Andrew Jensen, the new Executive Director of Mahaska County Development Group (MCDG), is trying to make a difference in the small midwestern community of Mahaska County, Iowa. We invited him to write a guest blog to talk about the changes he has planned to revitalize the community and create a sense of community connection with the younger generation. We can’t wait to see what else he has planned in the future!
Much is happening in Mahaska County and many big projects are in the works. When the rubber starts hitting the road on some of these initiatives, big changes are going to be seen in the community! One of these great ventures is the recent re-launching of Mahaska Young Professionals (MYP), which is an organization for professionals in the 20s and 30s seeking to socialize, network, and give back.
MYP was created to address some of the major obstacles to growth in many smaller midwestern cities. Young adults are the future of growing communities, and without these individuals, communities can succumb to the effects of stagnation and irrelevance. Young workers are also the future of companies and organizations.
Today, many young workers are choosing their career paths based more on the location – with the amenities, activities, and events it has to offer – than just on the employers. It is within this context that an ambitious group of young professionals in the Mahaska area formed MYP. They are seeking to create that environment where young adults in Mahaska County have a platform to connect and to make their community better.
MYP committee members organize monthly events that are designed to showcase and take advantage of the many outlets for activities that are available in the region. Additionally, MYP hosts a monthly happy hour on the first Thursday of each month. At this event, young professionals gather to network and interact. Through all this, MYP is giving young professionals ‘something to do’ in a small community that might otherwise be perceived as uneventful or uninteresting. But it’s not all fun and play.
MYP recognizes that a sustainable community relies on its members to give back and serve. MYP seeks opportunities to improve its community by participating in various service projects throughout the year to improve the quality of life for all.
Mahaska Young Professionals is one of the many exciting initiatives supported by the Mahaska Community Development Group (MCDG), the Oskaloosa Area Chamber and Development Group, and Mahaska County Agricultural and Rural Development. Future posts to this blog by MCDG will include more information on other great projects in the Mahaska community – so stay tuned!
-Andrew Jensen, Executive Director, MCDG