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Cohort 4

Jurisdiction: Lexington

University: Western Carolina

Hometown: Lexington, NC

Rebecca Hart served her fellowship in the City of Lexington. She led creation of the city’s inaugural Lexington Academy and established a social media presence for the city. She also secured various grants, including a $315,000 grant for a historic African American cemetery survey, a $20,000 grant for a recycling program from the NC Department of Environmental Quality, and a $5.4 million grant to hire 18 new firefighters. Hart successfully implemented numerous projects, including historical studies, branding initiatives, educational videos, infrastructure projects, and community engagement efforts.

Hart is a graduate of Western Carolina University. She was involved in WCU’s Student Government Association, serving as student body president and a voting member of the Board of Trustees. Rebecca was also part of the Student Democracy Coalition and many other organizations while at WCU.

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