Leadership Opportunities at NMU - NMU Admissions

Part of the adventure at Northern Michigan University is developing as a “leader,” and that means discovering what leadership means to you. You don't have to consider yourself a leader to get to NMU, but you'll be one when you graduate if you take advantage of the many opportunities we have to develop your confidence -- and potential and get involved in new things. Whether it’s formal classroom training on leadership theory through the Student Leader Fellowship Program or creating your own adventures in service in the very flexible Superior Edge program, you’ll find your time at NMU to be so much more than an education.

Superior Edge is one of NMU’s two nationally recognized leadership programs.  Superior Edge, which is open to all NMU students regardless of class, major or past leadership experience, allows you to stretch yourself in and out of the classroom. Completing service hours in the areas of citizenship, diversity awareness, leadership and real-world application, you will begin to create a resume of volunteer activities that will impress future employers and even amaze yourself. And, the coolest part is that you get to design your own program.

Do you have what it takes to be one of the 50 NMU students chosen each year to participate in the award-winning Student Leadership Fellowship Program? SLFP is a two–year commitment in which you will study all aspects of leadership via a leadership course, a mentor relationship with a community leader and through a wide variety of skill-building workshops. In the second year of the program, you design your own community service internship.

Do you thrive on an intellectual challenge? Then you should consider being a part of the NMU Honors Program. Once accepted into the Honors Program, you’ll be immersed in academic activities to expand and reward your curiosity and knowledge. In addition, you’ll be invited to participate in unique learning experiences and have the opportunity to complete an independent or collaborative research study with NMU faculty.

Northern Michigan University’s McNair Scholars Program works closely with students in completing their undergraduate requirements, encouraging and supporting their entrance into graduate programs, and tracking their progress to successful completion of advanced degrees. The goal of McNair is to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society.

Each year, the Freshman Fellowship Program provides 50 incoming first-year students (freshmen) the opportunity to collaborate with an NMU faculty member in a research or scholarly project and get paid a cash stipend for doing so.

Get involved in the decision-making process on campus and make a real difference. Associated Students of Northern Michigan University (ASNMU) is NMU’s student government and it could include you! ASNMU reps serve on a multitude of university committees to represent Northern students. New leaders are voted in each year. Will you be next?

Serve your country and get paid to go to college. The NMU Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a rigorous program that will strengthen your body and mind with intense physical and leadership training. If a military career is not your goal but being a prepared leader is, the NMU Military Science Department oversees the NMU’s military science minor, open to all students, which also provides outstanding leadership training, but without the service commitment.

Each house (a living unit of about 50 students) has its own traditions and activities throughout the year, from theme parties to volunteer work or crazy things like taking a winter “Arctic plunge” in Lake Superior. There are tons of opportunities to organize and lead your house throughout the year. Get further involved with residence hall life by joining hall government and make your living environment all that it can be. Hall government includes programming, welcome crew, presidents’ roundtable and more.

Resident Hall Advisers

It takes a special kind of leader to take on the responsibility of being a resident adviser. As an adviser, you’ll be the resource person for one living unit (house) within a hall. Here, you’ll work to create a friendly living and studying environment and also enforce disciplinary action, if necessary. You will become well informed about the workings of the university and serve as the first point of contact for questions and concerns from residents.

Each year NMU welcomes nearly 2,000 new faces, and you could be one of the Wildcats helping to greet freshmen and transfer students to Northern. New students are required to attend one of the orientation sessions, the majority of which are held from early June through early July. Being an orientation leader allows you to meet hundreds of new students and show them what NMU is all about. In addition, while training for this position, you’ll learn a lot about yourself and your leadership potential.

Your first job on campus may or may not be one of leadership, but it may be the first step to a very valuable and exciting position later in your college career when you’ve gained enough experience to become a student supervisor or take on a high-level student position. There are so many different kinds of jobs on campus—with food service, athletics, the library, computer help desk, academic and service offices and more— you can find a job you like and that helps you feel like you’re contributing to the campus. NMU employs more than 1,300 students each year, with many surprising themselves with the skills they gain.

Not many schools offer a volunteer center run completely by students! At NMU you can find volunteer opportunities that are tailored to your interests and abilities as a student. Sign up for their e-mail list and they'll send you chances to get involved in something you're passionate about.

Just one of many international opportunities that NMU students have is the chance to participate in volunteer experiences abroad for students in the Student Leadership Fellowship Program. For instance, in May 2011, 18 students traveled to India to assist at a primary school for 2 weeks. The previous year students helped a community in Belize. These experiences will broaden your horizons and allow you to grow as a contributing member to our world.

This "service" exchange is used to expose NMU students to urban settings, and introduce UM-Dearborn students to a more rural setting. This year, NMU students did service work in metro Detroit on Martin Luther King Day and the UM-Dearborn students helped out with the UP 200 Sled Dog Race.