Join The Wildcat Collective:
Leaders of Honor & Ambition Mentorship Program — Your Path to Leadership, Growth, and Success!
Launch Your Future. Stay in the U.P.
Are you ready to unlock your full potential and make a lasting impact?
The Wildcat Collective: Leaders of Honor & Ambition Mentorship Program invites motivated students to join a transformative journey of growth and purpose. This multi-year program equips future leaders with mentorship, real-world experience, and a supportive community that celebrates diversity and inclusion.
Open to students of all backgrounds, it empowers individuals, especially students of color, to build confidence, develop leadership skills, access paid internships, and receive essential support to thrive both personally and professionally.
Our Foundation is Proven and Purpose-Driven
- Inspired by 8 years of RIT’s Men of Color, Honor, and Ambition Program
- Based on Shaun Harper’s Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework
- Built on Dale Carnegie's leadership training
- Grounded in the 8 pillars of Positive Youth Development
- Supports all 3 learning domains:
- Cognitive (academic)
- Affective (emotional/social)
- Psychomotor (hands-on)
Shape Your Future & Strengthen Your Community
By joining the Wildcat Collective, you’re not just setting yourself up for success — you’re also contributing to a stronger, more inclusive local workforce. This program is designed to retain talent, drive innovation, and create opportunities for NMU students and the broader community.
This is your chance to be part of a movement that values ambition, integrity, and service. Take the leap — invest in yourself, grow as a leader, and build a future you’re proud of!
Why Join?
A Bold New Path for Student Success
The Wildcat Collective is a multi-year mentorship initiative designed to cultivate leadership, foster belonging, and launch career pathways. Students gain:
- Paid summer internships
- Summer housing support
- Summer food support
- Personalized mentorship
- Career and academic guidance
- Lifelong connections in the community
- Open to students of all backgrounds
Building a Bridge Between Campus and Community
Through partnerships with local employers, students get hands-on experience while helping to grow and diversify the Upper Peninsula’s workforce.
- Local internships → real-world skills
- Summer housing and food support → fewer barriers
- Employer connections → job offers after graduation
- Talent retention → stronger local economy
Application Deadline: December 30, 2025
Decision Notification: January 15, 2026
The Wildcat Collective is already making an impact across the Upper Peninsula, and people are taking notice. News outlets like Northern Today, UPWord, and the Keweenaw Report have discussed how this innovative mentorship is going to help students build meaningful careers, gain professional experience through paid internships, and stay in the U.P. after graduation. These stories show that the Wildcat Collective’s mission is to remove barriers, support student success, and create connections between Northern Michigan University and its regional communities. Check out what the U.P. has to say about this transformative program: