WHAT IS ASPIRE?

Connecting Spirituality to Personal and Professional Development.

Muslim Youth Leadership Academy is part of NCNMO’s Vision 2025, a strategic initiative to empower young Muslims through leadership training, spiritual development, and practical skills to serve their communities. By building a new generation of confident, capable leaders, the Academy aims to shape a stronger, more unified future for Muslim communities.This tuition-free, year-long program includes live and virtual classes, mentorship, and community service, culminating in a graduation ceremony.

Program Objectives

You will learn leadership competencies necessary to serve successfully as leaders and engage in the following activities listed below.

Empowering Future Leaders: Equip young Muslims with essential leadership skills to serve effectively in their communities and beyond.
Community and Personal Development: Encourage participants to engage in volunteerism and develop a lasting commitment to their communities.
Balanced Growth: Promote professional excellence grounded in Islamic values and principles.

Program Structure

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Mentorship Program

Each participant is paired with an experienced mentor from NCNMO’s professional network. Mentors guide participants throughout the program, provide personalized guidance and support, and often continue supporting them post-graduation.

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Book Assignments

Participants are assigned leadership-focused books to read, analyze, and complete written reflections to reinforce lessons. This exercise encourages critical thinking and a deeper understanding of effective leadership.

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Leadership Lecture Series

Bi-weekly, live, online classes covering diverse topics such as:

Personality Assessment and Self-Awareness
Critical Thinking and Strategic Planning
Communication and Presentation Skills
Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship
Civic Engagement, Politics, and Governance
Islamic Culture and History

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Community Service and Volunteerism

Participants identify and work with local NGOs to impact their communities positively.

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Capstone Project

Collaborative projects allow participants to apply their learning, culminating in presentations at the program’s graduation.

Program Highlights

Intake and Orientation Event

Held in person at the Platform event, the orientation includes initial lectures, participant introductions, mentorship pairings, and book assignments. This kick-off weekend features leadership fundamentals, personality assessments, and group exercises designed to set a strong foundation for the cohort.

Summer Gathering and Team-Building Session

Midway through the program, participants meet in person for further team-building and networking, strengthening relationships and collaboration within the cohort.

Monthly Lecture Series

ASPIRE participants engage in bi-weekly live virtual sessions covering topics crucial to leadership, including:

– Personality Assessments
– Strategic Thinking
– Communication & Presentation Skills
– Islamic Culture & History
– Entrepreneurship, Politics, and Philanthropy

Project Presentation & Graduation Ceremony

At the end of the year, participants present their collaborative projects to the NCNMO community at the graduation ceremony. Each project demonstrates the practical application of skills learned, and graduates are awarded leadership diplomas.

Who Can Join?

The program is open to motivated young Muslims, especially college students and graduates who are under 40 and can commit to self-development and career advancement while maintaining their faith, and the program’s rigorous, immersive learning experience