Action Teams

The following list of action teams will give you an idea of what we are doing in the community and how you can get involved.

College Connection Action Team

Opportunity

Duluth is a community with approximately 90,000 permanent residents; an additional 20,000 are drawn to the area by way of the local colleges. Students impact the local economy, support job growth and it is estimated they spend $100 million or more annually. Many students don’t consider staying in Duluth after graduation.

Purpose

Engage interested students in the local business community and help them develop a network of contacts to motivate them to build their careers, homes and families in Duluth.

Description

College Connection is a mentorship program designed to enhance college students’ relationships with the business community.

College Connection matches mentors with students from three area colleges to build a networking contact which allows the student to gain access to Duluth’s professional community.

Most participants are matched by the student’s area of study and the mentor’s occupation; these matches are not always perfect. They do allow the student, however, to build great networking connections and lasting relationships with their mentor. If you or someone you know is interested in being a mentor/mentee through College Connection, contact the Chamber at 218.722.5501.

Goals

  • Provide experienced role models for juniors and seniors
  • Provide informal advice and counsel for students seeking to clarify their career direction
  • Increase awareness of employment opportunities in our community
  • Increase knowledge of entrepreneurial success in Northeastern Minnesota

Want to help change the lives of others? Interested in helping students from the local colleges grow in the Duluth Community? Become a College Connection Mentor. By applying to this program you will be matched with a college student from the area to help mentor them in the career field they are interested in. You will meet with your matched student throughout the year to provide them more information and help them with their questions about your career field. Along with the outside meetings with your student there will be events hosted by Fuse Duluth.  Applications are closed for the 09/10 academic year.  Applications will open in the summer of 2010.

If you have any questions please contact Lara Wilkinson at lwilkinson@duluthchamber.com or 218.740.3754.

Action Team

The College Connection Action Team is made up of volunteers that do the following:

  • Mentor a student
  • Help pair students with mentors
  • Recruit mentors
  • Help plan College Connection events

If you would like to volunteer on this initiative, please contact the Chair of College Connection Tad Johnson at: tadulous@gmail.com

Events and Engagement (E2) Action Team

Opportunity

According to our social capital benchmark survey, 18-34 year olds in the Duluth/Superior area volunteer almost 50% more than the same age group in the 20 other communities surveyed. However, this survey also showed 78% of the same age group in the Twin Ports area feels they have little to moderate impact in their community. We want to empower young people to lead. And we want them to have fun doing it!

Purpose

Events and Engagement is a broad- based team working to plan and execute our calendar of events, identify hot topics and expert panelists, and educate and engage members through a combination of methods, while nurturing the next generation of active civic leaders. In all they do, team members focus on improving the places that we all live and work. The team is also charged with guiding promotional efforts and helping to connect people with the Fuse program.

Description

The team meets every 4-6 weeks. We review and plan events and activities, and organize volunteers to support the execution of events. In the realm of civic engagement, we work to identify issues of importance to Fusers. In the realm of politics, we do not endorse candidates, rather we build opportunities for education and discussion.

Goals

  • Our short term goals include hosting timely, engaging, energetic and relevant events, including “Get Out the Vote” campaigns during election years and offering opportunities to volunteer in the community.
  • Our long term goals include building a program that will prepare Fuse Duluth members to advance in their professionals lives and serve as leaders and active participants in the community.

Action Team

The Events and Engagement Action Team is made up of volunteers that do the following:

  • Promote events to your network
  • Help plan events
  • Attend Fuse Duluth events and greet attendees at the events
  • Participate in the annual Duluth and St. Louis County at the Capitol Event.
  • If you would like to volunteer on this initiative, please contact Aaron Johnson, Chair of the team at AJohnson@maurices.com