It would be wonderful if most of Monroe's bright young professionals chose to live and work here as adults. However, "brain drain" is real, and for a variety of reasons many choose to live their lives elsewhere.
A program recently formed by the Kubly family and owners of Swiss Colony would pay the cost of graduate or professional school in return for a promise to live and work in Monroe for five years.
It's an intriguing idea. Hopefully, it achieves its intended result of keeping people in town to contribute to Monroe's prosperity and future.
Those who apply for the program will be reviewed by the R. Kubly Family Foundation Board, and once accepted the applicant will receive funding for graduate or professional school. When their education is finished, the student will be expected to live and work within the Monroe school district for five years in order to have their entire school loan forgiven.
Those who don't follow their commitments to living and working in Monroe will go into a loan repayment program.
Because of a slow economy, R. Kubly Family Foundation Board member and Swiss Colony Public Relations Manager Sheila Berrey said the group likely would work with individuals who complete the program and try, but can't find, work in Monroe.
The committee would encourage them to still live in Monroe and commute to their job until they could find something in town, Berrey said. The group also is encouraging entrepreneurs to apply for the program, hoping also to bring new businesses to the city.
Berrey said of the 30 years she's spent in Monroe, she's seen little growth. She and other board members hope that will change.
"It's critical to sustain and grow Monroe," Berrey said. "We (the foundation) have a vested interest in Monroe."
With the Young Professionals of Green County founded and the Green County Leaders program firmly established, there are resources to make a concerted effort to attract and retain the next generation of community leaders. A key to making that happen is to not only attract young professionals, but to get and keep them involved in the community. They are equally difficult challenges.
The Foundation board hopes to recruit people to the program who show strong leadership skills.
"We're looking for community-minded leaders," Berrey said.
That would be a welcome characteristic of young people coming to Monroe, and would pay dividends beyond five years of living and working in the city.
A program recently formed by the Kubly family and owners of Swiss Colony would pay the cost of graduate or professional school in return for a promise to live and work in Monroe for five years.
It's an intriguing idea. Hopefully, it achieves its intended result of keeping people in town to contribute to Monroe's prosperity and future.
Those who apply for the program will be reviewed by the R. Kubly Family Foundation Board, and once accepted the applicant will receive funding for graduate or professional school. When their education is finished, the student will be expected to live and work within the Monroe school district for five years in order to have their entire school loan forgiven.
Those who don't follow their commitments to living and working in Monroe will go into a loan repayment program.
Because of a slow economy, R. Kubly Family Foundation Board member and Swiss Colony Public Relations Manager Sheila Berrey said the group likely would work with individuals who complete the program and try, but can't find, work in Monroe.
The committee would encourage them to still live in Monroe and commute to their job until they could find something in town, Berrey said. The group also is encouraging entrepreneurs to apply for the program, hoping also to bring new businesses to the city.
Berrey said of the 30 years she's spent in Monroe, she's seen little growth. She and other board members hope that will change.
"It's critical to sustain and grow Monroe," Berrey said. "We (the foundation) have a vested interest in Monroe."
With the Young Professionals of Green County founded and the Green County Leaders program firmly established, there are resources to make a concerted effort to attract and retain the next generation of community leaders. A key to making that happen is to not only attract young professionals, but to get and keep them involved in the community. They are equally difficult challenges.
The Foundation board hopes to recruit people to the program who show strong leadership skills.
"We're looking for community-minded leaders," Berrey said.
That would be a welcome characteristic of young people coming to Monroe, and would pay dividends beyond five years of living and working in the city.
