This summer, there will be plenty of opportunities for recent college grads -- new jobs, skills trainings, internships, and more. Not all of these trainings, however, will be all-expenses-paid trips to Washington, DC to learn from the most innovative minds in new media and politics. The New Organizing Institute is poised to deliver all of those things to 30 of the brightest young progressives in the country, through our signature training event, BootCamp 2010.

As an alumna of BootCamp, I can definitely say that attending BootCamp was a life-changing experience. As a recent college graduate trying to navigate the difficult job market, NOI provided valuable skills that translated to being more competitive. As Josh Bolotsky noted, "the entire week seems dedicated to demystifying virtually every intimidating political tool, from microtargeting to field plans, from email testing to Twitter, that one might utilize as a worker in the progressive movement." The high level of training is a direct result of the incredible roster of trainers that NOI brings in- a virtual who's who of progressive organizing.

In addition to the amazing trainings during the day, we put our learning to practical use in the mock campaign we worked on at night. Hardly just opining on political knowledge, BootCamp requires every attendee to engage with the material we are taught. "We were pushed to incorporate what we were learning during our daily slate of lectures, and build honest-to-goodness campaigns. I learned skills and strategies from my teammates, from the other campaigns, and from the overall experience," Pam Coleman, one of our most passionate alumni, stated.

But, personally and for every BootCamper I've talked to, all that pales in comparison to the talent that BootCamp actually attracts. NOI touts BootCampers as emerging progressive leaders, but my fellow classmates were just leaders, period. Interacting with my peers about the issues and skills we cared about created a "great network of allies," alum Beatriz Caballero enthused. As many noted, if the talent in the room could create such successful mock campaigns, we could only imagine what they would actually accomplish on the campaign trail.

If all this wasn't enough, BootCamp is offered free for every participant. No strings attached, and the NOI staff go above and beyond to make sure that every BootCamper's needs are met. As the planner of BootCamp this year, I definitely feel a responsibility to fill such big shoes, and I can promise that we're striving to recreate the responsive, positive staff environment for 2010.

Don't miss out on the fun! Apply now for BootCamp - the application deadline is April 30th. If you're not destined to be a BootCamper, you can still join in by recommending someone for the the next cohort of progressive leaders! As Pam, one of our awesome BootCamp alums put it, she left BootCamp with a "progressive revolutionary glow." How many other summer trainings can claim that?