Rory McGuiness
In June 2016, the City of Columbus earned national recognition when the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the city the unprecedented $40 million Smart City Challenge Grant. Among the leaders who helped secure this transformative opportunity was Political Science alumnus Rory McGuiness (B.A., 1999), then serving as Deputy Director for Administration in the City of Columbus Department of Development.
“Columbus was chosen as one of seven finalists out of 78 cities that applied for the grant,” Rory recalls. “We worked with our community’s top public, private, and nonprofit leaders—including The Ohio State University—to put together an outstanding application and raise an additional $90 million in funds. On June 23, USDOT announced that Columbus was the winner of the Smart City Challenge and the Vulcan grant. Columbus is now poised to lead the transportation technology revolution for years to come.”
Rory played a critical role in developing the city’s vision and goals, writing and editing the application, managing strategic partnerships, media relations, government affairs, and securing letters of support. He credits his Ohio State education for preparing him for this work:
“My degree provided me an excellent foundational knowledge base for a career in public service. It also gave me valuable insight into how the interaction of governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations shapes how our world works. A degree in arts and sciences provides you a more comprehensive education than any other major.”
Today, Rory serves as Deputy Director in the Department of Public Service and leads LinkUS, a major initiative to expand mobility and transit options in Columbus—continuing his commitment to innovation and community impact.