1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2016
Contact: Leshia Utsey, Public Relations @ 803-545-3020
Mayor Benjamin welcomes new Mayor’s Fellows to City Hall
Columbia, SC. – Mayor Steve Benjamin welcomes twelve college 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.
The Mayor’s Fellows will assist with research in varied fields that correlate to the various departments
and agencies within the City of Columbia. The students will aid in special research projects,reviewing
current City of Columbia policy and assisting in other designated areas. Fellows work directly alongside
the Mayor’s staff to identify and implement best practices.
This fall’s Fellows are:
KelleyBeck(Cary,North Carolina) isaseniorat Universityof SouthCarolinagraduatinginDecemberand
majoringinpolitical science.Aftergraduation,she plansongoingtolaw school andbecominga lawyer.
Kelleyhasapassionforpolitics,governmentwork,and how itrelatestolaw,andhopesto see howall
three relate throughthe Mayor's FellowsProgram.Inherfree time,Kelleyenjoysfloatingthe river,
spendingtime withherfriends,andtraveling.
Ciano Chandler(Charleston,SouthCarolina) isanundergraduate junioratUniversityof SouthCarolina,
majoringinprintjournalismandminoringinbusiness.Hiscareergoal isto somedayworkforWLTX new
station.He has onlybeentoColumbiaforlittle overayear,butfrom whathe see,he lovesthe waythey
conduct newsforColumbia,bycarryingtheirbrandwithsuchclassand dignitywithoutbeingbiased.By
doingthisinternship,Cianohopestogainmore knowledge aboutthe cityof Columbiaandgain
connectionswiththose whocanhelphimgethisfootthrough the door of WLTX.
NicolasFerguson(Cincinnati,Ohio)isafreshmanat the Universityof SouthCarolinapursuingadegree
ininternational businessinthe International BusinessandChinese EnterpriseCohort.Nicolasis
interestedincitydevelopmentand hopestolearnmore aboutthe Cityof Columbia.Asidefrombeinga
fellowhe isinArmyROTCand enjoysstudyingChinese.Nicolasaspirestosomedayworkincity
development.
2. AlexandraKendall-Hall (Brooklyn,NewYork) isa firstyearstudentat MidlandsTechnical College.She
will be transferringtoUSCto obtainan undergraduate degree inInternational Business.Passionforthe
communityandhelpingothersreachtheirpotential isamotivatingfactorforAlexandra.She hopesto
workcloselywiththe publictohelpothersseekhighereducationandgreatqualityof life.Alexandra
seesthe Mayors Fellowsprogramasan opportunitytolearnhow tobuildstronger,happierindividuals
that supporta strong andhappy community.She willbe workingveryhardtolearnthe innerworkings
of the cityand howto move alongideasthatwill helpthe community.Aftergraduation,Alexandrawill
be attendinglawschool inthe hopesof continuingtoworkcloselywiththe governmentandcommunity.
As forher hobbies,Alexandraenjoyshorseback-riding,indulginginmusic,andpersonal researchon
topicsof interest.
Tyler Kirk (Irmo,SouthCarolina) isagraduate studentstudyingpublicadministrationatthe Universityof
SouthCarolina.Hisgoal is to serve the publicasa city manager. He believesthatthe Mayor’sFellow’s
program will helphimdevelopthe skillshe needstobecome abetterpublicservant.Oncampus,Tyler
servesasthe Secretaryof the Masters of PublicAdministrationStudentAssociation.
AlexisMonroe (Atlanta,GA) isseniorPublicRelationsstudentatthe Universityof SouthCarolina.
Followinggraduation,she wouldliketoworkas a communityrelationstechnicianatapublicrelations
agency.Asa Mayor’sFellowshe wouldliketolearnaboutthe day-to-dayworkof citygovernmentand
howthe communicationsdepartmentplaysarole inthat.Alexiscurrentlyservesasthe Presidentof the
Associationof BlackJournalistsatthe Universityof SouthCarolinaandasthe Executive Directorof the
CHICKSConference.Heroverall careergoal istoserve asthe communicationsdirectorforan
organizationdealingwithfostercare inAmerica.
OliviaMorris (NorthAugusta,SC) isa juniorat the Universityof SouthCarolina,majoringinInternational
Studiesandminoring inIslamicWorldStudies.She hopesthe Mayor’sFellowshipwill helphergaina
more holisticunderstandingof political andbureaucraticprocesses,whileenablinghertoaidthe
improvementof the wonderfulCityof Columbia.Herlong-termcareergoalsinclude workingwith
political riskanalysisorinternationalhumanitarianism.Olivialovespoetry,90sfilms,andearly-morning
news.
Hannah Slavics(Chanhassen,Minnesota) isajuniorat the Universityof SouthCarolinaperusinga
degree inmarketinganda minorinpublicrelations.She hopestogainreal-worldexperienceandputher
businessandcommunicationskillstouse throughthe Mayor’sFellowshipprogram.She believesthat
thisisan amazingopportunitytolearnandnetwork. Hannahaspirestobe a marketingor public
relationsmanagerfora large companyor business.She enjoysbeinginvolvedinschool andthe
community,especiallymakingthe mostoutof everyopportunitythatcomesherway.
Samantha Smith (Kannapolis,NorthCarolina) isagraduate of East CarolinaUniversitywhere she earned
a bachelorsof science inpolitical science andaminorin businessadministration.Now,she ispursuing
hermaster’sof publicadministrationhereatthe Universityof SouthCarolina.Aftercompletionof the
Fellow’sprogram,she hopestogainconnectionsthatwillleadtoaninternshiporjobthatwill assistin
achievinghergoal of makinga positive impactinthe community.Atthismomenthercareeraspirations
