YKP Connect: October Newsletter

🎉 A Message from Our Board President & CoFounder🎉

On September 6th, 2024, YKP Connect launched with a bold vision: to empower young professionals and bridge global connections through mentorship, education, and community. One year later, that vision has blossomed into a vibrant network of changemakers, collaborators, and leaders.

From our inaugural Young Professional Networking Mixer to the KiSA Professional Development Series and the LinkedIn Mastery Workshop with Convicted to Grow, each event has laid the foundation for lasting impact. These milestones reflect the energy, creativity, and commitment of our board, advisory team, and community partners.

A special thank you goes out to the incredible team behind our newsletters, social media, and website. Your storytelling and engagement have been essential in amplifying our mission and building momentum.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce a donation drive led by our Community Service Team to support local teachers alongside more exciting endeavors!

To everyone who’s helped shape YKP Connect this past year: thank you. Your belief in our mission fuels everything we do. Let’s keep building—with heart, purpose, and love.

Amon K. Tarus
Cofounder & Board President 
YKP Connect Inc.

🎉 Happy October! 🎉 

Welcome to Spooky Season🎃. The temperatures have definitely dropped and yet the Christmas decorations are starting to defrost. 🥶 (IT’S TIME) Halloween statues and all should be up and standing.👻 (I said what I said)

But most importantly, we made it safely through A WHOLE YEAR and Amon could not have said it better– We could not have done it with all YOUR help. Here’s to more opportunities to grow and learn from one another. 

I can’t be more excited to share what’s in store for us in October. We’re focusing on the theme of the Great Lock In.

In this last quarter of 2025 (I know– scary), we’re flipping the script. The Great Lock In isn’t about staying put;  it’s about locking in purpose, passion, and community. Whether you’re dialing into your craft, deepening connections, or anchoring bold ideas, this theme celebrates the power of intentional focus. Expect immersive experiences, collaborative energy, and a few surprises that’ll make you glad you stayed in the room. Let’s lock in and level up. Let's get into it!

KiSA Corner– A Career chat with Joanne Marime.

Our friends over at Kenyans in STEM Association (KiSA) will be hosting Joanne Marime, a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft Azure and a passionate career mentor and coach dedicated to empowering professionals to land dream jobs, boost their earning potential, and create meaningful career opportunities.

She’ll be sharing actionable strategies for navigating career transitions and unlocking your fill potential.

When? Thursday October 9th 2025 at 6:30 p.m. EST

Where? RSVP here today 

For more information, email [email protected] 

🌟The Young Professionals Spotlight Series—Arnold 🌟

Welcome back to the Young Professionals Spotlight Series — and this month our light shines on Arnold Amanya🌟 

💡Career Focus
Arnold is a Researcher specializing in Microbiology and Molecular genetics. A hands-on discipline that focuses on culturing cells to determine their make-up down to the molecules or running Polymerase Chain Reactions or PCRs–a powerful lab process that amplifies small segments of DNA to help scientists understand an organism better. 

He’s currently sharing his talents at Royal Assisted Living; where he is part of the team that improves patient experience. Work that entails improved monitoring and documentation of patients during clinical research, harmonizing data collection strategies and boosting research outcomes altogether. Work that he is extremely proud to be involved in.

Arnold’s main goal remains advancing research that directly benefits patients and communities. He gravitates toward roles that blend that technical precision with cross-functional collaboration.  A journey he started at Montgomery College in Maryland, progressed to Vos Molecular Genetics Lab and to his current work at Royal Assisted living. Staying true to his commitment to always seek out environments where shared purpose drives innovation

🤝 Lessons from the Field
In his journey, both personal and professional, Arnold has found Adaptability to be an anchor. Science is full of unexpected turns– and so is life. He trusts that being able to adjust, learn from teammates, and occasionally laugh at your own mistakes has helped him stay resilient. 

Additionally, embracing feedback and new perspectives make problem-solving more effective and strengthens every project that you work on. This is one of those life-changing lessons that keep Arnold motivated to nurture inclusive, open-minded spaces wherever he works and to approach future goals with empathy and flexibility.

📣 Advice for Young Professionals
Arnold believes in getting out of your comfort zone and finding out how your peers are handling different situations. Here’s how, in two succinct points:

1. Jump in, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask for help—or offer it! Some of the best breakthroughs come from conversations with peers or from tackling challenges outside your comfort zone.

2. Don't gatekeep it– Engage with your team, share what you learn, and always remember that combining different skills and viewpoints can lead to the most rewarding innovations. The journey is better, and the impact is greater, when you move forward together.

Learn more about Arnold’s journey and insights, by visiting our Spotlight page.

This is your moment! If you're a young professional looking to inspire others, share your journey, and highlight your impact. Learn more and apply to be featured!

Race to Certification 2025: OCI | AI | Multicloud | Data

For my tech-focused folks, or any one interested, there’s a special program online!

Oracle university is offering you the opportunity to accelerate your learning journey with FREE digital training and certifications in AI, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Multicloud and Oracle Data Platform

Race to Certification 2025 through its four learning paths is offering certificates at associate and professional levels in each path. You also receive valuable insight to elevate your knowledge in your selected path, plus a cool digital promotion kit once you complete each level.
(Hint: something that looks VERY SHINY on your resume!)

Here’s a quick review of the Program by Amon:

The program is running now through October 31st 2025. And It’s FREE! So, what are you waiting for? Remember, we’re getting Locked-in this remainder of the year. so get certified TODAY! 

What’s next?🤔

Stay engaged with upcoming YKP programs designed to support your personal and professional growth. Explore what’s ahead:

Volunteer with Us!🫵🏽

​Join our YKP Community Impact Days and make a difference!

Sign up here: Volunteer Sign Up

Food for Thought 🤔💭-🎗October Spotlight: Health, Healing

As we’re pushing on in the year, I would like to bring your attention to important resources that are available regarding Breast Cancer Awareness And World Mental Health Day(10/10). Both remind us that health is more than physical—it’s emotional, communal, and deeply personal.

Whether it’s scheduling a screening, checking in on a friend, or sharing resources, every gesture matters. Here are a few ways to engage:

•  Breast Cancer Awareness: Visit National Breast Cancer Foundation for free educational tools and early detection resources.

•  Mental Health Support: Explore NAMI for mental health education, peer support, and advocacy tools.

•  Donate or Volunteer: Organizations like Susan G. Komen and Mental Health America offer ways to give back and get involved.

If you, or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, here’s some resources you can access.
Call or text 988 or visit 988 Lifeline’s website.

Let’s continue to build a community rooted in empathy, awareness, and action. Because showing up—for ourselves and each other—is the greatest kind of care. Remember to take care of yourself and then, those around you, if you can.🙂‍↕️

Forward Together🫡

Well, thanks for making it this far! That was a lot of information. But we hope to continually be a part of the process, bringing you closer to a community of Young Professionals, like you and me! Thank you For Rocking with us for a year! Here’s to more years of success!

Now you’re in the know! 😊
Thank you again for being part of the YKP community—we look forward to seeing you at future events! Stay tuned for more updates in our next newsletter.

The YKP Connect Team!

P.S ​Let’s keep the momentum going and connect with us! Follow YKP Connect on Instagram,  LinkedIn and now also TikTok for updates, opportunities, and future events.

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