My Summer Internship as a Mayoral Fellow: Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025

Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025, shares how she got her internship with the Chicago Mayor's Office, and what she learned.

I came to Harris seeking to move into a government policy role. I also wanted to stay in Chicago for the summer between my first and second year, so when searching for a summer internship, the City of Chicago’s Mayoral Fellowship seemed the perfect opportunity. My Career Advisor from the Career Development Office confirmed the fellowship would give me a great flavor of policy work and new perspectives on municipal government.

Prior to applying for the fellowship, I attended an information session where several Harris second-year students who had been fellows last summer shared insights and application tips.  As a result, I felt much more prepared when I applied and was super excited when I was  accepted as one of nineteen fellows.

As Mayoral Fellows, we attended City Council meetings and talks from Department Commissioners. We also toured the Office of Emergency Management & Communications (where Chicago’s 911 calls are answered), the Park District HQ, and the Water Purification Plant. These experiences gave us fascinating insights into the importance—and broad reach—of local government.

Each Mayoral Fellow worked on four different projects. I chose projects on schools and government innovation (topics I knew I was interested in), plus sewage drains and the construction workforce (topics I didn’t have much experience with) so I could practice the skills I’d gained at Harris: evaluating programs, analyzing data, and exploring policy problems and solutions from multiple angles. Along the way, I had the opportunity to also analyze municipal code, conduct research, brief mayoral teams, interview stakeholders, and attend community meetings. All of these experiences were an opportunity to see how policy is designed, implemented, and received.

At a networking event with the Mayor’s office over the summer, I met alumni from the Mayoral Fellowship who shared their career advice. I was then matched with Ryan Fitzsimons, a Harris alum who was a former Mayoral Fellow, and now my mentor through the Harris Mentor Program.

While working in a large, complex organization and getting familiarized with specific institutional processes and tight budgets can be a challenge, I gained critical skills and met lots of dedicated, talented colleagues. Plus, I was given the opportunity to continue my work with the Chicago Mayor’s Office part-time during the academic year!