From Rockefeller to Mayoral Fellow: UAlbany Grad Works to Broaden Albany’s Appeal
By Indiana Nash
ALBANY, N.Y. (Feb. 13, 2026) — As a mayoral fellow for Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs, recent Rockefeller College graduate Sean Millington’s days have been spent meeting people: community members, business owners and politicians.
Just out of college — he graduated with his bachelor’s in political science in December — it can get a bit overwhelming.
“I would say that I would be lost if I didn't participate in the Semester in Washington program because when we were in D.C., they prepped us for that kind of networking,” Millington said.
The program last spring gave him hands-on experience networking with alumni and fellow young professionals and, while there, he interned with Congressman Paul Tonko.
It was one of many opportunities Millington took advantage of during his time at Rockefeller, and it’s partly what brought him to the college.
“When I was looking for a college to go to, UAlbany and Rockefeller College just made sense. I was always pretty interested in politics and there's no other school in the state that is better situated to get you involved in politics,” Millington said.
After graduating from Lansingburgh High School in Troy in 2022, he started studying political science at Rockefeller. During his freshman year he worked part time in the New York State Legislature.
“I'd only be able to do that at a school like UAlbany,” Millington said.
He got involved with campus politics early on, including with the Student Association, where he served as a senator and the director of civic and community engagement. He was also the undergraduate University Council representative and was involved in the SUNY Student Assembly, which is the body representing all SUNY students.
“That role was really fun because every February we would go to the state capitol, and we would actually lobby legislators and talk about our priorities for students,” Millington said of the SUNY Student Assembly.
For the last three years, he was also a student assistant in the University’s Government and Community Relations department, working for Luke Rumsey, the director of community relations, and Sheila Seery, vice president for government and community relations, who he now considers mentors.
“They've taught me so much. They're the ones that really got me involved in city government and prepared me for this job now,” Millington said. “It's all thanks to the University and what it has given me. I'm so grateful and I want to pay it back a million times.”
He’ll have the chance to do that in his newly created role, which has him working to change the narrative about the city.
“The mayor wants to turn the lights back on in the city of Albany. There's this narrative right now in the city of Albany, that it’s a government town, that it’s not really a place for young people to do fun things. They go to Troy, they go to Schenectady, they go up to Saratoga, and she wants to change that,” Millington said.
As part of that change, Millington is heading an advisory council on the city’s nightlife economy, made up of business owners in the industry and tasked with creating a report with actionable recommendations for the mayor.
While there’s been a focus on youth initiatives, that age range is broad, noted Millington.
“It could be students going to college. It could be graduates looking for a job in the city of Albany. It could be someone looking into buying their first home and starting a family in the city. So, in every one of those areas, we want to show that the city of Albany is a place for you. If four years down the road, people are saying that, then I know our job was successful,” Millington said.
He is also working to put together a youth advisory council.
“We want to make sure that young people feel like they have a say in the process and the decision making at City Hall,” Millington said.
He also serves as a liaison between local universities and the mayor’s office and has already gotten to work with Rumsey and Seery in his new role, when they helped bring a group of Rockefeller students to the mayor’s recent state of the city address.
“We already have a great relationship, and I think it reflects the type of relationship that the mayor wants to have with the University,” Millington said.
During the mayor's address, Millington and UAlbany got a shout out from Applyrs — herself a UAlbany doctoral alum — and cheers from fellow Rockefeller students.
“I'm very grateful for the mayor. She mentioned me in her speech, and she was very kind to do that, but when she did it, all the UAlbany folk raised their pennants, and they were like ‘Woo-Hoo!’” Millington said.
There’s been a lot to learn in these first few weeks, from staffing the mayor to speaking on her behalf at events she is unable to personally attend.
“I’ve also been thankful that the mayor has been generous in sending me to events to represent her. I’ve been speaking at press conferences and ribbon cuttings, which has been an awesome learning experience. I'm grateful that they have that trust in me,” Millington said.
The hands-on nature of the job is part of what drew him into politics.
“My perspective has always been that government and politics is the most effective way to make change in society, in the world. To me, it's the best outlet to help people. So that's always been a driving inspiration there. And there's no better place to be than local government because we are so hands on in what we do,” Millington said.
His advice for current students?
"Take advantage of the opportunities. You have the Semester in Washington program. You have the New York State legislative program, which is amazing. I know we also have a big job fair. Students really need to take advantage of those.
"I encourage students to take advantage of every single resource available to them. Just as importantly, I hope they explore Albany by visiting downtown, spending time on Lark Street, and experiencing our city’s rich culture through its wide variety of businesses, including our many restaurants and bars."