New Interns + New Ideas = A Bright Future

Join us in welcoming the latest group of 23 bright interns, making up Cohort V, to the City of Raleigh! This group will be sharing and growing their knowledge in several divisions throughout the City. We're excited to see the fresh ideas and energy you'll bring - especially to Raleigh Water.

For many college students, internships are a key step towards building their futures and gaining real-world experience in their chosen fields. The Community Climate Internship Program offers exactly that-an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from around the Triangle area to serve the City of Raleigh across various departments, including Raleigh Water. During this 10-week program, these hardworking individuals gain hands-on experience in local government and the chance to see their work make a real impact on the City we love.

While internships are a valuable learning experience for students, the City of Raleigh is learning too. City of Raleigh employee Nina Barrett shared:
"Interns often bring fresh ideas, new approaches to projects, and a pulse on emerging trends. It's always a two-way street, and we welcome the opportunity to learn from them just as much as we hope to teach them."

We can't wait to see our interns thrive! And because we're so proud of them, here are a few 2024-2025 program stats:

• 98% of interns earned a Partnership Raleigh Professional Development or Bank of America Workforce Development Academy credential
• 52% of interns hired and completed the program were from underrepresented backgrounds
• 100% of interns completed their academic pursuits, graduating from college or graduate school
• 92% of fellows and interns secured employment post-program-either with the City of Raleigh or through a Partnership Raleigh nonprofit or business partner

If you see our new interns around the Raleigh Water Lab, Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Plants, or working on Capital Improvement Projects, don't hesitate to say hello... special shoutout to the Raleigh Water interns: Sydney Best, Luke Bernsten, Finley Cain, Paige Cook, Janiya Douglas, Jaylyn Durham, William Garrett, Marcus Gibbs, Leonard Johnson, Chayse Jones, Max Li, Tyler Mance, Hannah McCloskey, Rosa Ramirez-Garcia, Claudio Sanchez, Imani Taylor, Thomas Tobul and Tehya Weaver.

We wish our interns a productive, fun summer and hope they walk away with a better understanding of how local government works to address environmental and community challenges. Barrett said it best: "These lessons will serve them whether they continue in public service, the nonprofit sector, or private industry."