UK students and recent graduates can join a local group to make new professional contacts.

The Lexington Young Professionals Association was founded in Lexington in 2000. According to Aaron Rothke, president of LYPA, the organization has grown from a mere eight professional members to 400 professionals to date.

“The purpose of LYPA is to raise up the next generation of young leaders and to benefit Lexington through community involvement,” Rothke said.  

LYPA creates a platform for relationship building and the professional development of its members through networking events. Networking happy hours, professional development events and community service at local nonprofit organizations are all part of LYPA’s programs.

“For some, networking gets them out of their comfort zone and when you do that you develop and grow,” Rothke said. “You build friendships and business relationships where if you do networking correctly, you create a team of salespeople for you.” 

Membership into the organization is available to professionals from ages 21 to 40 located in the Lexington area. All occupations are welcome into LYPA. A few currently represented professions include lawyers, customer service agents, servers, accountants and business owners.

“We tailor professional development events to our members, so you are gaining knowledge and skills you need in your career or to make intelligent decisions,” Rothke said.

Benefits of membership include free league of choice with Lexington Sports & Social Club, invitation to all LYPA-sponsored events, networking and professional development events, monthly community service opportunities and numerous others, but, according to Rothke, the most rewarding part of membership in LYPA is a combination of experiences and connections.

“It’s built my confidence, public speaking, brought me a new family, made me more organized, mature, professional and improved my problem-solving skills,” Rothke said. “It’s an experience that’s made me much more marketable and valuable in the workplace, connections for future entrepreneurship and valued friendships.”

Further membership details are listed on the Lexington Young Professionals Association’s website.