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Sen. Borris Miles (D-Houston) recently commemorated the Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program's (MLEIP) 30th anniversary on May 26.
George Thomas “Mickey” Leland, who was born and raised in Houston, served in the Texas 18th Congressional District from 1979 to 1989 and was well-known for his hunger-relief efforts in the United States and across the world.
In a tweet, Miles referred to the late Congressman Mickey Leland as a "Houston great" who was dedicated to creating more possibilities for young people.
"Congressman Mickey Leland is a Houston legend who was committed to creating opportunities for young people. Today, I was given the privilege to recognize members of the esteemed Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program, as well as honor the program's 30th anniversary," Miles said.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is also commemorating the 30th anniversary of MLEIP this year. John Hall, the program's founding chairman and a close friend of Leland, established the program in 1991 in his memory following Leland's death in a 1989 plane crash in Africa.
“I was always encouraged by his commitment to improving the quality of life of people of color as well as low-income persons, while at the same time being very committed to addressing environmental issues,” Hall said. “At the time he was one of the few minority leaders in the country who was highlighting the importance of effectively addressing environmental issues.”
The program, which began with 35 interns, provides opportunities for women, people of color and underprivileged college students to learn about employment opportunities in the environmental industry. This year, over 500 applications were received.
“I know how passionate he (Mickey Leland) was about creating opportunities for students,” Alison Leland, an advisory board member for the MLEIP, said of her late husband. “It makes me so proud that there are students from across the country who are placed in meaningful, impactful internship opportunities across Texas.”
Additionally, the internship is paid, giving students who must support themselves financially the opportunity to earn money while pursuing future career options.
Due to the pandemic, the internship program was only able to place approximately 60 students in internships during 2020. However, as organizations and companies have become more prepared to utilize telecommuting this year, the program hopes to attract additional sponsors in order to place a larger number of students in internships.
The MLEIP currently allows organizations with a presence in Texas to sponsor a summer intern. However, these sponsors must provide internship opportunities and pay the students.
Additionally, sponsors are responsible for scheduling internships, establishing salary rates and establishing work hours.