Founded in 2011 by party activists, Jeff Harris and Carmen Darland, the Emerging Leaders Project was created to bring more young people into the Democratic Party and into  public service. Aided by then State Senator Vi Simpson, the Indiana Democratic Party a host of volunteers, hundreds of Democrats applied for the 40 slots in the first year of the revamped program. 

Since 2011, Monroe County Democrats have several ELP alumni, that include:

Darcie Fawcett (Current Monroe County Circuit Court Judge)

Jennifer Rice

Alycin Bektesh

Allison Chopra (former Bloomington Common Councilperson)

Jessica McClellan (former County Treasurer, State Treasurer Nominee, and City of Bloomington Comptroller)

Wanda Savila

Elisheva Aneke

Kaisa Goodman

Thomas Pappas

Peter Iversen (Current Monroe County Councilperson)

Erika Oliphant (Current Monroe County Prosecutor)

Nico Sigler

Martha Whitmill

Ashley Pirani (Current MCCSC Trustee)
William Smith (Current Van Buren Township Board Member)

Makinzie Hoagland

Jacob Simpson

Sam Ujdak

Mallory Rickbeil

Kathleen Field

Ryan Still

Neil Goswami

Mia Seifers

Tanner Branham

Wes Martin

Taegan Ellis