A Venturer's Perspective: Why you should attend the 2011 Summit

Today's post written by YV Intern and three time Youth Venture Summit Attendee, Daniel Casey.

Before I undeniably and wholeheartedly convince you to register and attend the 4th Annual Youth Venture Summit at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this July 28-31, I feel I should give a little background about myself. My name is Daniel Casey and I have been involved with Youth Venture since 2007. I launched a Venture in the spring of 2008 and was lucky enough to attend the first Summit which was held in Washington D.C. at American University. Since then, I have been a volunteer intern at Youth Venture and have attended every subsequent Summit. I have also experienced the Summits from various angles including general participant, Ambassador and staff member. As a result, I find myself uniquely qualified to say I WANT YOU to go to this year’s Summit!

Perhaps the most enduring and engaging part of each of the past Summits has been all of the wonderful people who attend. There is something awe inspiring about being in the same place as a hundred or so of the worlds most creative and inspiring young changemakers. I know it sounds cliché, but it truly is a fantastic experience.

In addition to the wonderful experience of being in the same room as all of these young social entrepreneurs is actually talking and interacting with them. I still keep in touch with many of the friends I made at the Summit. At the very least, it is a great opportunity to trade ideas, compare challenges and share stories. At its best, the Youth Venture Summit is a place where you will make fantastic friends and partnerships that accentuate and accelerate your changemaking.

At first glance, attending workshops for several hours for a couple days in a row sounds rather boring (to me anyways). In these workshops, fellow youth, Ashoka staff and business professionals will share their skills, wisdom and experiences on a wide range of topics. These workshops provide excellent lessons and could provide the catalyst you need to take your venture to the next level.

While each of the specific factors are important to consider when deciding whether or not to attend this year’s summit (which you totally should), I have found that when taken together, the summit becomes a fantastic experience. So if you have the opportunity, I highly suggest attending this year’s Youth Venture Summit in Milwaukee. You won’t regret it. I promise.

Act fast- registration closes Friday, June 10th!

photocredit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/youthventure/4856034198/in/set-72157624642311842