August 2015

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Sleepy Days of August

with Newsletter Editor, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie

This year's NextGen Summit (which was awesome by the way!) focused on change. I took away many ideas for both personal and professional change that I intend to implement during the hot, often quiet days of August here in Washington, DC. With Congress on recess and the air constantly feeling like a swimming pool, it seems like this city breathes a big sigh of relief and resets itself before the new fiscal year ahead.

At YGL National - and many of the YGL Chapters we met with  during NextGen - we are taking time to sigh and reset as well. And this is the perfect time because there are huge changes ahead for YGL in the coming months.

As many of you know, Ginny Hill, is stepping down from her role as President of YGL National. While we will miss her and appreciate the amazing contributions she has made to creating a premier organization over the past two years, we recognize an opportunity for change. Our new President will be taking YGL into the future. Thus, I hope you will consider making a change in your life to become more active in YGL. You can attend more events, such as our YGL U Launch Party coming up in just 10 days. You can take a bigger leap and join the YGL National Board or your local Chapter Board. Or, you can even become a premier participant online through YGL University, which will go live mid-August.

Exciting times are ahead for YGL and I look forward to changing with all of you!

President's Corner 
with Ginny Hill

NextGen 2015 Recap

We just wrapped up our sixth Next Generation of Government Summit! Each year, this event grows in interest and enthusiasm. We've developed a reputation as the most high energy conference in town. This year, I was excited to see all the Millennials, Gen X-ers, and Baby Boomers who made up the diverse group of attendees. Federal, state, and local government, as well as private sector, were all represented as we shared ideas on how to make positive change in public service. As usual, we played improv games and tossed t-shirts out into the audience to keep it fun! We heard keynotes and lightning talks from authors, government employees, and motivational speakers. I spent the two days feeling inspired by all the optimists I encountered who believe in creating good things for themselves and for the community. During the Summit, my challenges to attendees were to 1) learn something new, 2) have fun, and 3) figure out how to pay it forward. The last item is particularly important because we cannot take for granted our attendance at NextGen. We have a responsibility to teach others, inspire those around us, and spread the NextGen mentality. And on a personal note, given that this was my last year emceeing NextGen as the YGL President, I took particular care to savor every moment of NextGen. Oh, but don't worry; I'll be back next year! And I hope you will too! In the meantime, let's get to work on making public service more awesome.

YGL is Seeking Leaders Willing to Take Action

Serving as a volunteer on the YGL National Board can offer you amazing connections, a powerful platform for having your voice heard, and, most importantly, a direct way to add value to emerging government leaders around the United States. 

We are currently seeking to fill a number of open Board positions, including:

• President (*Note the application deadline is August 11, 2015.)
• Member Services
• Public Affairs
• Community Service Chair

To obtain more information, please visit our website or email chairman@younggov.org.

Newsletter of the National Board

DC Event: YGL University Launch Party

Come dressed in your favorite school apparel on Thursday, August 10th at The Gryphon in Dupont for drinks, appetizers, networking and the launch of the new YGL University, a free eLearning platform accessible to all YGL members.

Bring a small (or large!) donation of school supplies to benefit DC-area students. All supplies will be donated to the National Center for Children and Families. Also, anyone who brings a donation will be entered into a raffle to win prizes from YGL University.

• Thursday, August 13th
• 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Dress code: Represent your alma mater by wearing your favorite school swag.
• Bring: School supplies to donate.
• Location: The Gryphon (1337 Connecticut Ave. NW)
• Metro Stop: DuPont Circle

R.S.V.P. here on Eventbrite.

NextGen Photos are now available!

There were many great moments at the NextGen Summit this year, and far too many for us to share in the newsletter. The good news is you can access them all online.

Day 1 and day 2 photos are available here on Flickr.

Did you have a head shot taken? You can access and download your head shot here. 

Miss the pre-Summit awards ceremony? Never fear! See all the awesome moments captured in photos here.

Kudos to the LA Chapter!

The Young Government Leaders Los Angeles Chapter held the 2015 Speaker Series in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, July 23. The featured speaker was Ed Laughlin, Assistant Director of the Government Accountability Office. The theme of the event was transitioning from being an expert to being a manager. YGL LA also utilized the event to raise funds and bring awareness to the 2015 Special Olympics

We want to hear from you!

Did your chapter do something awesome this month? Have a member who deserves to be featured in an upcoming newsletter? Want to share information about a nationally-available event? 

Contact Newsletter Editor and YGL Chief of Staff, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie, at chiefofstaff@younggov.org to share your story. Content and photos may be featured in our monthly national newsletter.

YGL & the FedManager.com

YGL adds the Millennial voice in a regular column on FedManager.com, which goes to over 60,000 inboxes across the government each month. 

In July, Michael Tull, former YGL National Director of eLearning, wrote about how managers can help employees memorialize informal learning. Michael's article also introduces the soon-to-be launched YGL University, an online tool to help YGL members track and share online learning and content. Read more here on FedManager.com.

YGL & the Federal Times with Tyler Robinson

YGL's Chairman, Tyler Robinson, regularly writes for federaltimes.com. 

In July, Tyler discussed the importance of being a giving leader. He writes about three types of givers, specifically those who give their time, knowledge, and defense. Further, Tyler argues that by giving to your employees and colleagues, you can foster better relationships and a better working environment for everyone. Read the full article here.

The Partnership for Public Service Driving Innovation Seminars

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, you’re likely making leadership development investment decisions. During this time, please consider the Partnership for Public Service’s Driving Innovation seminars.

As budget cuts and smaller staffs become a reality government-wide, it is more important than ever that federal employees work innovatively to do more with less. The Paternships two-day Driving Innovation seminars are designed to get your team started thinking innovatively. By developing participants’ leadership skills and equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to foster creative thinking, they will be prepared to start making productive changes in your agency.

The next opportunity for members of your team to learn how to support and drive change is coming up on August 6-7, with another in the fall. To register for Driving Innovation, please contact Courtney Scarbin at CScarbin@ourpublicservice.org or (202) 775-6894.

Looking to go to grad school?

Meet the World's Top Grad Schools in Washington, DC

Pre-register now for the QS Grad School Fair and find out how Grad School can help you fast-track your path to a thriving, enjoyable and in demand career!

Meet face-to-face with admissions directors from over 30 of the top-ranked local & international grad schools such as Imperial College London, UCLA, London Business School, HEC Paris & University of Melbourne; learn about the best Masters/PhD programs in the world & apply for exclusive scholarships! Also attend complimentary seminars from industry experts to hear their invaluable insight.

• Tuesday, 22nd September 2015
• 2:30pm - 8:00pm
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW)

To learn more and gain free entry, pre-register online here.

Young Government Leaders is a 5,000 member, non-profit organization committed to providing the authentic voice for our generation of aspiring government leaders. We are actively building a community of leadership for young public servants across the country through professional development activities, networking opportunities, social events, seminars, fellowships, and scholarships. You can find out more and join for free on our website.