Mayor's Fellowship Program

Program Background

The City of Chicago is strongly committed to improving public services for its citizens. Attaining this goal requires the hard work and dedication of qualified public service professionals. Recruiting highly qualified graduate level students, from universities across the country, has proven to be one of the best ways to attain this goal.

The Mayor's Office Fellowship Program attracts bright, highly motivated individuals, gives them a broad overview of municipal government and provides a unique, "hands-on" experience. Fellows participate in budgetary, legislative, and programmatic areas of city government and work directly with Mayor's Office staff. Mayoral Fellows are afforded an unparalleled opportunity to learn about public service and policy-making by directly contributing to the executive office of the City of Chicago.

Objectives

• Develop new initiatives that keep Chicago green and promote green technology;
• Research ways to keep Chicago affordable;
• Work on workforce development initiatives targeting specific industries;
• Outline best practices in public safety programs and youth engagement;
• Research and compare housing-related policies in U.S. cities;
• Create innovative solutions to traffic and infrastructure challenges;
• Recommend ways to better integrate technology with City functions;
• Analyze information on regional issues and Great Lakes policies;
• Create new programs that connect City residents with the great cultural resources of Chicago.

Nature of the Program

The City of Chicago Mayor's Office Fellowship Program offers fellowships to students interested in learning about City government and public policy. The program provides an in-depth view of how City government operates. Fellows will have the opportunity to:

• Work directly with the Mayor's senior staff;
• Research policies and evaluate their potential benefit to Chicago;
• Draft memoranda on upcoming issues and new initiatives;
• Interact with and attend meetings with Commissioners, Aldermen, senior-level staff from various City departments, and experts in a variety of policy fields;
• Learn about the work and mission of the City's departments through weekly presentations by department commissioners and senior level staff, and through guided tours of City facilities.
• Attend press conferences, City Council hearings, senior staff meetings, and strategic planning sessions.
• Develop "New Ideas" for policies and initiatives.