Apply to an Updated Arlington Neighborhood College by March 24
Published on March 01, 2023
This spring, Arlington County will offer its first hybrid in-person and virtual Neighborhood College experience featuring new opportunities to tour County facilities and interact with staff. Applications for the spring session are due by Friday, March 24, 2023.
The Neighborhood College program is geared toward Arlingtonians who want to become more involved in their neighborhood and countywide interests. Participants will learn about Arlington County government operations, services, and resources directly from leaders and key County department staff. The objective of the program is to foster a more active and informed community by giving Arlingtonians an opportunity to understand and engage with their local government.
Classes will be held on Wednesdays, from April 12 to June 21, between 6:30 and 9 p.m. They will feature conversations with County staff and tours of several County facilities. To graduate, participants are expected to attend at least nine of the sessions, attend a County Board meeting, a commission meeting, or a civic association meeting during the program period, and commit to volunteering 10 hours in Arlington County within six months of completing the program.
Apply to Neighborhood College
Applications are due Friday, March 24. The application is open to anyone aged 18 or older who lives or owns a business in Arlington and is willing to devote time and energy to improving their communities.
For more information about the program, email Arlington Neighborhoods Program Planner Naudy Martinez.
About Neighborhood College
Launched in 2000, Neighborhood College is a key component of Arlington’s civic engagement infrastructure. The program seeks to strengthen our community by building broader, more diverse participation in civic life. Neighborhood College aims to prepare Arlingtonians to address issues in their neighborhoods or in the County as a whole, and to encourage their involvement in volunteer activities.
More than 500 participants have graduated from Neighborhood College. Many have gone on to become neighborhood leaders, members of advisory groups and commissions, officers in their civic associations, County Board members, volunteers at nonprofit organizations, local activists, and more. County Board members Katie Cristol (class of 2012) and Matt de Ferranti (class of 2017) deepened their engagement in civic affairs after participating in Neighborhood College.