Launching the New YP
Empowering Young Professionals to Thrive
By Todd Waters, AHM Brands and Chair of Eugene Young Professionals | Photos by QUIP
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Those who call the Eugene area home have much to be excited for in the coming years. Major development projects are in the works and it doesn’t take long walking, biking or driving around Eugene to see the changes. It is apparent that the growth and change occurring now will significantly influence the legacy of our vibrant city.
Eugene’s growth has given rise to an evolution and maturation inside the Eugene Young Professionals group – a member-based networking and professional development group that is endorsed by the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. Last month marked the kick-off of a new and improved Eugene Young Professionals group that is focused on encouraging young professionals in our community to get involved, get connected and play a part in helping Eugene realize its full potential. Through revamped programming, thoughtful content and mindful networking events, the Eugene Young Professionals group is empowering young professionals to thrive in both their professional and personal lives. These changes were first felt at the 2018 Young Professionals Summit in June. Now in its third-year, the YP Summit provides a full-days’ worth of content and activities built for young professionals with the ultimate goal of providing the jumping-off point for attendees to learn, grow personally and professionally and discover new ways to invest in the future of our community. This year, over 500 young professionals came together to discuss what lay ahead for Eugene. Topics such as finding solutions for a more welcoming downtown and the various visionary development projects underway were discussed at length in changemaker sessions and in panel settings. Local thought-leaders provided insights into the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, the Obie expansion project in downtown Eugene and the Riverfront Development project. Becoming informed about these issues and projects is the first step for many of us. With awareness comes choice and an opportunity to reflect on what each of us as individuals envisions for the future of Eugene. To borrow from the opening keynote speaker at the 2018 YP Summit, Liz Bohannon, there comes a time when planning must give way to doing – where another step must be taken and those who feel so compelled need to spring into action. Many YPs have already taken that next step. Some by signing up to become members of the new Eugene Young Professionals group and others by lending their voice to issues they are passionate about at Eugene City Council meetings through public testimony. The Eugene Young Professionals group offers an ideal opportunity for our area’s young professionals to initiate positive change in our community as they grow personally and in their careers, something that is sure to leave a legacy. |
To learn more about the Eugene Young Professionals group and how you can get involved, visit www.eugeneyp.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for all things YP-related.
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