Celebrating a decade of immersing teens in the professional workplace, Plano Mayor John Muns kicked off the 10^th-annual Plano Mayor’s Summer Internship Program (PMSIP) at Plano ISD’s Academy High School on Feb. 7.

Presented by Capital One, the competitive “learn-and-earn” program connects students from Plano’s award-winning and nationally recognized school district with some of the area’s top corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. The eight-week paid internship program – offering remote and on-site placements, or a combination of both – runs June 12-Aug. 4 although start dates are flexible. Students earn a minimum of $12 per hour working 20-40 hours per week. (The deadline for students to apply is March 6. Only the first 400 applications will be considered, so students are encouraged to apply early.)

To encourage growth of the program, Mayor Muns called for participating businesses and nonprofits to hire at least two interns. He also encouraged participating companies to recruit more organizations, from startups and mid-sized businesses to major companies. The deadline for businesses to sign up is April 1.

“The Plano Mayor’s Summer Internship Program is a collaborative and unique initiative that not only helps prepare students for the workforce in a variety of exciting fields but serves as a direct pipeline for businesses to connect with these talented up-and-comers,” said Mayor Muns. “We truly appreciate founding sponsor Capital One and all the generous partners who have supported our students over the last 10 years.”

Since the program’s launch in 2014, approximately 780 students have received eight-week internships. Additionally, thousands of students have applied for the program and benefited from attending the internship prep training and Job Fair each year.

Two intern alums served as emcee. Academy High School students Emily Vo and Christopher Hunter reminisced about their internship experiences and, in the spirit of the milestone year, shared 10 reasons why they love the program. Also sharing insights were Plano ISD Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams; Academy High School Principal Catherine Gaschen; Jonathan Latham, Senior Director of National Sales for Capital One Auto Finance Division; and DeJuan Taylor, human resources market leader, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

“For the last 10 years, the Plano Mayor’s Summer Internship Program has connected hundreds of students with some of the top businesses and nonprofits in the region, taking their education to the next level through hands-on experience,” said Sanjiv Yajnik, President, Financial Services at Capital One. “As part of the Capital One Impact Initiative, this program helps develop the next generation of leaders –enabling North Texas to remain vibrant and thriving. I’m grateful to the Mayor’s office and all of the participating companies for investing in the future of the community.”

In addition to founding and presenting sponsor Capital One, other major sponsors are Plano ISD, Boeing (Intern Enrichment Sponsor), NTT Data (Volunteer Sponsor) and JPMorgan Chase (Job Fair sponsor and underwriter of 20 interns in the healthcare, STEM and nonprofit sectors every summer). Other sponsors include Bank of America, Liberty Mutual, FedEx Office and Atmos Energy.

Businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to sign up and hire at least two interns. Businesses may also underwrite an intern at a nonprofit or government agency or become a program sponsor. Companies pay a $500 program fee for each intern that covers training and enrichment activities, the Job Fair and onboarding and administrative costs.

Details and the online application for employers and students are available at planomayorsinterns.org. Companies interested in signing up may contact Vicki Wait at vicki@vwaitgroup.com.