You’ve joined Young Professionals of Knoxville, but now what? One of the top questions we get asked from both non-members and new members is “how do I get more involved outside of just attending events?” To truly get the most out of your YPK membership, this is an important question to ask! The answer is simpler than you may think.
One of the best ways to get more involved, meet new people, and explore our community is by joining one of our YPK committees! There’s a committee for everyone, no matter what your interests are.
What are YPK Committees?
Our committees exist as a way for members to get the most out of their membership as possible. Joining a committee gives you a voice in future events and important organizational decisions, creates new and stronger connections with other members, and provides leadership opportunities now and in the future! The way networking organizations like YPK work best is through member involvement. We want you to contribute your ideas, creativity, and experience to what we do! Joining one of our committees is the best way to do that.
What YPK Committees are there to join?
We have a number of committees for our members to consider:
Community Outreach: This committee plans service and philanthropic projects, along with brainstorming ways to partner with other events. They also aim to educate members on the benefits of giving back to the community.
Membership: This committee plans the quarterly General Membership Meetings (GMMs), and the annual YPK Impact Awards, from the awards nominations to the ceremony. They also assist with registration and check-in for many of YPK’s larger events, including the Summer Soiree and holiday party. The committee meets monthly throughout the year.
Marketing: This committee works to keep the Knoxville community updated on the latest YPK events, membership perks, member features, and insights into all things local through e-newsletters, social media, and ypknox.com. Opportunities for committee members include all aspects of copywriting, design, and digital marketing.
Social: The Social Committee plans our networking events for both members and non-members at the newest, coolest and best venues in town.
Professional Development: This committee seeks to empower our members to develop the skills, connections and confidence to become leaders in their respective organizations and the Knoxville community. We strive to create exclusive events with exciting speakers and opportunities to sharpen leadership skills.
Recruitment: This committee works to expand membership to a diversified group of professional experience, industries, and backgrounds. The Recruitment Committee plans the bi-annual YPK 101 sessions, assists new members in getting involved and is always a friendly face at events.
As a YPK member, you’re encouraged to join a committee and advance your job skills or learn something new! Committees are your chance to get involved, have fun, make friends and create the future for YPK.
How do I join a YPK Committee?
After you’ve become a member, joining a YPK committee is a simple process. The first step? Attend a committee meeting. This doesn’t lock you into any kind of commitment. You won’t be forced to attend a second meeting, and you’re free to try out other committees before making your final decision. In fact, we would encourage you to attend a few different committees before you make your final choice or join multiple committees!
“When I first joined YPK, I knew I needed to jump right in order to actually meet people and make the connections I wanted to make. I reached out to the Marketing Chair on the Board of Directors at the time and asked her when the next marketing committee meeting was happening. I went to every meeting they had after that first one! It gave me the chance to jump in with my professional experience to make recommendations, and I even got to contribute help with marketing through photographing events and writing some blog posts for the website. But the most important part? I met some amazing people who I’m still connected to and serving with today! ”
Check out our upcoming committee meetings!
All of our committees meet on a regular basis. You can always check when upcoming committee meetings are happening on our website!
If you’re interested in talking to someone about the different committees before attending your first meeting, reach out to us at contact@ypknox.com for more information. We would be happy to discuss our different committees with you and point you to the right committee chair to talk to!
Young Professionals of Knoxville is a membership-driven, non-profit organization with a mission to inspire Knoxville’s young professionals to connect, develop and serve to build leaders and improve our community. For more information about our objectives and mission, visit our website! If you’re not a member of YPK and would like to learn more about becoming a member, discover our member benefits and fill out our application online. You can also check out our recent Young Professional’s Guide to Knoxville!