Atlanta City Hall opened its doors to the next generation of planners on Thursday, November 13, as the Department of City Planning (DCP) hosted its inaugural College Night, an event designed to spark interest in planning careers among students from Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, the Atlanta University Center, and other metro-area colleges.
More than 100 students gathered in the City Hall Atrium to hear directly from City staff, learn about internships, and explore pathways into public service. The event grew out of a request from Mayor Andre Dickens, who has emphasized the need to increase representation in neighborhood planning and ensure the profession reflects Atlanta’s diversity.
Inspiring Future Planners
Mayor Dickens joined the evening for a brief conversation with students, sharing his own journey from Atlanta Public Schools to Georgia Tech and Georgia State before entering public service. He encouraged attendees to see themselves as the next generation of “city builders,” shaping how Atlanta grows and who benefits from that growth.
Planning, he reminded the group, influences everything from housing and transportation to parks, trails, and public spaces — and the field needs voices rooted in lived experience across all of Atlanta’s communities.
Connecting Students With Real Opportunities
Before and after the program, students circulated through DCP’s office tables, where staff from across the department answered questions, offered guidance on career paths, and shared information about internships and part-time opportunities with the City.
A student-led introduction by Empress Henry-Logan, a Georgia Tech master’s candidate in city and regional planning, set the tone for the evening. Panel discussions earlier in the program showcased what day-to-day planning looks like inside DCP, from zoning and transportation planning to housing, neighborhood engagement, and urban design.
Building a More Inclusive Pipeline
College Night also highlighted a key challenge in the planning field: the longstanding underrepresentation of Black planners nationwide. In response, Mayor Dickens asked DCP to create new outreach initiatives like this one to ensure that Atlanta’s future planners come from all the communities they will ultimately serve.
Students left with direct connections to DCP staff, real examples of the type of work happening across the City, and a pathway to pursue internships that can lead to full-time roles.
