SPRINGDALE -- This city in Northwest Arkansas is seeing an uptick in millennial-age leaders, which some say is a double-edged sword: It offers new points of view, but also a lack of experience.
People referred to as millennials were born in the two decades preceding the turn of the century, and are now ages 19-35, according to Pew Research Center.
Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said that since he took office Jan. 1, 2009, this is the first time he's seen so many young people stepping up as leaders around the city.
Payton Parker, 26, grew up in Springdale. He is the latest and youngest member of the Springdale Planning Commission. His first commission meeting was in March. He said he sought to serve on the commission because he wanted to get involved and give back to the community.
Millennial leaders around Springdale run the gamut.
Joe Rollins, 34, is the principal of the Don Tyson School of Innovation. Tiffany Selvey, 35, is manager of Mill Street Market. Dusty Graham, 35, serves on the Springdale Housing Authority board.
Charles Gaines, 28, is a member of the Springdale Planning Commission. Melissa Reeves, 29, is director of public relations for Springdale. Irvin Camacho, 24, is running against Jeff Williams for District 89 state representative.
Sprouse said the community's work on developing parks and trails and revitalizing downtown seemed to be what piqued millennials' interest in becoming leaders locally.
Misty Murphy, executive director of the Downtown Springdale Alliance, said when a city creates something that resonates with a segment of the population, residents want to have input and get involved. She sees the work downtown as triggering some of the local young people's interest.
Before downtown revitalization, there wasn't a lot happening in the city to involve young people, she said.
Murphy, 37, is a former reporter for the Benton County Daily Record. She covered Bentonville news for a couple of years before leaving the newspaper in 2013 to work in the public sector. She said reporting on Bentonville's downtown renovation inspired her to get more involved in the community.
Young leaders play an important role, Sprouse said. "They bring a perspective that we all need to consider."
Parker said he is interested in improving the downtown area and in making the Springdale more walkable. He hopes to contribute to the Planning Commission by offering a different point of view, and at the same time to learn about the city's planning process.
Commissioners currently range in age from 26-68, said Denise Pearce, city clerk.
Sprouse is 59. The age range of Springdale aldermen is 45-71, Pearce said.
In Fayetteville, City Council members range in age from 32-76, said Pam Ferguson, city human resources assistant.
The range for Rogers City Council members is 38-78, said Thomas Dunlap, human resources director for that city. And the age range for the eight aldermen on the Bentonville City Council is 32-71, said Ed Wheeler, city human resource manager.
Murphy said that at 37, she falls between the millennials and Generation X, which gives her a unique perspective, too, and helps her collaborate with people of both generations.
Generation X refers to people ages 36-51, who were born between the early 1960s and the early 1980s.
Murphy said that like many younger people, she hasn't lived through as many crises or handled as many problems as older colleagues have, which is why it's important to have mentors.
That lack of experience at times is a drawback for young leaders, said Don Zimmerman, executive director of the Arkansas Municipal League. Their ideas may have already been tried and failed. It's good to have a mix of younger and more experienced leaders who can provide guidance and wisdom, he said.
Parker said that because he lacks knowledge about the Planning Commission's politics and what has been tried previously, he tries to stay humble and open-minded.
Bob Arthur, 58, who has been on the Planning Commission since 2010, said young commissioners have sharp minds. "They look at things differently, which I think is a very positive thing."
Although, they have less life experience, their perspectives will change and broaden as they get older, he said.
"We've experienced more things in life in general," he said of his age group. The younger folks, "they just haven't lived long enough."
Springdale is fortunate to have young people stepping in, Zimmerman said. In addition to offering fresh ideas and adding enthusiasm, it shows their commitment to the city's future, he said.
Bentonville Mayor Bob McCaslin said that no matter a person's age, anyone who steps into a new leadership position will have fresh ideas. He said it takes time to learn the rules and laws regarding such things as handling taxpayers' money.
Mike Harvey, chief operating officer for the Northwest Arkansas Council, said there seems to be "something percolating" in every city in Northwest Arkansas in regard to young people getting involved.
The future generation of leaders is mentioned in the council's Greater Northwest Arkansas Development Strategy for 2015-17. As an objective for regional stewardship, it states, "Cultivate the next generation of leaders in Northwest Arkansas by promoting citizen engagement on boards, elected positions, and leadership training."
Also, Harvey said, more-established leaders are getting their younger family members involved in their communities. He referred to the Walton and Simmons families as examples of children following in the older generations' footsteps. The younger generations' involvement shows that they are in an area for the long haul. They are investing in the communities, he said.
Also, jobs for younger people are opening as baby boomers, ages 52-70, leave the workforce, Harvey said. "It's just a natural progression of things."
The two biggest reasons for young people going after leadership roles is so they can develop their skill sets and have a say in what happens in their communities, said Krissy Durant, membership services senior director for Junior Chamber International. The nonprofit's objective is helping young people implement positive change. Its membership base is between ages 18 and 40.
Younger people's reasons for pursuing leadership positions have changed over the years, Durant said. In years past, many wanted recognition and a title, now they want to serve and have a voice.
Ana Aguayo, 27, said: "I wanted to have a seat at the table."
Aguayo, who grew up in and lives in Springdale, is the associate development officer at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. She is on the boards of the Northwest Arkansas Young Professionals and Fayetteville Underground.
Aguayo, who attended J.O. Kelly Middle School, visited the school last month to speak to students about her life and career path. She explained to students that she moved with her family from Mexico to Springdale when she was 8.
She attended the University of Arkansas, earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and international relations, led marches, got a work permit, lobbied in the nation's capital, interned for a U.S. congressman and worked for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe as an external affairs liaison.
Aguayo plans to start working toward a master's degree in business administration this fall.
She advised students to figure out what makes them happy, get out of their comfort zones, build positive relationships, create a road map for where they want to go and be persistent in pursuing their dreams.
Metro on 05/15/2016