As my time with the MTA comes to an end, I am becoming less and less comfortable with the prospect of leaving. None of the projects I've been working on is done, and I know that, given the TOD Group's significant lack of resources, my departure will spell the end for some of them.
The toolkit I've been compiling-- a research repository complete with best practices, opportunities for project financing,and case studies-- is one of those low-priority, give-it-to-the-intern undertakings that will die out unless an intern is there to take it on. Not to mention that a bunch of that research still needs to be entered into their internal system so it can be stored.
Some assignments, like a mapping project meant to identify the owners of plots of land in neighborhoods targeted as prime for development, were in progress before I arrived and are too important to be at risk of falling by the wayside.
Still I fear that, without an intern in the office, priorities will shift to make up for the loss of twenty percent of the people in the office (there are only five of us) and projects will be dropped.
That's why, in my last few weeks here, I'm making it my duty to replace myself. I couldn't leave in December knowing that the work I put into this position was for naught. I've been reaching out to friends all over the city, hoping to find someone to take my place. I hope that someone out there is as eager as I was to join one of the most innovative and forward-thinking branches of the MTA as they embark to increase access to transit, lower the city's ecological footprint, and spur development to make our city as sustainable and as economically competitive as it can be.
There's still a bunch of things that still need to be done and I'm dreading having to leave it all behind, but I remain grateful for the wonderful experience this internship has afforded me. I feel that I've taken a glimpse into a future in transportation policy and, as difficult as it might be, I have to take my time in order to get there.
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