Herndon, Va., (November 20, 2023)— For a young professional, the opportunity to attend a professional conference, build personal connections, and developing mentor relationships can be a game-changer. This is why the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) is offering young professionals the opportunity to apply for its GEOINT 2024 Symposium Young Professionals Golden Ticket program.
Each year, USGIF offers the Golden Ticket program for young professionals – defined as those 35 years old or younger or with less than five years in the industry – to earn participation in a competitive, exclusive program tied to the Symposium designed for junior GEOINTers. This rigorous program includes mentoring sessions with senior GEOINT leaders, inclusion in VIP events, and much more.
USGIF CEO Ronda Schrenk called the Golden Ticket program an important part of the Foundation’s work to develop the GEOINT talent pipeline. “We are committed to developing the next generation of GEOINTers –young professionals are the future of our field and the Golden Ticket program is an important way to provide a valuable boost in their early career.”
Golden Ticket participants receive a complimentary registration to the GEOINT Symposium. They also receive complimentary access to two training sessions of their choosing. Awardees are responsible for their own travel and housing.
Chris Burke, a 2023 Golden Ticket winner and Technical Project Manager, Intelligence at BAE Systems, called out the tailored networking sessions and private mentorship discussions with senior USGIF leaders as things that make the Golden Ticket program special.
“The USGIF Golden Ticket program is a game-changer for young intelligence professionals,” Burke said. “From a relationship-building perspective, there really isn’t anything like it: I was able to network with GEOINT leaders across government and industry, while also developing new, lasting connections with the other members of our 2023 cohort.”
2022 Golden Ticket winner Samantha Driegert, Business Intelligence Consultant at Accenture, said, “This unique and highly rewarding experience allows the next generation of the workforce to network and collaborate with the most influential professionals in the industry. The Golden Ticket winners get a front row seat to see where our industry is headed and get to build friendships and relationships that will benefit their entire career.”
Applications for the GEOINT 2024 Symposium Young Professionals Golden Ticket program are open; the deadline to apply is midnight EST on Monday, January 15. Applicants should submit the application via the USGIF Golden Ticket Application page, along with a résumé and one letter of recommendation. For questions about the program, please reach out to education@usgif.org.
Learn more about USGIF at: https://usgif.org/
About USGIF
The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and developing a stronger GEOINT Community with government, industry, academia, professional organizations, and individuals who develop and apply geospatial intelligence to address national security challenges. USGIF achieves its mission through various programs and events and by building the community, advancing the tradecraft, and accelerating innovation.