Richardson Mayor’s Internship Program a Success

As they embark on the final week of their internships, nearly 60 teens who participated in the sixth-annual Richardson Mayor’s Summer Internship Program (RMSIP) were honored by newly elected Richardson Mayor Rob Dubey and Richardson ISD Superintendent Tabitha Branum at a celebratory luncheon July 31, 2023, at Hilton Richardson Hotel. 

In his first year at the helm of the program, Mayor Dubey declared the summer a success. Founded in 2018, the program has grown from 24 internships and 24 employers/sponsors in its first year to nearly 60 internships and approximately 50 employers in 2023. The program, which runs June 5-Aug. 4, is presented by Mayor Paul Dubey and the City of Richardson, Richardson ISD and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce.

Joining Mayor Dubey and Superintendent Branum today were elected officials, employers and sponsors. Serving as emcees were interns Anna Contreras, a rising senior at J. J. Pearce High School and intern at Corgan, and Nahom Zemed, a rising senior at Richardson High School and intern at Feed Lake Highlands. In addition, Mayor Dubey conducted a panel with intern alumni – Reed Granger, a 2021 intern who worked at the Richardson Symphony Orchestra and currently attends Syracuse University, and 2020 intern Bianca Onyangore who worked at the Richardson Fire Department and the Richardson Office Emergency Management Team and currently attends Baylor University. In addition, Keshav Vasanth, a 2021 intern who worked at the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and is currently attending Washington University, shared an update via video. Opening the program was Jenny Duong, a 2018 intern and senior at Texas A&M School of Dentistry, who shared her experiences from interning at the City of Richardson Health Department.

The interns, who worked 12-40 hours per week at some of the area’s top businesses and nonprofits, earned a minimum of $12 per hour.

Before the eight-week placements began, more than 150 students participated in workforce skills training to prepare for the Job Fair on May 3, when 110 students vied for a coveted spot. Once they received their official job offers, the students underwent two days of workplace skills training June 1-2. For a third year, interns led the “Healthy Kids Snack Drive” benefiting families served by the Network of Community Ministries.

In addition, more than 200 students applied for the 2023 program – marking a 65% increase in applicants since 2022 – and around 80 professional business volunteers were recruited to mentor and guide students throughout the summer.

Thanks go to founding partners Richardson ISD, the City of Richardson and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, major sponsors including Central Market, Cisco, Santander Consumer USA, and other sponsors including Atmos Energy, Catherine Bowers Burdette and Daniel Burdette, JHP and KDC.