The Cleveland Council on World Affairs is excited to announce the launch of the Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC), a body of young professionals who will support the work of CCWA in its efforts to engage young professionals and students in our programming by:

• Providing program feedback and insight to the board and staff of CCWA;
• Leading coordination of young professional events; and
• Serving as “community ambassadors” for CCWA and its programs

We welcome applications from professionals ages 20-35 who would like to join the inaugural YPAC cohort. Applications are due on February 26, 2021. Selection of the first committee members will be announced in March 2021.

Eligibility

Young professionals and students, ages 20-35 years old at the time of application, are eligible for membership in the committee.

Requirements of YPAC Membership

To maintain active membership in YPAC, applicants must be able to meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident under the age of 35 of the Greater Cleveland area;
• Be a member of CCWA ($50 per year for individual membership, or $25 for student membership);
• Attend 1-2 committee meetings per year;
• Be able to commit to a 2-year term, limited to 2 terms; members are able to resign their term if and when circumstances dictate;
• Dedicate themselves to CCWA’s mission and exhibit a passion for advancing the vision; and
• Be able to engage enthusiastically in the work of the committee between meetings, as needed.

Officer Positions

Officer positions for the inaugural class of the Young Professionals Advisory Committee will be determined by CCWA on an application basis. If you are interested in an officer position, please indicate this on your application and complete the additional short answer question. In the future, officer positions will be elected by YPAC members, with oversight and approval to be determined by CCWA.

Available officer positions are as follows:

• President (may be invited by CCWA’s board to attend board meetings from time to time in an ex-officio capacity);
• Secretary;
• Friend-raising Chair; and
• Social Chair.

Responsibilities of Members

YPAC members are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Generate ideas for engaging a younger and more diverse audience through new methods of outreach and recruit other young professionals for CCWA programming;
• Provide feedback and recommendations related to boosting young professional engagement with CCWA;
• Serve as CCWA “community ambassadors”;
• Help develop a pipeline for younger Citizen Diplomat volunteers (volunteers who engage in international exchange programs); and
• Coordinate events as desired and as deemed appropriate by CCWA (social events or international-themed events targeted to young professionals).

Benefits to Members

YPAC members can expect to enjoy the following benefits of membership:

• Development of leadership skills in preparation for future nonprofit committee and/or board involvement;
• Opportunities to engage in small-group/private conversations with foreign policy experts;
• Targeted opportunities to meet with international visitors and/or guest speakers (once in-person speaker programs and international exchanges resume);
• CCWA membership benefits at the “Individual Member” or “Student Member” rate;
• Resume building and networking opportunities; and
• Opportunity to help advance the work of CCWA and play an integral role in local Citizen Diplomacy initiatives.

If interested, please apply at this link – 2021 YPAC Application – by 5:00 pm EST on Friday, February 26, 2021.

Please note: the 2021 YPAC application period is now closed.