New program pairs students with alumni mentors, helping them thrive in their future careers

Madi Kimball knew she wanted a career in film; she just didn’t know where to start. Lost and overwhelmed as her graduation approached, she applied to the Lumberjacks Thrive Externship Program in hopes of finding a mentor who could help guide her.  Facilitated by NAU’s Office of Alumni Engagement and thanks to NAU alumni Greg and Nancy Wilson, whose donation to the NAU Foundation brought this program to life, the Lumberjacks Thrive Program aims to help students apply their learning beyond the classroom and build meaningful relationships in their desired field. The semester-long mentorship pairs an NAU student with an NAU alum and business professional. Students virtually meet with their mentor once a month where they can ask questions, learn about the industry and get familiar with what a career in their field of study is like. Then, thanks to a series of grants and donations, the student gets to meet their mentor and spend multiple days shadowing them in their industry of work. Kimball was accepted into the program and paired with alumnus Bill Harper, a 1991 graduate of NAU’s theatre program who works in the TV and film industry—the last 11 years of which as an executive producer and writer for
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