By Jim Bloch
Kathy Hayman, the mayor of Marysville, is going back to college.
Not just any college.
Hayman has been named a Taubman fellow and will attend Harvard University’s program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government this summer.
She will be joined by Dillon Breen, vice chair of Schoolcraft College’s board of trustees.
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, which administers the program, announced the two fellowships in a March 25 press release.
The goal of prestigious program is “to provide local public officials who have demonstrated leadership an opportunity to broaden their awareness of effective approaches to public-sector problems.”
“Being awarded the Taubman Fellowship by SEMCOG is a tremendous privilege,” said Hayman in a statement. “Strong local leadership shapes the quality of life for every resident, and this opportunity will help me sharpen the skills needed to guide teams, build relationships, and drive meaningful change. I’m grateful for the chance to learn from world-class educators at the Harvard Kennedy School and apply those insights at the local and regional level.”
Marysville residents elected Hayman as mayor in 2022 following seven years as a member of the city council.
Amy O’Leary, the executive director of SEMCOG, tipped her hat to Hayman and Breen.
“Congratulations to this year’s Fellows, and we truly appreciate the support of the Taubman Foundation to offer this opportunity,” said O’Leary. “We are fortunate to have a network of local officials in this region who talk to one another and work together on regional issues; a knowledge- and network-building experience like the Taubman Fellowship only enhances our perspectives and capacities to serve this region.”
“I think it’s good for the city,” Wayne Pyden, then the mayor pro tem, said at the time. “It’s good for the area.”
“Creative solutions are needed during these tough economic times in Michigan,” Fernandez told SEMCOG and the Taubman Company at the time. “I believe this program can provide me with insights on how to propel our city forward.”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
