Imagine diving straight into the heart of public service and experiencing what it truly means to be an essential worker. That’s exactly what college interns Vienna Cheng and Shalini Patel did this summer. Their internship with the City of Sugar Land were not only eye-opening but were also significantly shaped by Hurricane Beryl. Discover how their hands-on experiences and the hurricane’s impact made this summer one for the books!
Vienna Cheng: Environmental Neighborhood Services Intern
Meet Vienna Cheng, a Sugar Land native and rising sophomore at Texas A&M University, double-majoring in Political Science and Environmental Science. She returned to her hometown this summer to intern with the City of Sugar Land’s Environmental Neighborhood Services (Solid Waste) division.
Vienna’s internship was filled with exciting projects. She surveyed residents about their preferences for Household Hazardous Waste collection, advocated for compostable bags for green waste, and even built a model to demonstrate stormwater erosion prevention on construction sites. Though the 9-to-5 office environment initially seemed daunting, she quickly found it to be dynamic and hands-on, likening it to a summer camp experience (in a good way, of course).
A pivotal moment came when Vienna witnessed the city’s response to Hurricane Beryl. This experience provided her with a firsthand look at local government’s crucial role in disaster recovery.
“Seeing the city mobilize to restore the community that I’ve always lived in was inspiring. If this is what being a public servant looks like, I definitely see myself giving back to my community,” Vienna said.
Shalini Patel: Fire & EMS Department Intern
Shalini Patel hails from Richmond and is a Travis High School graduate currently studying Public Health at Texas A&M University. Her internship experience with the City of Sugar Land’s Fire & EMS departments gave her more insight on the service level our City is offering in pre-hospital care.
Shalini’s work included facilitating fall prevention workshops at assisted living facilities and participating in meetings with local healthcare professionals, offering her a close look at Fort Bend County’s collaborative public health scene.
A standout moment for Shalini was witnessing an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation during Hurricane Beryl. “Experiencing an EOC activation in real life was inspiring, and I can’t wait to share this story when I return to campus,” Patel shared.
Her previous experience in hospital administration made this internship even more meaningful, as it allowed her to see how classroom learning translates into real-world practice.
“Seeing the concepts I read in my textbooks and actually being able to apply it in real life during this internship was mind-blowing,” Shalini said.
Vienna Cheng and Shalini Patel are just two examples of the internship experiences we got to hear from this summer. The hands-on involvement in local government and public health not only highlights dedication from interns, but also shows the city staff’s dedication to contribute to their personal and professional growth. Whether it’s responding to natural disasters or improving community services, these young professionals are making a significant impact and paving the way for their future endeavors.