High school juniors and seniors from around the Upper Peninsula have been invited to participate in the next MiKickoff event, scheduled to take place on Nov. 6 at the Jacobetti Complex on Northern Michigan University’s campus.
Created by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, the event is part of a regional series designed to help high school students without a plan to further their education connect their interests, strengths and ambitions to clear next steps after high school. It is the only one scheduled to be held in the Upper Peninsula.
“We want to ensure high school students see how their interests can turn into careers with a postsecondary education,” said Jeff Korpi, associate vice president for Northern Student Experience. “We’re excited to be part of this great series of events, and hope to showcase the opportunities that coincide with a Northern Michigan University education to students from across the U.P.”
NMU’s event will include sessions on mechanical and electrical engineering, rehabilitation science, K-12 teaching, computer science, mathematics, nursing, fisheries and wildlife management, automotive services, welding, controlled environment agriculture and construction management, among others. Each session will include a hands-on learning experience, which Korpi said was a key aspect of the event.
“You can talk about welding or nursing or food systems all day, but it’s a completely different situation when you put the tools for those careers in the hands of students and say, ‘Here, give this a try,’” Korpi said. “That real-life experience can be just what high school students need to see how a postsecondary education can be the right choice for them.”
The event will also include an Industry and Academic Expo, giving students the opportunity to speak with faculty and industry professionals in those same career fields.
When the series is over, MiLEAP will have partnered with five colleges and universities to host MI Kickoff events, providing opportunities for area high school students to experience hands-on learning in high-demand career fields throughout the state.
The regional events were created to help show young men how furthering their education can help grow their career potential. According to the MI Data Center, about 56% of young men enroll in college within one year of graduating high school, compared with 69% of young women. Women also earn nearly 60% of all degrees and certificates awarded in Michigan.
“Every young man in Michigan deserves the opportunity to envision a successful future for himself and take meaningful steps toward achieving it,” said Jason Wilson, deputy director of MiLEAP’s Office of Strategic Talent Preparation. “Through our regional MI Kickoff events, we’re advancing the governor’s executive directive to engage more young men in postsecondary pathways by helping them see themselves on college campuses, explore their potential and discover educational and career opportunities they may not have considered before. We’re grateful to Northern Michigan University for their partnership in bringing this experience to students in the Upper Peninsula and strengthening our collective efforts to prepare more young men for success beyond high school”
Interested high school groups and teachers can contact Northern Michigan University Admissions at 906-227-2650 or admissions@nmu.edu by October 26, to learn about registration and the event.