BOZEMAN – The City of Bozeman is starting a Civic Academy and is encouraging all residents to apply and learn more about how their local government works. The seven-session course will run on Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. between Oct. 14 and Dec. 9 and will cover how the city provides services like public safety, infrastructure, parks and trails, library, planning, and more. The annual session will accept up to 30 participants and will culminate in a graduation on Dec. 9.

"We’re not the first to come up with this idea, but we’ve seen it be successful in many other cities like ours,” said City spokesperson Takami Clark. “Civic academies allow residents to look under the hood of local government. They’ll get in-depth information that they might not get otherwise, and it’ll help them connect at a deeper level with local decision-making.”

The City of Bozeman already hosts a Citizens Police Academy and a Citizens Fire Academy, both dedicated to showing the inner workings of those departments. Bozeman Civic Academy covers the entire range of city services.

The interactive program includes field trips to city facilities, presentations from officials, and engaging activities that give participants first-hand experience of how the city works.

“If you’ve ever been curious about how to get more involved with your local community, this is a great place to start. It’ll set you on a path that could help you explore a career with the city or serve on one of our boards or even City Commission,” explained Clark. “One thing we know about our residents is that they care deeply about Bozeman, and this is one way you can start to get involved and understand how to make an impact.”

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and be City of Bozeman residents. Applications to participate in the Academy are due Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Residents interested in learning more and applying can visit bozemanmt.gov/academy.