Who we are?

A young professional is anyone who makes a living in a professional environment, or has plans to do so in the future. Most of our members live or work in Meridian or Lauderdale County, but friends in our surrounding area are welcome to join too. Most of our members are between 21 and 45 years old, but nobody is going to ask for your ID and we welcome the young at heart.

Not sure if you qualify as a young professional? No need to worry, we are an easy going group. If you show up to our gatherings and pay your dues, we welcome you with open arms. Just to be clear, you are welcome to attend several meetings and events as a guest before committing to becoming a dues-paying member. In case you are wondering, dues support our operating expenses and member events, fundraisers support our charitable giving. Current and former members include military service members and their spouses, homemakers, artists, teachers, students planning a professional career, self employed individuals, and all manner of individuals that self identify as a leader or desire to become one.

What we do?

The Young Professionals of Meridian (yPM) meet at noon on the third Monday of each month in the private dining room at Rush Cafeteria. Neither RSVP nor membership is required to attend. Please come join us for a couple meetings to learn more about getting involved. If you need help finding our meeting location,

We also host after hours networking social events so we can meet new people and deepen our personal connections. One month we may be hanging out at local gathering spot, and the next month competing in a kickball tournament. Details are provided at member meetings and shared through our email newsletter and text updates. Inquire at the next member meeting for more information.

It is our conviction that all professionals should give back to the communities in which they live. To aid members in this regard, yPM conducts multiple community service and/or fundraising projects each year. Some of these are recurring events, like our Beignet Breakfast fundraiser benefitting Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter. Others are singular volunteer days in conjunction with other efforts in the community. These opportunities are never boring and often provide the best opportunity for getting to know your fellow members.