Located roughly two hours from both St. Louis and Kansas City, living in central Missouri offers interns many options for enriching cultural and leisure activities as well as low-cost living. Interns can enjoy the small town atmosphere of Fulton, all the amenities associated with the nearby university town of Columbia, or scenic and historic Jefferson City.
Fulton
Fulton provides a small-town atmosphere with a quick commute to work, while still in close proximity to larger nearby towns (e.g., Columbia and Jefferson City). The brick streets of Fulton’s historic downtown house many shops and restaurants with interesting architecture.
To learn more about Fulton:
https://www.visitfulton.com/
Columbia
Columbia features a college-town atmosphere that includes a vibrant downtown; the University of Missouri’s academic, cultural, and athletic offerings; as well as unique opportunities such as well-known annual festivals (e.g., the Roots & Blues Music Festival and the internationally acclaimed True/False Film Festival), and an exceptional parks system that includes an integrated hiking/biking trail system that is linked with the nation’s largest rails-to-trails conversion, the Katy Trail State Park.
Discover more about Columbia:
https://columbiamochamber.com/
http://www.visitcolumbiamo.com/
Jefferson City
Named America's Most Beautiful Small Town by Rand McNally in 2014, Jefferson City, the state’s capital, features scenic views of the Missouri River, many historic buildings, landmarks, museums, a great parks network that links to the Katy Trail system, and even ghost tours at the historic Missouri State Penitentiary.
For additional details:
http://www.jcchamber.org/ https://www.visitjeffersoncity.com/
Cost of Living
Residents of central Missouri enjoy a low cost of living. For example, compared to other cities across the country, the cost of living index in Fulton, MO is 14% lower than that for the entire country (source: https://www.areavibes.com/fulton-mo/cost-of-living/).