Meet Taylor Black, a second-year Master of Public Policy student interning with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Planning and Development through the Mayor’s Internship Program this summer!

Tell us about your experience in the Mayor’s Internship Program this summer. What department have you been assigned to work with? What projects are you working on? What does your day-to-day look like?

The Mayor’s Internship Program (MIP) has been insightful, informative, and an overall transformative experience. Since being assigned to the Communications team in the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), I've been provided with several opportunities to write media advisories, publish blog posts, offer insight in advisory meetings, attend and assist with set-up for press conferences, and create content for social media. As an intern, my role is to learn and participate as a junior member of an active communications department. Each and every day is different. One day, I’m attending a Philadelphia Land Bank meeting where land strategy for the city is being discussed, and the next day at a groundbreaking with Mayor Cherelle Parker! This internship really keeps me on my toes and gives me the opportunity to develop professionally and network with city leaders. 

Can you share a success story from your internship that has particularly impacted you?

In the DPD Office of Communications, I had the opportunity to design the Market East Upcoming Events handout for the Market East Advisory Group meeting, where it served as a resource for city professionals across multiple departments. This project was especially meaningful because I was appointed full creative responsibility to develop a polished, informative piece that would support discussion among public sector leaders. Beyond creating the handout, I was invited to attend the meeting, where I connected with professionals from various city departments including Commerce and Sanitation. Engaging in these conversations allowed me to exchange ideas, expand my professional network, and observe firsthand how cross-department collaboration influences decision-making in Philadelphia, overall reinforcing my passion to pursue a career in public service.

How have you been able to apply the skills and concepts from your MPP coursework thus far to your internship work?

MIP requires all interns to participate in an end of the summer Capstone Project. Interns are expected to evaluate a topic with their assigned group to present to city leadership at the closing ceremony. The topic selections range from mental health and autism support services in the City of Philadelphia to the Taking Care of Business corridor cleaning program. My group and I have the privilege of presenting research on the Mayor’s H.O.M.E Initiative. With all the research that goes into this presentation, it brings me back to the Community Based Program Evaluation Course in Temple’s MPP Program. In this course, Professor Callahan allowed us to choose a program to evaluate and hypothetically improve the program’s structure. The organization’s systems, stakeholders, and guardrails were all considered during my class evaluation. The course definitely prepared me for my current internship project. 

What career path do you envision for yourself and how is your experience in the MPP program contributing to those goals?

I aspire to work in Public Affairs and/or Communications in the public sector, particularly on projects relating to education and housing. I am interested in how government policies, programs and legislation intersect with the residents and the public officials that serve them. The level of effort and resources that goes into effectively communicating these messages are very important. It takes a level of capacity to push for equitable resources, and I get to learn about it firsthand in the MPP program. The Careers in Public Service Workshop was a key experience in my graduate program. It was an opportunity to hear from lobbyist, political analysts, and non-profit leaders, that all collaborate on projects larger than themselves. This was a very inspiring point of time to speak with officials and gain advice while working towards my professional goal of securing a job with the City of Philadelphia.