Careers

Try one of these ideas, or get out there and start finding your own opportunities. 

Public Meetings

Public meetings are, by definition, open to the public, so anyone can attend. While almost all of these meetings are streamed and available recorded, showing up in person has a number of benefits, including potentially meeting and speaking with council members, staff, and other interested parties. While much of this information is about Tacoma, other municipalities in the region have similar structures. 

• Attend a city council meeting. Tacoma City Council meets every Tuesday at 5pm. These meetings are open to everyone. Read agendas ahead of time to know something about the topics. Learn more from the City of Tacoma website. Find something you care about? You can speak to the council at public comment and have your voice heard. Not living in Tacoma? You can still attend, or find out about council meetings where you live.
• Attend a Study Session: These meetings can be valuable ways to gain insight on important issues being discussed right now. In Tacoma these sessions are streamed live, and supporting documents are available online ahead of time. Check out the City Council page for details.
• Tacoma Housing Authority meetings are also open to the public. Show up in person at their headquarters on South 9th and L, or stream online. Meeting details and documents on the THA website.
• 2024 is a Charter Review year in the City of Tacoma. The Charter outlines the structure of government and governance in Tacoma, and must be reviewed every 10 years. Meetings and the process are open to the public.
• Want to start smaller? How about a Neighborhood Council meeting? Each of Tacoma's 8 neighborhood councils has meetings you can attend, covering issues specific to their part of town.
• Other public meetings: Check out the Notices & Public Hearings page. 
• Really want to get involved? Watch for openings that fit your interests and expertise, and apply to serve on a committee, board, or commission in your community. In Tacoma you can find more here on the CBC page.

Community events:

• Attend a Downtown on the Go "Friday Forum" or one of their other events. Really like what they do? You can volunteer or get involved with their advocacy work. 
• Show up for a relevant lecture. This spring the School of Urban Studies Lecture Series on May 23rd features Prentiss Dantzler speaking on "Racial Capitalism and the (Re)Making of Urban Spaces." It's free and open to the public. 
• Check out the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Community Calendar for local opportunities.

Other opportunities:

• Next Gen Civic Leader Corps at UW Tacoma: Consider joining this program for students interested in careers in public service.
• Join a student organization: CIVITAS is the School of Urban Studies student organization. Attend regular meetings and participate in their events, and consider serving in a leadership position. There are a number of other student orgs on campus as well - all with opportunities to get involved in making things happen. Find them all on UWT Student Involvement's Dubnet system.
• Go to your favorite search engine, and see what's out there in areas you care about! Enter terms you care about, and the place you live. Look for current initiatives, upcoming events, and key organizations you'd like to know more about. 

Looking for more ideas? Schedule an appointment with the School of Urban Studies advisor to brainstorm ideas that align with your interests.