Claudia Poclaba is a second-year CIPA student who is concentrating her studies on Economics and Financial Policy. This summer, she interned for the City of Ithaca, in the Department of Planning, Building, Zoning and Economic Development
In August of 2016, as part of my work responsibilities at the World Summit on Public Policy, I was charged with managing a three day conference with nearly 60 speakers and more than 700 attendees. Thanks to that experience, as well as my work on other conferences, I developed an extensive network of policy makers from around the world who were working to improve their local governments. At the time, I was employed as a communications coordinator for the national government of Argentina, working specifically for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Public Works and Housing. This position allowed me to see how economic development and infrastructure issues could be addressed on a national level. My experience with the World Summit, however, piqued my interest and desire to make changes to my own country of Argentina starting at the local level.
I decided to apply for a position in the Office of Economic Development at the Department of Planning and Economic Development. Fortunately, CIPA faculty and staff members have strong connections with city government and were able to assist me with my application. Once hired, I discovered that my new boss was not only a Cornell alumnus but had studied and worked with one of my professors from the City and Regional Planning program in developing the comprehensive plan for the City of Ithaca. I was the only intern hired in my department, and I was charged with creating the first draft of the City Economic Strategy Plan. It was the perfect place for me to develop skills that I could take back with me to Argentina.
My project was challenging, particularly since I only had one year of economic and quantitative coursework under my belt. Now I was responsible for bench-marking other cities as a way of comparing and analyzing Ithaca’s economic strategy. I researched similar communities’ economic development plans, learned about innovative planning occurring in other districts, searched for data relating to small business and startups, etc.
I’m becoming aware of the challenges regarding development in the U.S. and particularly here in Ithaca — something that I would never have thought about in the past. This experience makes me feel more engaged with the community in which I’ve been living for a year, and I’m feeling more prepared to launch my new career.
I’ve heard many times that Ithaca is beautiful in the summer, and I can say now that not only is beautiful but also is full of opportunities to learn and to be an active part of change in local government.
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