The City of Auburn offers a free English-language Civics Academy to Auburn residents, employees, business owners, and students. This Academy provides an overview of City government operation, including insight regarding how the City makes its decisions, allocates its funds, and operates its departments. The goal of the Civics Academy is to empower and encourage residents, employees, business owners, and students to become more civically engaged in the City’s future decisions affecting Auburn’s quality of life.

The 2025 Auburn Civics Academy is a 9-week course held one/two evening(s) a week from 6-8:30 p.m. beginning Thursday, September 4, 2025 with three Saturday sessions on September 6, September 20, and September 7 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Classes are held in multiple locations in Auburn, and a meal and/or snacks is provided at each session. Attendees must be willing to commit to attendance of sessions (can miss THREE sessions and still graduate).

Space in Civics Academy is limited, so not all applicants can be selected. The City determines Academy acceptance on a variety of factors such as strength of application, location of applicants, etc. to ensure that Academy enrollment reflects the diversity of the Auburn community. Applicants not selected this year will be offered a spot as an alternative in this year’s Academy and will be prioritized in the next offering of Civics Academy.

Academy Objectives

We believe that when residents are better informed about how their city operates, how decisions are made and how funds are allocated they will make better decisions about the future of their city.

Course Objectives

1. To involve and engage residents and businesses in learning about and understanding the operation of city government, and to improve communications between the City and those who live and work here.
2. To provide insight into how decisions are made, how City funds are allocated, and how City departments operate.
3. To empower and encourage a larger number of residents, employees, students, and business owners to become more civically engaged in the future decisions affecting Auburn's quality of life.

• Anyone who is an Auburn resident, business owner/employee, in school, has a general interest in Auburn, and not running or currently serving in a political office. Priority will be given to Auburn residents.
• Participants must be willing to commit to the attendance of all sessions (you can miss three and still graduate).
• The Academy is open to students (16 and over) looking for career inspiration or who need more experience before joining the workforce, adults who want to have a stronger understanding about government work, or retirees looking to be more involved in their community.