Mayor Benjamin welcomes new Mayor’s Fellows to City Hall

COLUMBIA, SC – Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin has ten new students as fellows this semester in his Mayor’s Fellows program. The fellowship, which provides both undergraduate and masters-level students the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of how a high-energy local government office operates, caters to students seeking to satisfy class credit and fulfill internship requirements or to those simply wishing to gain experience working in public service, the community and the governmental arena.

Fellows assist policy staff with research in various fields that may affect departments/agencies within the City of Columbia. The students aid in special research projects, researching current City of Columbia policy and assisting with research in specially designated areas. Fellows work directly alongside the Mayor’s staff and identify best practices.

“This semester’s fellows are an excellent and bright group of individuals,” said Benjamin. “Their energy is contagious, and I’m looking forward to seeing all of the great work they do for our city.”

 

The Spring 2015 Fellows are:

 

Ariel Cathcart (Hilton Head, South Carolina) is a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in political science. A career goal of hers is working as a public service professional in a non-profit and/or government-funded organization or assisting within an urban development organization. Overall, Ariel’s goal is to help people, starting within her own community and eventually reaching out to surrounding communities. Ariel believes the opportunity to be among those as Mayor’s Fellows will provide her with knowledge that she is craving. By assisting policy staff with research in various fields, she will be able to identify the importance of each study. She believes she will obtain scholarly qualities within this program, and it will help her develop into the person she needs to be to reach her goals. Ariel wants to gain more experience in public service, the community and the governmental arena, and she looks forward to capitalizing on this opportunity. During her spare time, she loves to plan trips and travel and to do arts and crafts.

 

Jasmine Dunlap (Rock Hill, South Carolina) is a senior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a degree in public health with a minor in social work.  After graduation, Jasmine plans on pursuing a dual master’s degree in public health and social work.  Jasmine gained interest in the Mayor’s Fellow program because she has a passion for public service and feels as if this program would give her a better opportunity to become more connected with the Columbia community. She hopes to use this internship as a way to meet new people and engage with the public, as well as get involved with a number of public health initiatives established by the City of Columbia. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys traveling, running and spending time with her family.

 

Lauren Harper (Fort Mill, South Carolina) is a third-year public relations major at the University of South Carolina. Her interest in the fellowship in the Mayor’s office stems from her passion for writing and governmental relations, and she is looking forward to learning more about how communications works on the city level. Lauren aspires to work as a communications director or to become a publicist. At Carolina, she is involved in Student Government. In her free time, Lauren enjoys watching Food Network, working out and spending time with her friends.

 

Destine Janee Hicks (Orangeburg, South Carolina) is a freshman at Columbia College pursuing a degree as a double major in speech language pathology and political science with a minor in leadership. She loves public speaking, community activism and helping others. She dedicates herself to service and remaining involved in her community by paying it forward and being a role model for our youth. Destine’s definition of reaching success is not by having all the money and power in the world, but by living a remarkable and impactful life. She believes that by being a Mayor’s Fellow, she will get to learn as much as possible and leave an impact on others. Destine’s overall goal is to touch the lives of people of all races and nationalities so that when her journey on earth is over, she will have left a positive mark on those whom she has encountered.

 

David Leggett (Charleston, South Carolina) is a junior in the South Carolina Honors College double majoring in economics and political science. David decided to pursue an internship in the Mayor’s office after taking a class in the Honors College on city management and place making co-instructed by Mayor Benjamin. David hopes to one day work as a political staffer in Washington D.C., but he believes that every politician should begin by understanding the role of local government and the immediate needs of citizens. He believes the Mayor’s Fellows program will give him an opportunity to further his understanding of public policy and local government. David has been an active member of the University of South Carolina Student Government for three years.

 

Venisha Pendergrass (Rock Hill, South Carolina) is a junior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in business administration. Venisha looks forward to the Mayor’s Fellows program to allow her to connect what she has learned in the classroom to real world experiences. She hopes to gain a better understanding of the work that happens on the local government level and how impactful it can be on the greater community. Overall, she views the opportunity to be a comprehensive learning experience. After graduation, Venisha sees herself working on a series of political campaigns. On campus, she is involved in both Student Government and the Residence Hall Association. She spends her free time reading fiction novels.

 

Ari Robbins (Carmel, Indiana) is a junior who created her own major in the University of South Carolina Honors College to study urban and environmental planning. She intends to work as a consultant in the urban planning field once she has earned a Masters of urban planning from graduate school. Ari hopes her experience in the Mayor’s office will give her insight into the local government side of urban development, allowing her to continue her work with Mayor Benjamin after taking his class, “Columbia: Building a Great City,” in Fall 2014. In her free time, she is a DJ on USC’s campus and enjoys crocheting and cooking.

 

Justin K. Shafer (Charleston, South Carolina) is a freshman at the University of South Carolina pursuing a triple major in international business, business management on the entrepreneurial track and marketing, as well as a double minor in Chinese and Spanish. After receiving an informative e-mail from his residential college’s president regarding the Mayor’s Fellowship, Justin was immediately inspired to apply. He views the fellowship as not only an opportunity to genuinely contribute to the Columbia community, but also to gain knowledge about the workings of a successful political office. While not entirely sure of his career goals, Justin currently aspires to work in the upper echelons of an international non-profit organization, or perhaps to enter into the political realm in some degree. During his leisurely pursuits, one can often find Justin working out, hiking, rock climbing or staying active in some other form with friends, as well as enjoying aspects of culture such as film, live music and food.

 

Darris Thomas (Dorchester County, South Carolina) is a senior at Benedict College. His major is political science with a concentration in international relations and a minor in applied computing with a track in management information. Currently, he is the Course Power Ambassador for Benedict College and the Secretary of the Benedict College Pre-Law Society. As a Mayor’s Fellow, Darris hopes to gain more hands-on experience about the inner workings of city government and to be able to use his knowledge of information technology and management information in a governmental setting. His career goal is to be a judge on a major federal appeals court such as the D.C. Court of Appeals.

 

Mary-Stuart Tinkler (Greenwood, South Carolina) is a sophomore at Columbia College majoring in political science with a minor in leadership studies. Mary-Stuart has a passion for politics and public service and hopes that the Mayor’s Fellows program will provide her with the necessary skills to be successful in the field. She heard about the Mayor’s Fellows program through a peer at Columbia College who had a very rewarding experience. Mary-Stuart hopes to one day serve the state of South Carolina as a representative or senator. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, attending campus events and playing the piano.