Where innovation meets opportunity

When you scroll LinkedIn, there’s a pattern among leading communication professionals. Content designers at Microsoft, product managers at Amazon, UX writers at emerging startups: many have built careers in a city where they rub shoulders with others creating tomorrow’s innovations.

🌆 What Makes Seattle Different?

• Globally ranked innovator in AI and emerging tech (5th in Oxford Economics’ 2025 Global Cities Index)

• Networking with industry leaders at Microsoft, Amazon, SAP, and WE Communications

• Beyond just tech giants: aerospace (Boeing, Blue Origin), medical research (Fred Hutch), gaming (Nintendo, Valve), and cleantech

“Seattle and the west coast are the hubs for tech innovation, not just in the US, but the world,” says Ardhra Sivasankaran (MCDM ’22), Content Designer at Microsoft. “For Comm Lead students, it’s about the opportunity to break in by building meaningful connections and projects.”

Your professors aren’t just teaching trends — they’re creating them at places like AWS, Optum and Brooks Running.

[Read the full story →]

Curious how Seattle's innovation ecosystem can shape your communication career? Join us at an upcoming admissions event to connect with our community and get your questions answered.

🎉 Next Up: Open House on November 12th

Our closest event is the Open House — your chance to meet program directors, faculty, current students, and staff. Learn about our three degree tracks, explore hands-on learning opportunities, and discover how we build our community of thoughtful communication practitioners.

🕙 When & Where:
November 12th, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm PT
Attend via Zoom or in person at Communications Building (CMU) at the Seattle Campus

Studying in Seattle means more than career opportunities — it's life in a city balancing innovation with natural beauty.

Your Seattle Experience:

• 4th most walkable city in the US with light rail connecting campus to everywhere
• Live near campus in University District, Capitol Hill, or Roosevelt — cafes, restaurants, easy transit
• Nature at your doorstep: Hike the Cascades, kayak Lake Washington, explore the Japanese Garden

What Students Love:

☕ Cafe hopping at local favorites
⚾ Mariners games on sunny days
🥾 Burke Gilman Trail and Green Lake walks
🎡 Pike Place Market and Space Needle adventures

Follow us on Instagram to see students exploring the city!

[Discover More About Students' Seattle Life →]

Comm Lead alumni Richa Nevatia and Lanyi Zhu have published their white paper, Designing AI That Patients Trust, in collaboration with Intechnic.

Grounded in real U.S. patient data and clinical scenarios, their research explores how design and communication can strengthen trust in healthcare AI.

What began in Professor David Evans, PhD’s Persuading Ethical UX Design course went on to earn them the 2025 UW Communication Faculty Award for Outstanding Research.

Warm Regards,

Olivia Ding

Communication Leadership Program