MCIC (Metro Chicago Information Center) is pleased to announce the availability of our third 8-week summer internship to a qualified college/graduate student interested in public policy, social services, community development, or other urban quality of life concerns, including quantitative and qualitative approaches to documenting, addressing, and evaluating social progress.

The James E. Mann Educational Endowment was established in 2005 to honor longtime MCIC Board Chair, Jim Mann, who was instrumental in guiding MCIC to its current place as an information resource and research partner to nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. In 2005, Jim stepped down as Board Chair after serving in that role for thirteen of MCIC's fifteen years of existence. During Jim's tenure MCIC grew from a neophyte organization with a proprietary information set, the Metro Survey, to its current place as research partner to area organizations and information leaders in matters of public policy and quality of life concerns. Jim continues to serve the Chicago community as an MCIC board member and as Executive Director of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. The internship reflects Jim's dedication to MCIC and his personal interest in grooming young professionals to give back to their communities through public service, either as a career path or as board volunteers.

The internship will be awarded during Spring 2008 to a college/graduate student who has a demonstrated interest in research and public service. The objective is to open the internship to a broad range of applicants representative of the full scope of community research services, including data collection and analysis, GIS mapping, qualitative research services, and report preparation. A two-month/300 hour work experience at MCIC will be provided under the guidance and mentoring of a senior staff member. The intern will be compensated at the rate of $15.00 per hour. Selection will be based upon a combination of educational attainment, relationship of past coursework and employment to the proposed MCIC assignment(s), and an indication of interest in public service. An interview will be required for the finalists for the internship. Internship projects may include work in the areas of health and social service program planning and evaluation; market/needs analysis; housing and community development; arts & cultural audience development, etc., and may involve communications; data collection and analysis; policy analysis; community involvement; and/or research activities. Every effort will be made to match up the education and interests of the intern with the agency's work program activities. The project will be scheduled for a mutually convenient period between May and September 2008.

MCIC was established in 1989 as an information and research resource for the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. Its mission is to serve the data and information needs of organizations concerned with quality of life in the region. Its offices are located in downtown Chicago.

Applications will be accepted from students enrolled in an accredited degree program with an interest in public service. A copy of the application guidelines and recommendation form can be accessed via the links below. Please note that the deadline for receiving all application materials is March 7, 2008. The intern will be announced by April 1, 2008. Questions regarding the internship should be directed to Joan Frankel at jdfrankel@mcic.org.

• James E. Mann Social Research Internship Application Form
• James E. Mann Social Research Internship Program Recommendation Form