Jean Koehler gives collegians a Summer on the Cuyahoga and above it, too.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jean Koehler runs Summer on the Cuyahoga, bringing collegians here for the season and sometimes for good.

What's your program about?

We're all about attracting the best talent to Cleveland. This summer, we'll have around 65 sophomores through seniors from eight colleges with active alumni groups here: Yale, Colgate, Smith, Cornell, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, Case Western and the University of Chicago. They hold internships with everyone from Key Bank and Lubrizol to Betchyu.com, Sisters of Charity, Breakthrough Schools, the Natural History Museum...

Get many applicants?

We had over 850 students submit over 2,000 applications for 95 positions posted.

95 jobs but 65 interns?

Some employers didn't end up hiring our kids.

What do the kids do besides work?

They live in Fenn Tower. They have alumni hosts. They see all the wonderful things Cleveland has to offer. We take them to shows, Blossom, Cedar Point... Last year, we saw [Jason] Giambi's first homer against the White Sox.

We're going to have bikes and a special tour downtown. We'll go to the art museum and meet with a curator. Our alums will have dinner with them and tell the story of why they're in Cleveland: They're able to pay off student loans, own a car, have a great loft and have the money to visit friends in a four-by-four in New York.

We do community service. Last year, we did a beach cleanup at Huntington. We're collaborating with other intern programs to have a big "beach bash" on Whiskey Island.

What about our restaurants?

The interns quickly discover what a great food town it is. Some interns were regulars at the Touch Supper Club on Fridays. They indulged in free sushi. I just hope they at least ordered sodas!

One intern loved Winking Lizard and wanted to eat a one-pound Big Ed Burger. So he started running. In August, he ran 10 miles from Little Italy around the Shaker Lakes and back. Then he went to Winking Lizard and ate the whole thing. I saw him at the University of Chicago over the winter, and he was still talking about that meal.

We had a road rally for the interns. They had to do things like pose for a picture with Moses Cleaveland's statue, get a "stamp" at the Free Stamp, have a milkshake at Tommy's... A few went to Tommy's first and never made it anywhere else. They ate and lounged in Cain Park.

When summer ends, then what?

We're hoping our interns become avid defenders of Cleveland, telling people there's a huge lake and great beaches and you can get a ticket to a ballgame at the last minute. Our retention rate is about 16 percent. We've had roughly 1,600 interns since 2003. About 90 have moved to Cleveland, and more than 50 still live in the area.

This young man from Texas wrote me, "I've got to go to New York, it's been my dream, but I'll live in Cleveland someday."

A student from Geauga started riding the health line and falling in love with Cleveland's neighborhoods. She had offers in Boston and San Francisco and took a job in Cleveland.

Relationships flourish. We have a local board member and his wife who met as interns: Melissa and Jacob Stein. He's from Florida; she's from Chicago.

A while back, you said "soda" instead of "pop." So where are you from?

I'm a native of Connecticut. I came 18 years ago, kicking, screaming, and saying I'd only stay five years. Bill's big joke was that, because I loved Connecticut, he got a job in its Western Reserve.

His family is from here. I had visited but never explored. I had heard terrible things about the Mistake on the Lake. I figured it was a blue-collar town with not many amenities. Shame on me!

What changed your mind?

The best thing about Cleveland is the people. Neighbors came over with baked goods and welcomed us. We'd go to the playground, and people would actually talk to you. I didn't find people judged you the way some do on the East Coast.

So you've been here ever since?

In '08, Bill was transferred, and we moved up to Birmingham, Mich. for five years. But we never sold our house here.

How's Detroit compare to Cleveland?

It's rare for people in the suburbs there to spend time in the city. There's more commitment to Cleveland. There I said I was from Birmingham. Here I live in Shaker but say I'm from Cleveland.

What did you do before taking over Summer on the Cuyahoga last year?

I finished law school at Cleveland-Marshall and worked as a consultant to nonprofits. People here are incredibly active and giving.

I also worked part-time at Juvenile Court representing kids in abuse and negligence custody cases.

How hard was that?

I love kids. I got frustrated with parents. Every kid has potential if there's someone to guide them.

What do the Koehlers do for fun?

Our daughters figure-skate at the Cleveland Skating Club. I'm a tennis player at the Cleveland Racquet Club. I love to bike into town or out to Chagrin.

I like sports bars. I like a beer and a cigar. I'm a huge fan of IPA's, particularly Great Lakes' Rye of the Tiger. I love the Tavern on Lee Road. I love Felice's in Larchmere. TownHall in Ohio City has the most amazing Burrito No. 2.

How do you sum up Cleveland for the interns?

We don't tell interns Cleveland's a perfect city or the best city. We tell them it's a special city and has all kinds of possibilities.