This article is from the 2024–2025 Dean's Report.
From City Hall to Capitol Hill, Georgetown University is the alma mater of many leaders nationwide. At SCS, students learn from industry experts and hands-on curricula that prepare them for careers in policy-making, community building, and beyond. We asked three elected officials to share how the School shaped their approach to public service.
Alyia Gaskins
Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia
In 2024, the city of Alexandria, Virginia, marked a historic moment by electing its first Black woman mayor. An alumna of the Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning program, Mayor Alyia Gaskins (SCS’19) has been dedicated to improving housing accessibility and supporting residents affected by the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
“My experiences and coursework at Georgetown provided me with a strong foundation for serving as a mayor,” she said.
Gaskins’ dedication to service traces back to her childhood, when she volunteered at her church in Pittsburgh, PA. Growing up with a single mother who managed multiple jobs while facing health challenges, she witnessed the strain that inaccessible housing, financial pressure, and unreliable transportation placed on a family. Frequent emergency room visits deepened her interest in public health, revealing the broader systemic inequities that shape the daily lives of many residents.
While pursuing her master’s, Gaskins explored these intersections academically. Her Capstone examined community development strategies for introducing light-rail systems, work that continues to inform her priorities today.
“Planners understand that affordable housing must be supported by accessible transit options and proximity to job centers in order to create truly livable communities,” she said.
Through classes like Planning for Health, Gaskins learned to analyze complex systems, balance competing interests, and design solutions that promote sustainable growth, economic vitality, and quality of life. She learned that issues like housing, transportation, and employment are all interconnected.
“In my daily leadership, I push our community and my colleagues to think about how we design and implement policies that account for these intersections and remove barriers that prevent residents from reaching their full potential,” Gaskins said.
Since taking office, Gaskins has helped strengthen the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) by appointing new board members and setting clear expectations for governance and accountability.
“We have already heard from tenants that they feel their voices were heard, are seeing their issues resolved more quickly, and are hopeful for the future,” she said.
Within her first year as mayor, the city has endured a series of unprecedented events: record-breaking snowstorms, the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history, and the horrific January 2025 plane crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
With more than 13,000 federal employees and tens of thousands of contractors living in Alexandria, she has expanded direct assistance to impacted residents, including extended payment plans, rental support, regional job fairs, and training. In her view, leadership is about staying committed to lifelong learning to guide the city through uncertainty.
“In the midst of chaos and confusion, the mayor must remain steady and align diverse stakeholders toward a shared future,” she reflected.
Looking ahead, she hopes to modernize resident engagement with City Hall through tools like a vote tracker, meeting recaps, and expanded advocacy resources. Her advice to emerging leaders is simple: “Your voice and perspective matter and are valuable.”
Mike Turner
U.S. Representative, Ohio’s 10th Congressional District
Congressman Mike Turner (SCS’20), a graduate of the Doctor of Liberal Studies program, brings decades of public service experience to Capitol Hill. Representing Ohio’s 10th district, Turner serves as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and sits on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Before serving in Congress, Turner held two terms as mayor of Dayton, Ohio, and practiced law for 17 years. As mayor, he helped attract new housing and revitalize the downtown area through projects such as a performing arts center, a baseball stadium, and a riverscape attraction.
Seeking to reconnect with his mayoral work focused on urban and economic development, he enrolled in the doctoral program. His doctoral thesis, “Urban Fail,” examines the historical evolution of federal urban development policy and advocates for reforms to support economic growth. Turner said that the program’s interdisciplinary approach—combining law, business, history, and urban studies—has informed his perspective on policy-making.
“From my work as a congressman, the exposure to the Doctor of Liberal Studies program gives me greater insight into the types of academic research that can be applied to policy formulation, and from that, in the translation to formulation of legislation,” he said.
In Turner’s current role, he has also prioritized efforts to bring manufacturing, defense, and tech jobs to his region. Since graduating, Turner received the Publius Award from the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in 2024 for leadership and bipartisanship. In 2025, he helped introduce bipartisan legislation to study the rising cost of transit buses, aiming to improve service reliability.
Turner views his path to public service as a lifelong journey shaped by early volunteer leadership roles on community development and arts boards, which naturally led him toward broader civic engagement.
He encourages aspiring public servants to begin by engaging with their own communities in any capacity where their strengths and passions align. “There is such a need for volunteerism and for leadership in the community,” Turner said. “It's a natural segue where you're contributing to your community and accomplishing things to see ways in which you can make a difference.”
Wendell Felder
D.C. Councilmember, Ward 7
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Wendell Felder (SCS’18) has always felt a deep connection to the city he now represents. Growing up, he often heard about Georgetown University's prestige.
“It was always a dream of mine to attend,” he shared. “For me, Georgetown represents excellence... Its reputation speaks for itself, and that legacy inspires me to lead and serve with the highest standard of excellence in everything I do.”
His career spans healthcare, education, community engagement, and public administration. He has served on the Board of Directors for D.C. Water; completed four terms as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner; and worked in both the Executive Office of the Mayor and the Office of the City Administrator, experiences that shaped his approach to leadership.
“Together, they’ve made me a more effective and well-rounded leader, better equipped to serve my constituents,” he said.
Now, he serves his hometown as the D.C. Councilmember for Ward 7.
While balancing full-time work in government, Felder discovered the Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning program at Georgetown. The curriculum allowed him to connect his day-to-day responsibilities directly to his academic work. From housing and transportation to infrastructure planning, every piece of the program has helped him navigate real-world challenges in his role.
“The program allowed me to connect those two worlds—professional practice and academic study—at the same time,” he said. “Being a lifelong learner allows me to stay sharp, stay informed, and continuously grow in my role. It helps me serve my constituents more thoughtfully and effectively.”
For Felder, the most meaningful moments in public service come from giving back to the community that raised him.
“I love the District of Columbia,” Felder said. “I wouldn’t be here today without the investment my community made in me, and as a Councilmember, I feel that same obligation to invest back into my community.”