Embedded Files
Throughout my two years at the Bush School, my academic coursework and electives along with my involvement in the ICMA/TCMA student chapter and volunteer work have qualified me to create a specific concentration in Local Government. The following subsections highlight my involvement and studies, and will be updated periodically after graduation to portray my some of my experiences working with the City of Navasota.
The section on Citizens University highlights the 13-week program I was accepted into with the City of College Station. This city-sponsored program allows 30 College Station residents to visit a different city department each week and allows us to learn how the department operates and ask questions as we go along. This program has provided me with a tremendous amount of insight as to how municipalities function and the interdepartmental connections necessary to operate effectively.
The ICMA/TCMA student chapter section describes my involvement with the chapter through event planning, attending events in various localities, and the volunteer opportunities I have been introduced to through this network. The student chapter has also allowed me to interact with other students at the Bush School who are interested in pursuing a career in local government (as seen pictured above, me and my colleague James McKenzie, who is also in the ICMA/TCMA group and who aspires to go into city management).
The network established through the ICMA/TCMA student group presented me with the opportunity to volunteer at the 2020 Texas Birthday Bash in Navasota. This section examines how I came across this opportunity, the exciting job responsibilities I had during that weekend, and the various people I got to meet and work with during the event. Pictured above are me and my significant other posing at the Ole West Gunfighters stage.
The section on Capstone describes the year-long capstone project I worked on in a team of 10, serving as a consultant group in the City of Bryan. In this section, I describe the various departments our group worked with, the two-part project of conducting a Technological Needs Assessment (TNA) and an implementation plan, and the challenges and successes I had working with such a diverse group.
Academics
Academics
Over the last two years, I have taken a series of courses that pertain to different functions and departments in local governments, and these courses have shaped my understanding of how municipalities function and their connection to the state, federal, and nonprofit sectors. A few of the most impactful and influential courses that shaped the way I understand and care for local government include State and Local Government, Urban Sustainability, Geographic Informational Systems (GIS) in Urban Planning, and Public Budgeting. State and Local Government was a critical course that increased my understanding of how local governments operate and the complex interdepartmental relationships that must be sustained to make sure a municipality operates efficiently and effectively. Urban Sustainability shifted the focus to larger municipalities and the policies currently undertaken in large cities across the United States regarding environmental conservation, economic development, and sustainable growth. The last two courses mentioned, GIS in Urban Planning and Public Budgeting allowed me to develop hands-on technical skills such as mapping and preparing a CIP, that would be transferrable to a variety of departments such as economic development, planning and development services, and/or fiscal services. Each of these courses was unique in their own way but ultimately contributed greatly to expanding my knowledge of local government operations and developing practical skills that will be utilized in the workforce.
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