, and other software programs on the job. Specific past assignments include:</p> <ul> <li>Mapping a county's storm water systems using GIS </li><li>Analyzing an asset management system and recommending improvements </li><li>Performing stream health analyses on Buckeye Lake tributaries </li><li>Creating a city-wide tree index by evaluating trees' health, inventorying and identifying trees by size/species, and entering information into GIS </li><li>Establishing Tree Commission education materials and public outreach plan </li><li>Assisting in creating a request for proposals for a city-wide canopy survey </li><li>Designing new Fencing and Barriers map layer schema for city through data collection in the field </li><li>Supporting Parks & Recreation department through data collection and analysis, grant research, event management, and other duties as assigned </li></ul> <p>Qualifications</p> <p>Students must meet the following requirements:</p> <ul> <li>30 hours of completed college coursework </li><li>Interest in public service careers </li><li>GPA 3.0 or higher (preferred) </li><li>Legally eligible to work in the United States </li><li>Reliable transportation to and from work </li><li>Attend a Central Ohio college OR attend other college and have access to local housing </li></ul> <p>Benefits</p> <p>All MORPC internships are paid opportunities! Pay ranges between $15 to $20 per hour depending on the host.</p> <p>Additional benefits include practical work experience, mentorship, and exposure to services offered by a regional planning commission.</p> <p>Please apply online at http://www.morpc.org/careers/ or you may mail a resume to:</p> <p>MORPC Attn: GA-10-26</p> <p>111 Liberty St., Suite 100</p> <p>Columbus, OH 43215</p> <p>www.morpc.org</p> <p>No phone calls please.</p>