To create the most meaningful internship experience for participants; To support the Columbus Covenant and the Mayor's neighborhood priorities; To match student interns with neighborhood-based projects that are well-defined  or with projects with city staff that closely match their area of academic interest or specialization.   To pair students with Neighborhood Liaisons to work on priority projects that are consistent with the Mayor's neighborhood agenda.

The students are a mix of first year and second year graduate students.  First year students will have the opportunity to work during the academic year (October - June) and then again during the following academic year period, while second year students will work the academic year until graduation in June.

The interns are paired with a city staff Neighborhood Liaison to work on projects identified as priorities by the neighborhood.  Interns are placed to work with a particular area and Neighborhood Liaison based on the goals of the neighborhood and the skills and desires of the intern.  Interns will also assist city staff with special projects related to the whole city, such as updates of neighborhood mailing lists and mapping projects.  Interns work on community development and planning projects relevant to the improvement of quality of life in the neighborhood. 

Interns are matched with a project based on experience, interest, and skill level. Potential projects include, but are not limited to: zoning reviews, land use information and analysis, community assessments (housing, crime, poverty, historic inventories, housing finance, etc.), grant preparation, strategic planning, marketing, legal research (code violations, liquor permits, etc.).