Dan Horrigan is getting a bit of Harvard education as part of the bargain as Akron’s mayor.
The city announced in a news release Wednesday that Horrigan — who holds bachelor’s degrees from Kent State University and the University of Akron — has been selected to participate in the inaugural Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
The yearlong program —which combines Harvard University’s Ivy League prestige with the financial prowess of Bloomberg Philanthropies — provides municipal leaders with tools to address complex challenges.
Participants were chosen through a competitive application process. Horrigan is the only Ohio mayor in the class, which includes 29 U.S. mayors and 11 from other countries.
The program aims to educate mayors on leadership and innovation in governance in light of the rising national demand for cities to be self-sufficient.
“Local governments matter, a lot,” Horrigan said in the news release. “The world is increasingly looking to cities to address complex community issues, while continuing to provide the highest-quality core services. Meanwhile, local leaders are consistently at the center of global innovation and policy-making. Our residents rightfully demand that we utilize the best and most advanced processes and ideas to continually improve our community.”
He called the program “a welcome opportunity to gain insight from other experienced leaders facing similar challenges and opportunities.”
The group includes mayoral peers from Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Nashville as well as global representatives from places such as Sweden, Brazil and the United Kingdom.
Horrigan and other participants attended a July kickoff weekend in New York City.
The trip and program are fully funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“I’m truly honored to be learning and sharing innovative solutions alongside this fantastic group of peer leaders,” Horrigan said. “I am committed to nurturing a culture of collaboration and innovation in this city, and to finding ways to transform vision into action that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.”
He thanked former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg for his role in bringing this program together.
In addition to collaborative group sessions, the program includes virtual courses, training for key staff and an on-demand system of research and best practices.
