This summer we are hosting our 2015 Baltimore City Mayoral Fellows, a group of talented and dedicated individuals with an interest in public service.   This bright collection of undergraduate and graduate students are working inside mayoral offices and city agencies to focus on issues that matter most to Baltimore's residents.

Not only does this program offer the fellows a unique insight into the operations of city government, it is also an opportunity for them to substantively contribute to policies that impact our residents and communities.  I have been consistently impressed by their drive, ambition, and professionalism, as well as by the impactful and enthusiastic work they are currently doing.

I would like to take a moment this week to highlight one of our fellows, Baltimore native Tony Scott, and his path to the Mayoral Fellowship program:

I love Baltimore. My grandmother migrated here from rural Virginia back in the 1950’s and worked several jobs, including long shifts at the post office to raise her six children. She later got involved in the city politically, campaigning for Mayor Schaefer, and eventually becoming a neighborhood advocate for summer youth programming.  

Meanwhile, my dad was born and raised in West Baltimore, experiencing the city before and after the 1968 riots. He saw the glory and demons of the city, and always made it a priority to remind me of what once was as we rode by blocks of vacant homes. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to working on issues surrounding economic and community development in my hometown.  

After studying political science at Georgetown University and getting a job in Washington D.C., I couldn’t leave Baltimore, instead choosing the long commute from Midtown-Edmondson. After a couple years, I moved to New York to pursue my master’s degree from Columbia University. Although I was a few states away, I still remained involved in beautifying vacant lots in my community back home and frequently traveled back to work with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council on the Opportunity Collaborative’s Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.

This summer I am working with the Finance Department to help evaluate the City’s profit-sharing PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) programs, to understand whether the City is getting a good deal on its profit-sharing investments, and to ensure the City is putting its money where it is needed the most. 

I saw the Mayoral Fellowship not only as an opportunity to continue serving my city, but also to gain a better understanding of city government. 

I am thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to improving the city I love.

Tony Scott

Fellow, Department of Finance

 Learn more about the Mayoral Fellows program at mayor.baltimorecity.gov/fellowship.

This originally appeared in the Rawlings-Blake Review. If you do not receive the Mayor's weekly newsletter, subscribe here.