BINGHAMTON -- Until recently, Binghamton University senior Kelly Andryshak wasn't familiar with the term "brain drain."

"I didn't even know what it meant," she said.

Now, Andryshak and about 50 fellow students who attend classes at BU's Downtown Center are not only familiar with the term, they've learned how they can become part of a growing coalition to keep young professionals in the Southern Tier.

The students, as part of a human-development class, met Wednesday with a panel of representatives from local organizations -- including Southern Tier Young Professionals, Catalysts for Intellectual Capital 2020 and the Southern Tier Opportunity Coalition. Students asked questions about the groups' goals, community involvement and successes.

Panelist Josh Kay,who joined CIC 2020 when he was a sophomore at BU, said he became involved in the group for networking purposes, but his interest quickly turned into a passion to help improve the connection between BU and the community.

More work needs to be done, and students can play a large role, he said.

"There could be more connections than there are, so that's where we put our focus," said Kay, a senior studying bioengineering.

The class, called Community Leadership and Development, is filled with students who have held leadership positions in high school, professor Diane Crews said. Her job is to cultivate that experience by using real examples, not abstract lessons, Crews said.

"The idea is to make them better leaders," she said.

One way to get students involved in community leadership is to teach them about local organizations working to reverse the trend of young professionals moving from the area, Crews said.

Future panel discussions will address academic and private-sector partnerships, Main Street programs and downtown development. All of the panels are part of the same goal, she said.

"The idea is engaging the students in the community in which they are located," Crews said.