Mayor Benjamin welcomes new Mayor’s Fellows to City Hall

Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin welcomes twelve students this fall to the Mayor’s Fellows program. The program provides both undergraduate and graduate-level students with the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of how a high-energy local government operates. The fellowship caters to students seeking course credit or to those simply wishing to gain public service experience.

To date, the Mayor’s Fellows program has had more than 150 students participate.

The Mayor’s Fellows will assist with research in various areas and provide aid to the Mayor’s staff. This fall’s fellows are:

Kelley Beck (Cary, North Carolina) is a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in political science. After graduating in December, she plans to go to law school. Beck has a passion for politics and government work and how it relates to law. She hopes to see how all three relate through the Mayor’s Fellows program. In her free time, Beck enjoys floating the river, spending time with her friends and traveling.

Ciano Chandler (Charleston, South Carolina) is a junior at the University of South Carolina majoring in print journalism and minoring in business. His career goal is to work for WLTX. In working in the Mayor’s office, Chandler hopes to build relationships and gain knowledge regarding how the city works.

Nicolas Ferguson (Cincinnati, Ohio) is a freshman at the University of South Carolina pursuing a degree in international business in the International Business and Chinese Enterprise Cohort. Ferguson is interested in city development and hopes to learn more about the City of Columbia through the Mayor’s Fellows program. In addition to being a fellow, he is in Army ROTC and enjoys studying Chinese. Ferguson aspires to someday work in city development.

Kevin Harper (Fort Mill, South Carolina) is a sophomore cardiovascular technology major at the University of South Carolina. His career goal is to work as a cardiologist in a hospital. Harper’s hobbies and extracurricular activities include playing soccer, surf fishing, officiating soccer games and working on the staffs of his friends in Student Government at Carolina.

Alexandra Kendall-Hall (Brooklyn, New York) is a first-year student at Midlands Technical College and will be transferring to USC to obtain a degree in international business. A passion for aiding the community and helping others is what serves as motivation for Kendall-Hall. She hopes to work closely with the public to help others seek higher education and a better quality of life. Kendall-Hall aims to learn how internal processes work in the city and how to move ideas that will benefit the community. After graduation, Kendall-Hall plans to attend law school. Her hobbies include horseback-riding, listening to music and doing personal research.

Tyler Kirk (Irmo, South Carolina) is a graduate student studying public administration at the University of South Carolina. His goal is to serve the public as a city manager.  He believes the Mayor’s Fellows program will help him develop the skills he needs to become a better public servant. On campus, Kirk serves as secretary of the Masters of Public Administration Student Association.

Alexis Monroe (Atlanta, GA) is senior public relations major at the University of South Carolina. Following graduation, she would like to work as a community relations technician at a public relations agency. As a Mayor’s Fellow, she would like to learn about the day-to-day work of city government and how the communications department plays a role in that. Monroe currently serves as president of the Association of Black Journalists at the University of South Carolina and as the exective director of the CHICKS Conference. Her overall career goal is to serve as the communications director for an organization dealing with foster care in America.

Olivia Morris (North Augusta, SC) is a junior at the University of South Carolina majoring in international studies and minoring in Islamic world studies. She hopes the fellowship will help her gain a more holistic understanding of political and bureaucratic processes while enabling her to aid in improving the City of Columbia. Her long-term career goals include working with political risk analysis or international humanitarianism. Morris loves poetry, 90s films and early-morning news.

Hannah Slavics (Chanhassen, Minnesota) is a junior at the University of South Carolina majoring in marketing and minoring in public relations. Slavics sees the program as an opportunity to learn and network as well as develop her business and communication skills. She aspires to be a marketing or public relations manager for a large company or business. Slavics enjoys being involved in school and in the community.

Samantha Smith (Kannapolis, North Carolina) is a graduate of East Carolina University where she majored in political science and a minored in business administration. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of South Carolina. After completing the fellows program, she hopes to gain connections that will lead to a position that will assist in achieving her goal of having a positive influence in the community. Her current career aspirations are to get involved in city management or possibly run for an elected position. Smith loves to spoil her dog and spend time with her friends, family and fiancé.

Jordan Thompson (Spartanburg, South Carolina) is a senior at the University of South Carolina where he is majoring in social work with a minor in political science. His career goals are to become a lobbyist and eventually become mayor of his home town. He currently works as a page for Senator Shealy and Senator Reese at the State House. Thompson also has two non-profit mentoring programs where he interacts with youth community members and takes the initiative to find resources and benefits available for the urban population.

Tyana Thornton (Fayetteville, NC) is a first-year student at Benedict College where she’s studying public health. Becoming a new resident of Columbia sparked her interest in being part of the Mayor’s Fellows program. Through this program, she hopes to gain valuable skills related to her career field while seeing firsthand the teamwork and communication needed in a local government to achieve common goals. Thornton enjoys shopping, fishing, volunteering with her family and staying active in the community through service learning with her school. Her career goals are to work with a non-profit or government funded organization to help initiate healthy lifestyle programs for youth.