CLEVELAND — Engage! Cleveland has a goal to attract, engage, and retain young and diverse talent to Greater Cleveland. The group does this by giving young professionals the resources to succeed through connecting them to people, jobs, organizations, and events.
What You Need To Know
- Engage! Cleveland’s 7th Annual Young Professionals Week is Oct. 3-11
- There are 30 events to explore, learn and connect with the community
- The event is virtual for the first time because of the pandemic
- To sign up you can go to engagecleveland.org
One of the staple events is Young Professionals Week.
Sierra Davidson, a senior projects manager for The Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging and a native of Cleveland, plans to attend this year’s virtual Young Professionals Week.
She’s been involved in Engage! Cleveland since she graduated from Cleveland State University in 2018. She even recently joined its leadership board.
“I was actually at an Engage! Cleveland professional development event last year, and one of the presenters made a point about having your own sort of board of directors for your life and how they should be made up of mentors, other people, your age, and I really took that to heart,” said Davidson.
Davidson, like many others has been working from home because of the pandemic, but she’s itching to connect with others professionally. With Engage! Cleveland’s first virtual Young Professionals week from Oct. 3-11, she’ll be able to do that.
“I’m really excited to connect with people, see them even if it is virtually because that’s something in my life that I’ve been missing from a professional standpoint,” said Davidson.
The week consists of 30 diverse events ranging from health and wellness to professional development and networking. Allowing participants to connect and learn from local businesses and leaders who’ve adapted to these changing times. This will be Davidson’s third year attending Young Professionals Week.
“I’m really excited that we’re still able to have it,” said Davidson.
On Clifton Boulevard in Edgewater, Vicki Kotris is the owner and founder of Cleveland Cookie Dough Company and Remix Ice Cream and Cereal Bar. She’s hosting one of the events during Young Professionals Week — that is — making cookie dough.
Kotris has been a participant in Engage! Cleveland’s events for a few years and attributes the resources and opportunities given by it to the confidence she’s gained to start two companies, Cleveland Cookie Dough and her most recent, Remix Ice Cream and Cereal Bar.
“Being able two years ago to attend some of their programming, which were women in successful and powerful positions, but really driving change in our city helped show me that I could have the same impact. And I think that’s one of the driving forces of why I’ve been able to start two businesses in two years is because I do feel very supported,” said Kotris.
Kotris is what you’d call a boomerang. She grew up in Cleveland, moved away for a few years and now she’s back. Checking off one of Engage! Cleveland’s goals, which is to retain.
“When I came back, I was looking for more events to be a part of, or different ways that I could serve my community and be active and meet new people, and I really think that that’s something that Engage! Cleveland has given me personally,” said Kotris.
These young professionals said no matter your interests, the week has events to help everyone explore what Cleveland has to offer and feel energized to call Cleveland home.
There are fees to attend the events. Someone may attend one event or all 30, depending on what they purchase. To sign up, go to engagecleveland.org.
