Cooperative Review, August 2024

Member newsletter for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

Youth Tour paved career path for SMECO employee

In 1974, SMECO’s first group of students traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour. Close to 200 Southern Maryland high schoolers have joined other talented students from cooperatives around the country since then.

Paul Sarbanes and Rhosheeda Proctor

Proctor and Paul Sarbanes, a
senator at the time, at Capitol Hill

The Youth Tour gives students from rural areas that are interested in the political process the opportunity to experience Washington D.C., meet representatives and senators, and understand how cooperatives serve their communities across the nation.

In 1999, high school junior Rhosheeda Proctor, Diversity and Inclusion Director with SMECO, was chosen to represent Chopticon High School at Youth Tour. She was reluctant to go out of town and leave her family at first. However, her parents saw the importance of the opportunity and partnered with cooperative employee Bernadette Lewis to encourage her to attend. Proctor agreed and joined three other students who arrived in D.C. that year riding in the cooperative’s branded station wagon.

“It was hysterical, because we had all of our things packed into the wagon and we pulled up next to all of the fancy coaches and Lincoln town cars. It was really cool though, because it was like one of those movies where you see someone from a small town arriving in the big city” Proctor said.

Seeing the Pentagon, visiting the United States Capitol, and spending an afternoon cruising on the Spirit of Washington in the Potomac River was memorable, but this trip was more than site seeing. The experience impacted all aspects of Proctor’s life, including her career path.

“Anybody who has the opportunity to go on the Youth Tour should, it is a life changing experience,” Proctor said.

Five years after her trip to Youth Tour, Proctor began her career with SMECO in the Contact Center. Maximizing her employment benefits, Proctor attended the College of Southern Maryland using tuition reimbursement, eventually earning her associates degree in Criminal Justice.

“I don’t think I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for the Youth Tour and SMECO,” Proctor said.

In her 19 years with SMECO, Proctor has grown and advanced in her career. She spent six years in the Contact Center before moving to the Human Resources department where she worked as a generalist for 10 years. Proctor was promoted to her current position as the Diversity and Inclusion Director in 2021.

Until attending the Youth Tour, Proctor did not have a good understanding of cooperatives. Now, the cooperative difference is a key component she shares with new employees and people who are considering careers with SMECO.

“Make connections and network. That’s a big thing,” Proctor said. “It’s important to have a group of people you can share your goals with and who can help you in achieving those goals.”