The Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation in 2019, 2022 and this year partnered with the University of Minnesota, GREATER MSP, the Itasca Project and other communities in identifying leaders to participate in the program called Minnesota Young American Leader's.  Approximately 50 young people from Duluth, Fargo-Moorhead, Mankato, Minnesota-St. Paul, Rochester and St. Cloud participated in 2022.

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Gail Cruikshank and Brady DeGagne (Photo - Jay Caldwell)
Gail Cruikshank and Brady DeGagne (Photo - Jay Caldwell)
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Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation and Brady DeGagne, Director of Programming and Facilities from the Boys and Girls Club joined me on WJON. Gail indicates eight young, St. Cloud area professionals with leadership aspirations have been chosen for the 2023 cohort of the Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program in Minnesota (MYALP). The intensive idea-sharing program, to be held May 22-23 on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, will educate young leaders about how to work across sectors to help their communities and our region prosper inclusively.

GSDC provides connections, support and partnership to these cohorts to identify, develop and deploy initiatives to support our community.  Cruikshank says Brady was a part of Cohort #2 – in 2022.  Cohort #3 brought 36 nominations with 26 applicants to select a cohort of 8.  Cohort identifies a project/initiative they want to work on for the region.

DeGagne explained the goal is to unlock the passion and leadership capabilities with the young people he works with at the Boys and Girls Club and as a boys hockey coach at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School.  He indicates how to help young people find that career passion for each person is different.  DeGagne says the amount of mentorship he can offer varies on what each young person's needs are.

Cruikshank explains the goal is to help young people to become leaders in the field they choose and to keep these individuals in the community.  She says our local population is shrinking making keeping local talent here even more important.

If you'd like to learn about jobs available in the area you can find information about that here.  If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Gail and Brady it is available below.

 

 

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