A Lafayette family, a life of service

By Stella Katsipoutis-Varkanis

Todd Turner ’89 was on his way to class when he happened across a bulletin board in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights. It was fall 1988, and a flyer calling for applicants to the New York City Government Scholars Program, in particular, caught his eye. Then a senior from NYC with a major in government and law and a minor in history, Turner applied—and was accepted—to the summer internship, which gave him the chance to learn firsthand about the government of one of the world’s largest cities. Little did he know that one piece of paper would start him down the path of his professional life. 

Todd Turner ’89 (right) with Clayton Evans ’89

“Through the education I received from the Government and Law Department, and by being given access to that program, Lafayette started my career in governmental public service, which is now going on 30-plus years,” says Turner, who is currently executive director of the Office of Ethics and Accountability in Prince George’s County, Md.

Following his internship, Turner spent two years working as a paralegal for the Legal Aid Society assisting low-income residents before heading to the City University of New York School of Law to earn his Juris Doctor degree in 1994. “I quickly realized I wasn’t a litigator while I was working for the New York City Law Department after law school, but I had become very community and politically active in my hometown, Staten Island,” he says. Turner went on to work as constituent services director for a New York State senator and as an attorney for the New York City Council. He ultimately moved to Maryland with his wife, Anita, and daughter, Rachel, in summer 2001.

In Maryland, he continued his commitment to public service, working as a staff member for the Maryland State Senate and the Prince George’s County Council before running for public office. He became the fourth African American to be elected as a city council member in Bowie, Md., in 2005, as well as the first person of color to serve as mayor pro tem. Turner spent nine years serving the city, then another eight serving on the Prince George’s County Council, where he served as chair during the federal shutdown and COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed to his current role in 2022 upon completion of his two terms, where he has since worked to uphold the Prince George’s County Code of Ethics by identifying fraud, abuse, and illegal acts, and promoting the public’s trust in the county government. Throughout his career, Turner has remained focused on a single objective: to build relationships with, represent, and give back to the communities he serves. “Helping people to the greatest extent I can is the biggest return I can get,” he says.

Building connections was the key to Turner’s success in college as well. He chose to attend Lafayette when he earned a scholarship to play for the Leopards on the football team—which, he says, became his extended family throughout his time on College Hill: “I came from a single-parent household, as my father passed away when I was very young. I looked to my coaches and teammates for support. That teamwork, camaraderie, working together for a common goal—it gave me a sense of place.”

With his childhood friend, college roommate, and football teammate Clayton Evans ’89 by his side, Turner cultivated new bonds throughout the Lafayette community as well. He partnered with fellow students, Dean David Portlock, and Dean Dawn Pearson to establish Brothers of Lafayette, a now leading cultural organization on campus that promotes brotherhood for male students of color. “Growing up on Staten Island, one of the things I appreciated was the diversity I had where I lived,” Turner says. “Brothers of Lafayette was a way for those of us who were a minority at the College at the time to spend time together, enjoy each other’s company, and feel like we belonged.” 

Turner also served as vice president of the Association of Black Collegians (ABC), which gave him his first opportunity to prove his political chops. When ABC’s House (now the Portlock Black Cultural Center) was removed from the Quad for the planning of a new student center, Turner helped negotiate with administrators, students, and alumni to identify a spot near campus where the house could be relocated. He also was a peer mentor, worked at the College’s radio station, and served as a volunteer for the Children Can program.

Even 35 years after graduating from Lafayette, Turner maintains close ties with Evans, his Leopard teammates, classmates, and Prof. Rexford Ahene—who he says was one of his most inspirational faculty members, along with former Prof. Paul McCartney in the Government and Law Department. He also continues to work with the College to host externship opportunities for students, giving them direct exposure to careers in public service.  

“Lafayette isn’t just about getting a quality education; it’s about the relationships you build that can last a lifetime, and the quality of experience you have providing service to your community,” Turner says. “It’s there that you learn how to live in a way that’s beneficial to not only you, but to those around you.”