Collegiate Career Accelerator || 2025-26 Logo

  • COLLEGIATE CAREER ACCELERATOR

    Applications are due by Friday, February 21, 2025, 11:59PM EST
  • Thank you for your interest in joining the 2025-26 class of the NCNW Bethune-Height Changemaker Pathways (BHCP) Collegiate Career Accelerator!
     
    Before starting your application, please thoroughly review the FAQ––if your question is unanswered please email BHCP@ncnw.org, please do NOT call. NOTE: Please do NOT expect a response sooner than two business days.
    • CONTACT INFO 
    • AGE 
    • ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Will you be at least 18 years old by April 30, 2025?
    • NOTE: If you do NOT satisfy this eligibility criteria, please do NOT complete this application—your application will NOT be reviewed if you select “no”.
    • UNDERGRADUATE 
    • ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Will you be a full- or part-time undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. institution during the 2025-26 school year, graduating no sooner than December 2025? 
    • NOTE: If you do NOT satisfy this eligibility criteria, please do NOT complete this application—your application will NOT be reviewed if you select “no”.
    • DEGREE: Specify the type of degree you are pursuing:

    • CLASSIFICATION: Specify your classification for the 2025-26 academic year, based on your total number of credits: 
    •  
      VERIFICATION: IF selected, you will be required to verify your 2025-26 undergraduate status, by submitting 1) official documentation from your school’s registrar OR 2) an official copy of your fall schedule, PDF format.
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    • NOTE: Do NOT submit your transcript.
    • MEMBERSHIP 
    • Applicants must be a member of 1) NCNW HQ OR 2) an official NCNW affiliate organization. 

      NOTE: If you do NOT satisfy this eligibility criteria, please do NOT complete this application—your application will NOT be reviewed if you select “no”.
    • NCNW: Are you a current NCNW national headquarters dues paying member and will you maintain this status during the 2025-26 school year?
    • NOTE: Dues paid to national headquarters are separate from those paid at the section level. You can join NCNW at any time by paying dues here—be sure to download your PDF receipt to submit below as verification. If you have any questions, email national headquarters, membership@NCNW.org.  
    • AFFILIATE: Are you a current NCNW affiliate dues paying member and will you maintain this status during the 2025-26 school year?
    • VERIFICATION:To verify your NCNW dues paying status, attach a PDF copy of 1) a section//chapter verification letter OR 2) national HQ documentation. NOTE: Click here for details. 
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    • PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS 
    • INSTRUCTIONS: Please carefully review each program requirement. NOTE: Program requirements are subject to change. 

      NOTE: If you are unable to commit to any one of the program requirements, from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026, please do not complete this application—your application will NOT be reviewed if you select “no” to any requirement. 
    • AMBASSADOR: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will promote and share personal experiences via digital platforms and participate in no more than three in-person and/or virtual engagements to amplify awareness about BHCP: 
    • ASSIGNMENTS: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will thoughtfully and thoroughly complete all assignments in accordance with set instructions AND deadlines: 
    • GROUP PROJECT: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will actively engage in, substantively contribute to, AND effectively collaborate with fellow rising changemakers in completing a group project:
    • MENTORSHIP: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will actively engage with my assigned mentor in accordance with set guidelines, including but not limited to meeting at least one hour per month, in-person OR virtual: 
    • PROGRAMMING: IN-PERSON: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will attend and actively engage in the entirety of both in-person convenings in D.C. and Maryland:  
    • NOTE: Tentative dates for in-person programming, are 8.4.25 - 8.8.25 AND 4.7.26 - 4.12.26, travel related expenses will be paid for by NCNW. 
    • PROGRAMMING: VIRTUAL: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will attend and actively engage, on camera, in ALL bi-weekly virtual sessions––tentatively, first AND third Tuesday, 5PM-7PM EST: 
    • NOTE: The exact days and times for virtual programming will be determined after the cohort is selected, based on majority availability––tentatively Tuesdays OR Wednesdays. 
    • SCHLOARSHIP: I acknowledge and agree that if accepted into the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator, I will comply with ALL program requirements––failure to comply may result in dismissal from the program AND nonreceipt of the $5,000 schloarship:
    • NOTE: The stipend will not be awarded until May 2026, pending successful completion of all program requirements. 
    • DEMOGRAPHICS 
    • INSTRUCTIONS: Please indicate how you identify as it relates to each of the following––
    • DISABILITY:  Any mental OR physical condition that challenges your ability to function in AND/OR interact with the world:
    • ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL): English is not your first/native language:
    • FIRST GENERATION: AMERICAN: Born in the U.S. to parents not born in the U.S:
    • FIRST GENERATION: COLLEGE STUDENT: Both parents did not earn a bachelor's degree:
    • HOMELESSNESS: At any point, experienced a period of time without a fixed residence:
    • IMMIGRANT: Born in a country other than, but now living in, the U.S.:
    • INCARCERATED PARENT: At any point, at least one parent is/was incarcerated:
    • POVERTY: At any point, you experienced a period when you/your family was unable to afford basic necessities:
    • CAREER ASPIRATIONS  
    • INSTRUCTIONS: Specify your career aspirations, you may indicate more than one per category. NOTE: Do NOT use complete sentences, simply detail the word or phrase. 
    • INDUSTRY: The field or type of work, categorically: 
    • EXAMPLES: business, communications, construction, design, education, entertainment, fashion, healthcare, hospitality, law, media, technology, social justice, etc.
    • PROFESSION: The specific occupation: 
    • EXAMPLES: architect, artist, attorney, content creator, doctor, elected official, entrepreneur, firefighter, professor, program manager, realtor, social worker, therapist, etc.
    • SECTOR: The area in which you intend to work (i.e., private, public, or nonprofit). 
    • VIDEO RESPONSE 
    • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: I acknowledge and agree that materials submitted with this application become the Intellectual Property (IP) of NCNW and will not be returned. NCNW will use IP only for charitable research and education purposes and will not divulge the name or personal information of the applicant without express prior written permission:
    • NOTE: If you do NOT want your application materials to become the IP of NCNW, please do NOT complete this application––your application will NOT be reviewed if you select “no”.
    • INSTRUCTIONS: Attach one video, no more than five minutes long, that clearly captures you visibly speaking directly into the camera, without effects, graphics, photos, props, etc. Your video should be  1GB max in H.264, HEVC, MP4, MOV, OR ZIP format. Your one video must address ALL of the following prompts––

      1. BIO: Tell us about yourself personally, academically, AND professionally (e.g., accomplishments, activities, aspirations, interests, passions, etc.). 

      2. CHANGEMAKER: What does being a changemaker mean to you AND how will you embody this during your lifetime? 

      3. SELECTION: Why do you believe you should be selected to participate in the BHCP Collegiate Career Accelerator? 

      4. IMPACT: Describe 1) the impact you will make on BHCP AND 2) the impact you hope BHCP will have on you?  

      5. SCHLOARSHIP: How would you use the scholarship?

    • UPLOAD
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    • NOTE: Use ZIP format only IF your file exceeds 1GB. 

      NOTE: Videos that exceed five minutes will NOT be reviewed. 

    • WRAP UP 
    • SOURCE: WHO: Who shared this opportunity with you? 

    • SOURCE: HOW: How was this opportunity shared with you? 

    • INFORMATION SESSION: Did you attend the info session? 


    • SUBMIT 
    • I affirm that all information provided in this application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge AND understand that the discovery of false information may result in my application being rejected OR dismissal from the program.
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    • Before submitting, please thoroughly review ALL responses. Please submit your application one time, only your first submission will be reviewed. 

    • CONFIRMATION EMAIL: Once you’ve submitted your application, you should receive a confirmation email––IF you do NOT receive it within 15 minutes of submitting your application, email BHCP@ncnw.org to verify. NOTE: Be sure to check your junk/spam. 
    • Should be Empty: