Mayor Benjamin welcomes 2014 Summer Mayor’s Fellows

COLUMBIA, SC – Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin today proudly announced the selection of the 2014 Fall Semester class of Mayor’s Fellows.

Upon taking office, Mayor Benjamin launched the program that has welcomed over 100 students to date. It is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and provides an opportunity to actively participate in the municipal government process.

Students that are interested in applying or would like additional information can access the program online at http://www.columbiasc.net/mayor/get-involved/mayors-fellows. For any questions regarding the program, please contact Sam Johnson at 803.545.3075 or [email protected].

The Fall 2014 Mayor’s Fellows are:

Maison Newenhouse (Arlington, VA) is a sophomore at University of South Carolina pursuing a degree in Political Science with a concentration in Public Policy. Maison sees the Mayor’s Fellows program as a unique opportunity to broaden his knowledge of local politics and believes the experience gained from will be invaluable in his future endeavors. After graduation, Maison plans to head back to his hometown to pursue a job at one of the various private consulting firms in the area. In his free time, he enjoys working out, attending Gamecock sporting events and reading.

Du-Wan Floyd (Columbia, SC) is a graduate student pursuing a Masters in Public Administration from South University. Du-Wan graduated from Benedict College obtaining a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. After graduation, Du-Wan will pursue his dreams of working with municipal and state levels of governmental administration. He plans to gain useful experience from the Mayor’s Fellows program by engaging with the community directly and learning more about the traditional and modern concepts of government. In his free time Du-Wan enjoys mentoring undergraduate students, playing drums and riding his motorcycle.

Chloe C. Mattison (Ware Shoals, SC) is a junior at Columbia College pursuing a Political Science, History and Public Affairs triple major. her interest in the Mayor’s Fellow position generates from her interests in statewide and city politics and government and hopes to use this internship as a learning experience in order to better prepare herself for public service. Chloe has a genuine passion for the homeless population in Columbia and has experience working with Transitions Homeless Rehabilitation Center which she hopes to build upon as a Mayor’s Fellow. Her long term goals are to receive a Ph.D. in History, go on to teach college level courses and, hopefully, one day run for the public office. In her free time, Chloe enjoys doing yoga, playing the guitar and traveling. In addition to her interests, Chloe also works on the Residence life staff at Columbia College, involved in Student Government, and gives tours as a C’ster at Columbia College.

Rolanda L. Caldwell (Hartford, CT) is a graduating senior at Benedict College pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice. Rolanda feels the Mayor’s Fellow program will be a great opportunity to build a relationship with Columbia’s community as well as provide a great environment for her to enhance her interpersonal skills and understand the forces that personally affects the city. Her interest was sparked by other colleagues at Benedict College who provided great feedback and experiences. After graduation, Rolanda plans to return to Connecticut, enter a graduate program to study Psychology and ultimately work for the Department of Child & Families. In her spare time she writes poetry, hangs out with sorority sisters, fulfills the duties of secretary for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and enjoys the relaxation of being alone.

Desirae Brown (Charleston, SC) is currently a senior at the University of South Carolina pursing a degree in Hospitality with a minor in Sports and Entertainment Management. She is honored to be selected in the Mayor’s Fellows Program because community involvement is important to her. Although Desirae is not from Columbia, she still believes that being involved in any community is a start to making a difference. She is currently the community service chair of the campus EMPOWER program which focuses heavily on diversity and social justice on and off campus. One of her goals in life is to continue the proven fact that women can become a major part of the sports world.

For additional event information, contact Michael Wukela at [email protected] or 803-413-5052.