Peace Corps intern lightened load at village in Niger
Peace Corps intern lightened load at village
By SPENCER SCHEIN
Staff Reporter
Riding a bicycle somewhere across the state of Iowa this week is Nancy Chmelar, who worked as Mundelein's economic assistant the past two months.
Chmelar, 27, was a&ate stu- dent from Illinois State University enrolled in the school's Peace Corps Fellows Program in Applied Com- munity and Economic Develop- ment, when she started working for the village in May-1997 as an `intern. The Village of Mundelein offered Chmelar a place to fulfill her gradu- ate studies, but has also reaped the benefits of having another person on board.
Assistant Village Administrator Michael A. Flynn was her supervisor since she arrived, and gave her plen- ty of work to do, related to econom- ic development.
For instance, Chmelar created a users' guide for small business own- ers, created a downtown data base on businesses and locations,which was given to Mundelein Pride, an or- ganization she helped complete its Illinois Main Street application. She also helped with some of the clerk's business duties while Flynn served as acting village clerk, and completed a lot of research for the village, such as preparing a complete history on the evolution of the com- munity's independence celebra- tions."She has been excellent," Flynn -said. Chmelar helped the village complete a lot of projects it had wanted to do, but couldn't do due to a lack of time, Flynn said. Chmelar also completed some work in the finance department, making it sometimes tough to track heAwhereaboutsdown inside village The village: was so impressed with her work they asked her to stay on after she graduated in May 1998. She was place-e village payroll until she left herposition on July 15. Mundelein was paying for her work before, but was sending its checks to ISU.
Having an intern has been very beneficial to the village, Flynn said, as well as to Chmelar.
"I have learned a lot under Mike's direction and working with all the departments I have learned how they all work," she said. "It has been a very important part of my graduate work"
Chmelar hails from Washington, Iowa, a little town of 7,000 located36 miles south of Iowa City.
After leaving Mundelein, Chme- lar returned to Iowa, where she par- ticipated in the state's annual Ride Across Iowa bicycle ride held this weekHer work with the Peace Corps in Mundelein was an extension of her previous work as an under grad- uate student.
"I was in the Peace Corps from 1993 to `96," she said. "I did my ser- vice in Niger, north of Nigeria, in the Sub-Saharan area of West Africa." Chmelar worked on agricultural programs, helping organize the vil- lage leadership and trying to get clean water resources. "We built wells, planted trees and worked on village goals they had set for themselves," she said. She received a bachelor's of arts degree in political science from Drake University in May 1997. Chmelar said she would pursue similar employment after leaving Mundelein.
"I would like to remain in this. general field," she said, working on development projects. However, she said she will also look at anything that appears inter- esting.
