Scott Shafer was elected to the College Station City Council in 2024, bringing an extensive background in recreation, park administration and community planning to his leadership role. A lifelong advocate for public spaces, Shafer serves on the Brazos Valley Intergovernmental Committee, the Brazos Valley Symphony Society, and the Bicycle Pedestrian and Greenways Advisory Board.
His municipal experience is rooted in years of service on local bodies, including the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committee.
Shafer is a professor at Texas A&M, where he has been a faculty member in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences since 1996. In 2023, he was appointed executive director of Campus and Community Enrichment in the Office of the President, a role that bridges the university’s mission with the local community. His global perspective was shaped early in his career while serving as a lecturer and research fellow at James Cook University in Australia.
Shafer holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M, a master's degree from the University of Utah, and a doctorate in parks, recreation and tourism management from Clemson. His career-long focus on enhancing quality of life through design and public engagement continues to guide his service.