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Transplanting roots
How young professional organizations can help you connect with your new community

by jessica tredinnick

A group of young professionals in Racine joined forces recently to raise $10,000 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Since graduation, they have developed two personal skills neglected by most degree program curricula––altruism and camaraderie. Because there is no such class as “Life 101: Intro to the Real World,” they relied on a local organization of young professionals to help them shed the egocentricism they adopted during their college years and become conscientious members of society.

To those who have just emerged from years of living the single life on campus, the real world’s expectations of selflessness can come as a shock. Universities, especially large institutions where individual attention is as rare as an empty coffee house, inevitably breed self-preoccupation. Students become accustomed to looking out for their own best interests.

But young professionals are not alone in feeling overwhelmed, nor do they have to deal with the transition on their own––as long as they know where to look for help. Most of Wisconsin’s major cities are home to organizations that help young professionals find companions among the faceless “others” who cohabitate their shiny new professional world.

These organizations serve as support networks while their members explore new social, professional and civic terrain. Although varied in construct and purpose, these groups help young professionals develop three aspects of their new lives: social networks, community involvement and professional advancement. Besides support and companionship, they also expand young professionals’ opportunities and resources by hosting informational lectures and political events. Many of the groups also provide opportunities to give back to the community, making host cities more positive environments for young, healthy businesses.

“A city influenced by young professionals is a city that will attract and retain young professionals,” says Shelley Jurewicz, executive director of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM). 

Perhaps the most obvious perk of joining a young professional organization is the social aspect. Young professional organizations ensure that newly minted workers are not left struggling alone when they leave the safety of their academic institutions. The transition often requires moving to a new location, uprooting from comfortable, familiar social networks. At organization events, members meet others going through the same difficult transition. Social activities were an escape from the daily grind of classes; now they provide escape from the daily grind of the office.

“It’s nice to be able to relate to others your age, especially because a lot of the people in that demographic are not from Racine, they’re often from out of state,” says Jay Christie, a four-year member of Young Professionals of Racine (YPR) who has followed jobs to new cities several times since earning his MBA.

Henry Sanders, president of the capital city's young professional organization, Madison Area Growth Network (MAGNET), says a lack of social networking opportunities is one of the factors deterring young professionals from staying in Madison. He is concerned about Wisconsin’s loss of young educated residents to other states, a worrisome trend termed “brain drain.” Sanders says areas of Wisconsin, especially Madison, fail to retain what he calls “the settling group,” working professionals ages 25 to 34 who are preparing to purchase a home and remain in a city for an extended period.

“Numerous studies indicate that as the baby boomer generation retires, there will be a deficit in employable work force for a variety of positions in all sectors of our economy,” Sanders says. MAGNET surveyed young professionals to find out which of Madison’s attributes make people stay there and which make them leave. Most said they found it difficult to meet people in Madison.

“As a young professional in Madison, it can be challenging to meet your peer group and have meaningful interactions with the community,” Sanders says. “The greater Madison area needs to attract and retain its next generation of leaders, and MAGNET makes our community more attractive to these people.”

Young professional organizations like MAGNET provide a non-dating social atmosphere, allowing their members to connect and establish both social and business relationships.  Social events include exhibition openings, happy hours at local bars and holiday parties. Sanders says the separation from dating services is important because it allows clearly defined, uninhibited social bonding that he hopes will help keep young professionals in the city.

Pastor Kara Baylor of Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church in Racine often sees the positive effects of YPR membership on young members of her congregation and says the organization provides a healthy sense of community for individuals. Their enthusiasm for the organization prompted her to attend some meetings in 2003.

“For those who are newer to the community, it’s been helpful to make connections. I think Racine, like most communities, can be hard to break into, with people who have been here their whole life,” she says. “It does a lot for the image of the community as a whole. I think it shows that we care about those young folks, that we appreciate their contribution to our community.”

YPM performs a similar function, striving to keep young professionals in the city by making them an integral part of its development. Jurewicz says the organization encourages and helps members assume active roles in their community and government.

“They build a more diverse network professionally and socially, they learn more about metro Milwaukee, they can grow as the next generation of metro Milwaukee leaders,” Jurewicz says of YPM members.

She says the organization’s presence in the city convinces local employers to remain because it promises a permanent, well-rounded and dedicated professional work force. Many young professional organizations offer regular opportunities for professional and personal development. Seminar topics range from “Intergenerational work conditions” to “Buying your first home.” One MAGNET event was candidly titled “Get your S#*% together.” And at each event, young professionals are sure to meet like-minded colleagues.

“The more informed, involved and networked young professionals are, the more influence they have on their community and their job,” Jurewicz says.

Although young professional organizations exist for their members’ benefit, many also facilitate young professionals’ relationships with their communities. Sanders and Jurewicz say their communities are invariably, though often indirectly, improved by their young citizens’ strengthened sense of ownership and belonging.

“MAGNET facilitates the relationship that its members can have with each other and the community at large,” Sanders says.

Yet Scott LaMay, a former member of the recently disbanded Young Professionals of Green Bay, says his organization lacked interest in community involvement, a trend he sees among young professionals.

“Our youth are lacking vision for community, generally speaking,” LaMay says. “Success is highly distorted in our fast-paced, get-all-you-can-as-fast-as-you-can society.”

The founders of Young Professionals of Green Bay intended it as a forum for social and professional networking. Although it survived for more than 20 years, this group was driven by youth and idealism, which ultimately proved fickle, according to LaMay.

“As the membership and leadership aged, their vision was lost, as was their passion for the mission they set out to accomplish,” LaMay says. He says organizations can combat burnout by balancing social and professional interests with civic activism.

YPR proved it is one such well-balanced, successful group. Member Jay Christie says many of his coworkers are members, and many of them have struck business deals during group events. “Virtually all my friends now are members of YPR,” he says. Since its 2001 founding, YPR’s ranks have swelled to more than 1,000 members. Perhaps, as LaMay suggests, the secret to young professionals’ success is balance. Christie agrees that the organization forges a valuable tie between its members and the community.

“[YPR] allows young professionals to speak with a unified voice when it come to issues that affect the overall destiny of the community … both public policy and quality of life issues,” Christie says. Most recently, the group’s civic interest manifested itself in that sizeable $10,000 gift for the families left homeless and scattered after Hurricane Katrina’s destructive assault on southern states.

©curb magazine - winter 2005
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