The College of Charleston’s Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities has announced the launch of The Riley Mayors’ Design Fellowship.

The fellowship aims to equip South Carolina mayors with the tools necessary to implement projects that have a positive impact on their communities.

“The Riley Mayors’ Design Fellowship is about seeking excellence and together elevating the municipalities that fuel our state,” said former Charleston mayor, Joseph P. Riley, Jr.

The program culminates in a two-and-a-half-day conference planned to take place Feb. 20-22, 2019. During the conference each mayor will present the challenges and opportunities of his or her focus project. From this presentation, mayors will receive feedback as well as information on relevant design and planning topics from a group of expert faculty. Each mayor will return home equipped with the resources to enact positive change.

Nominations for the inaugural class of eight fellows are open through Aug. 15, 2018. Self-nominations are welcome.

A nominee should be a current mayor with at least two years remaining in his or her term as of January 2019. Mayors should have a vision for a project in their town that would benefit from the input of the faculty experts in planning, design, development and/or financing.

A nominating committee will select a diverse class of mayors. Selection is based upon the potential for innovative and visionary leadership, cooperative spirit and the ability to rally diverse interests around a common goal for the good of the community.