Leesburg Man Graduates From Indiana Emerging Leaders Program
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Leesburg resident Brian Smith recently graduated from the Indiana Democratic Party’s Emerging Leaders Program. Smith, 26, is a 2007 Warsaw Community High School graduate. He is the treasurer of the Kosciusko County Democratic Party. He graduated May 15 with 39 other people in Indianapolis from the year-long program that has four sessions in August, November, February and May. The graduates are from across Indiana. The program was created in 2012 by Carmen Darland, third district democrat party chair. “The purpose of the program is to develop young progressives who want to run for a political office, work on campaigns or work for social activist causes,” Smith said. It is the mission of the Emerging Leaders Project to engage and activate up-and-coming democrats who have the potential and interest in being elected officials, campaign staff and party leaders in Indiana. Each year up to 40 young men and women between the ages of 21 and 40 are selected by the Emerging Leaders Project Board from a pool of hundreds of applicants from across the state. To be selected, applicants must commit to attending all four conferences Smith said he participated in the program because he wanted to learn how to fundraiser effectively, and that was one of the sessions he participated in. He learned how to write a fundraising letter, how to contact Political Action Committees and about networking. He said during the 3rd congressional district dinner he was the second largest ticket seller for the dinner out of 12 counties. Kosciusko County represented four tables. Smith will speak about his experience in the program during Kosciusko County Democratic Party’s meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Oak&Alley. People interested in joining the program are invited to attend.
