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NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Alessandra Sumowicz, Director Mayor's Office of Environmental Coordination 100 Gold Street, Room 2601 New York, NY 10038

February 16, 2001

Dear Ms. Sumowicz,

My name is Elaine Shen. Lee Ilan informed me of the summer internship program at the mayor's office of environmental coordination. I am writing to express my interest for the position. Currently, I am a senior majoring in Urban Studies at Columbia University.

My academic background is in the social sciences particularly in sociology and economics. In addition, through the Urban Studies program, I have developed a familiarity with municipal administration and American urban history. One research paper I worked on last semester concerned an evaluation of public spaces provided by the private sector through a case study of the community gardens and bonus plazas in New York City.

Working with the student environmental group, Earth Coalition, initiated my interest in the city. Two years ago, I began participating with the Friends of Morningside Park. What I learned from organizing events with this community group has been invaluable in helping me understand the relations within a neighborhood and individuals' connection to urban green spaces. My experience with Earth Coalition also honed in my leadership and communication skills as our activities often involved coordination with diverse groups such as activist organizations, academic offices, community groups and student clubs.

I plan on pursuing a career in urban planning or in environmental law. Making the city a cleaner and more pleasant place to live is intricately tied to environmental issues. Through this internship, I believe I could gain a better grasp of how to achieve this goal.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Elaine Shen

NYC-WTC 000137555