Summer '09 Internship Summaries

Here are a few of the summer students descriptions of their placements:

Jen Maddux- Hastings College “I am interning at Rainbow PUSH Coalition. It is Jesse Jackson's civil rights organization. I am shadowing Marshette Turner, the executive director of the International Trade Bureau. The focus of the department is to assist minority- and women-owned businesses trying to do business with large corporations.”

Brittany Camerino Illinois College- “I am working with the West Lawn - Archer Heights Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the West Lawn Chamber of Commerce is to advance the economic, industrial, professional, cultural and civic welfare of the West Lawn area. To encourage and give assistance to any new individuals that are seeking to locate in the West Lawn Chamber of Commerce area. To support all those activities believed to be beneficial to the community and oppose those, which might be detrimental. To promote the welfare of all area citizens, following the policies intended to accomplish the greatest good for the greatest number. My specific duties include creating a blog for the Archer Heights Chamber, writing articles for the monthly newsletter (these articles are also posted on the blog), communicating with members regarding events (both from the past and upcoming), and answering the phone throughout the day. Some of the more specific tasks I have taken on since I started include contacting the Secretary of State regarding the West Lawn Chamber of Commerce being in not good standing and then printing out and filling out the forms so that my supervisor just needed to sign the forms; keeping contact with a business owner who was interested in working to receive a grant in order to make improvements within his business. I had to collect the forms and contact him to let him know that we had the forms and he would be able to pick them up during our business hours; writing invoices for the next years membership; writing a cover letter to be sent with the invoices, which listed the chambers accomplishments over the past year; write an email to the Hyde Park Chamber requesting the donation of a computer since we only have 3 computers with about 20 staff members; work on placing an ad in Journal News; Email members and local businesses to see if they would like to go into the ad as well in order to save the chamber from paying for the full amount of the ad; and the biggest event I am working on is the upcoming Health Fair that will take place at Ford City mall - I had to search our member list as well as the internet for possible health services that may want to participate in the event.”

Kristina Carlson Nebraska Wesleyan University- “The Children's Place Association is a non-profit association aimed to provide services to children with aids related issues such as having AIDS or HIV themselves or having a family member with one of these illnesses as well. Over the years, the association has opened their doors to those with other disorders as well such as autism, down syndrom, etc. The association has a Family Center which provides preschool type services for these children since many go without a preschool education otherwise and are then not prepared for kindergarten. Wellness checks are taken daily along with counseling services and many other services for other family members, foster parents, etc. There is a residence where some of the children live as well that is fully staffed. The administrative offices is where the legislative, paperwork, and overall running of the association is done. The children and families can also gain bus services and counseling services that they may take advantage of over the course of their lifetime (for foster parent families that become foster parents through the association).”

Lauren Deutscher- Alma College “I'm interning at Danielle Ashley Commnuications, a Public Relations and Advertising agency. So far I am mainly answering the phone, and doing simple tasks around the office. They are just about to start a new project, so I am hoping to be a part of that.”

Sarah Caverley- Alma College “I'm at Holsten Management. They are a real estate company that provides both public housing and higher income level housing. My job is in the accounting department and I enter a lot of data into their computer system such as rents and bills owed and paid.”

Molli Templin- Albion College “I am working at DoriWilson Public Relations. They provide promotional services for avariety of organizations in the Chicago area. I'm helping out withdifferent aspects of projects and looking into developing a blog forDori's website.”
Rebecca Herington- Whitworth University “I am working at the Pilsen Wellness Center, with the Intensive Case Management program. The participants all have mental illnesses and are living on their own. The case workers check up on them according to their needs. They are taught how to manage their finances, trained/supervised taking medications, go grocery shopping, take care of themselves, etc. I am shadowing the case workers, going with them from place to place. When we are in the offices, I am going through the cases, making sure forms are properly updated.”

A Few Pics from May

Panel Follow-up

Who knew the possibility of hosting the Olympics could arouse such strong emotions? The passion of the panelists for their point of view was obvious from the start. From advocating for the Olympics to advocating for community involvement, to being flat out opposed to hosting the 2016 Games, the perspectives varied but the passion remained high. It is clear that if Chicago is chosen in October there will be an outburst of both jubilation and protest. Students, staff and others in the audience peppered the panel with thoughtful questions. It was two hours well spent. The great response from the community and the value as a class for the students has prompted Center staff to consider future panels on relevant topics as a part of the program.

Scott E. Chesebro, PhD
Executive Director
Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture

Photos from 2016 Olympic Bid Panel April 24, 2009

Scott Chesebro, Chicago Center Executive Director
introduces 2016 Chicago Olympic Bid Panel to Chicago Center students and community members.

Panelist:
Dr. Stephen Alexander, Sr. Research Fellow Olympic Study Group DePaul University

Panelists:
Denise Dixon, Action Now Executive Director; Glenn Reedus, Chicago Media Money Monetizer; Dr. Stephen Alexander, Sr. Research Fellow Depaul Univeristy; Tom Tresser, No Games Chicago

Communications and Marketing Director, Althea Conyers

As the International Olympics Committee leaves Chicago and heads to Tokyo (Japan), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and Madrid (Spain), Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture congregated a panel of Community leaders and activists to discuss the impact of Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympics will have on neighborhoods and communities.

Action Now Executive Director, Denise Dixon has fought for a community benefits agreement (CBA) to be passed by City Hall. This legally binding agreement would insure that a portion of jobs, housing, and minority contracts for neighborhood residents would be allocated. Currently, City Council has decided against approving this legal agreement.

Dixon is not opposed to the 2016 Olympics being held in Chicago but asks, "Is he [Mayor Daley] going to sell out the people of Chicago in the communities where the venues are to be held?"

Chicago Center Executive Director, Scott Chesebro states “these issues are exactly why there is need for a community based forum where an assortment of voices can be heard and a discussion can take place on the benefits and the drawbacks that Chicago faces if granted the 2016 Olympic bid.”

Chicago Center is an Urban Education program which provides college students from across the country with internships and seminars designed to broaden their understanding of complex issues and increase their effectiveness as citizens. For forty years Chicago Center has prided themselves on a ‘first-voice’ pedagogy that encourages their students to hear the diverse voices that are represented in Chicago.

This event was for Chicago Center students and was also open to the public and the media.

Return of the blog

The Blog is back up and running! Here are some photos of the mural presentations at Scott’s house for the Directed Study course.

Tiffanie Beatty, our LearnChicago! Coordinator has been hired full time as our Program Associate. She sent this via email the other evening after attending Lollapalooza (with former staffer Shane Peterson). ~Valerie

Everyone, I have a confession!

As you know, I have been here a year and up until last night, I LIKED Chicago a lot!

I have even said I "loved" Chicago. But I have been lying.

Last night though, surrounded by over a 100,000 musty, screaming, white suburbanites,

I fell hard.

At first I was mostly excited for Shane. Somewhere in the middle of "Homecoming" I screamed "Shane, you are home!" Right after I said it, I realized so was I.

Standing there, with my diamond in the sky, some of my favorite South Siders (Hyde Parkers to be specific) by my side, Mr. West on the stage goin nuts, and the magnificent skyline behind it all,

I became one of the many.

Final Summer Session Wrap Up

photos by Keith Zabel