Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government

Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government is a paid, full-time fellowship program in local government for recent college graduates. We are looking for community change agents to work on transformative community projects. Projects include hurricane recovery and resiliency, economic development, citizen engagement initiatives, affordable housing, public health, and more! Complete the LFNC Fellow Application here: leadfornc.com/apply

The Southwestern Commission is seeking a new Project Manager to join the Community and Economic Development team! The Project Manager will assist local governments with various community and economic development-related projects, including housing, broadband, and outdoor recreation. Key responsibilities for this position include project development, grant writing, and grant administration. Our ideal candidate will be resourceful, collaborative, detail-oriented, and community-minded with strong project management skills.  Information about the position and the application process is available on our website at https://lnkd.in/eaB2KBkz.

So excited to join the Durham office this summer! In the past two weeks, I have dived into the ways land development codes can shape the built environment to create more mixed-use, walkable, and resilient cities. I also traveled down to Effingham County, Georgia with Sarah Sinatra Gould, AICP, CZO to explore the potential of new zoning districts. Looking forward to learning more!

#uncmpa A perfect happy hour last evening at the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association conference in Beaufort!

Reflection time: Last week I completed a year of working with City of Goldsboro, NC as an Americorps Lead for North Carolina Fellow, I am excited to announce that I will be starting a Paralegal Technology Degree at Wilson Community College in August, as well as a new position as a Fellow with the Josh Stein Campaign, specifically with Students for Stein! I will be continuing my work in public service by ensuring that students across all college campuses in North Carolina have a chance for their voices to be heard and to make every vote count! I want to thank Community Relations and Development Director Felecia Williams for working with me this last year in assisting the City of Goldsboro on various HUD projects and with the Mayor’s Youth Council. The work and dedication that employees of local governments have are truly outstanding and unmatched, and I’m proud to take that with me as I continue my journey!

Last week, I wrapped up my service year with the Lead for NC fellowship. Reflecting on this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the valuable skills and connections I have gained. Being selected for cohort 5 was truly a unique and meaningful experience, and I am excited to carry forward everything I have learned. Thank you to NC Hometown Strong for being my home away from home. Your warm welcome and the opportunities to lead and assist on projects meant the world to me. I cannot wait to see the continued impact you all have on rural communities across the state. A special thank you to Chastan Swain for being an outstanding supervisor and mentor. Your support has been invaluable, and I look forward to seeing how you continue to advance the organization. I'm thrilled to share that I have accepted a fellow position with the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Program Support at NCDOT through their HBCU Outreach. Ryan Brumfield and Amna C., I cannot wait to start working with you in the coming weeks! Thank you to everyone I have met and who has supported my journey, including, but not limited to, Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government, NC Hometown Strong, the Office of the Governor, and VolunteerNC. Your continuous support has made all the difference.

The UNC School of Government is pleased to announce the arrival of Belal Elrahal to its faculty. Elrahal joined in July 2024 as an assistant professor of public law and government. He will work in the field of criminal law and procedure, specializing in motor vehicle law. Elrahal will advise the state’s nearly 700 magistrates on criminal law and motor vehicle issues, primarily. He will also consult with magistrates on larger projects, teach courses, and manage select conferences sponsored by the School and the NCAOC. Learn more about Elrahal and the public service path that led him to the School: https://lnkd.in/e2tDjj-3

The Lead for NC Program is an amazing way to see NC Local Government from the inside. So glad that Talula was able to join us for the year. Her initiative and drive will take her anywhere she wants to go! See you soon!

Update!! Last week I finished serving with the Town of Chadbourn as a Lead for North Carolina Fellow. In the past 11 months, I have learned so much about local government and how to find solutions to challenges facing a small, rural town in Eastern NC. This incredible experience has affirmed my desire to pursue a career in public service, specifically in community development. I wanted to thank Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government, especially Liam Hysjulien and G. Dylan Russell, for selecting me to participate in this amazing and truly unique program. Your dedication to provide support to each and every fellow in the cohort is admirable. You both are amazing and helped me have the confidence to make an impact in my local community. I also wanted to thank my entire cohort for being a much needed support system this past year. I was so inspired by all of the impactful important work each of you accomplished in your communities. I look forward to seeing all of y’all’s future accomplishments. To my friends and colleagues at the Town of Chadbourn, thank you for welcoming me with open-arms and providing me with many opportunities to work on projects with each town department. Special thanks to Patricia Garrell, RaMonda Crosby, MBA, MEd, and Jason Robenson for all your support and guidance. So what’s next for me? I have joined the Peace Corps and leave this September to begin my 2 years of Peace Corps service in North Macedonia in the Balkans. I will serve under the Community and Economic Development Sector of the Peace Corps as a Community Development Associate. In my role, I will be working with municipalities, NGOs and community groups on community and economic development projects with special attention paid to youth development and promoting opportunities for women. I have wanted to join the Peace Corps since I was a Freshman in high school so I am feeling very grateful and excited for this upcoming journey. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way and I’ll be back with more updates on my Peace Corps journey soon!

Yesterday marked my last day as a Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government Fellow with the Town of Angier. The past 11 months have been instrumental to my growth personally and professionally and I am grateful for the lessons I have learned and the experience I’ve gathered. I am eternally grateful to the staff with Lead for North Carolina, especially Liam Hysjulien and G. Dylan Russell, for selecting me for this incredible experience and setting me on the path of admiration and respect for local government. (You could say that I am “drinking the Kool-Aid.”) As for the folks at the Town of Angier, NC, I am grateful for the amount of respect and trust I was shown when leading the way on vital finance and infrastructure projects and for the care that was put into giving me a well-rounded education within each town department. The end of my fellowship is truly a bittersweet moment. While I am sad to leave Angier, my second home and second family, I am happy to announce that I will be joining the University of North Carolina School of Law Class of 2027. My time in Angier has opened my eyes to the field of Public Interest/Government Law and the profound impact that providing legal assistance to rural municipalities can have on their success and I hope to continue my exploration of this field in my time as a law student. GDTBATH!