Â鶹ӳ»­

The SUSI McCain program is an intensive five-week academic program that provides undergraduate students with a transformative learning experience on leadership, U.S. Federalism (Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches), and the value of public service. Throughout the program, students participate in volunteer and community service activities, leadership workshops, homestays and cultural excursions. Through this, students also have the opportunity to meet with community leaders, governmental agencies, and representatives of non-profit organizations. 

The program starts with an opening in Reno, Â鶹ӳ»­, followed by five weeks of academic lectures, professional meetings, cultural excursions, community service activities and leadership seminars. Mid-program, we incorporate a study tour component to Monterey, CA, as a field trip that complements the theme of the program. The program ends in Washington, D.C., where students will have the opportunity to meet with legislative leaders, national non-profit organizations, and government institutions.

The program aims to also provide a better understanding of the people, culture, democracy, our judicial system and institutions of the United States. Students will be joined by local university-attending peers throughout their time in Â鶹ӳ»­.

• The "rule of law"
• Basic organizations of the U.S. justice/court system
• Race, gender and justice
• Indigenous systems of law (tribal/restorative)
• Have a better understanding of the U.S. military structure
• Explain influential leadership
• Immigration and rebuilding alliances
• Outline the importance of transparency in justice, and the role of media
• Community involvement, underserved communities and law
• Diversity, equity, inclusion and the law

Participants will gain relevant experience about Americans and their relationship to governance, public service and the rule of law.

• In 2019, NNIC hosted 20 undergraduate military student leaders from Poland, Colombia, Bangladesh and Malaysia.
• In the summer of 2021, the nonprofit virtually hosted 13 undergraduate military and civilian students from Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Malaysia and Colombia.
• In the summer of 2022, in-person programming returned, and NNIC hosted 13 undergraduate military and civilian students from Kuwait, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Colombia.
• In the fall of 2022, the alumni of the 2021 virtual cohort were hosted in Washington, D.C. for a two-week alumni program.
• In the summer of 2023, NNIC hosted 18 undergraduate military, law enforcement, and law school student leaders from Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Zambia.
• In the summer of 2024, hosted 19 undergraduate military, law enforcement, and law school students from Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, and Zambia.
• For the summer of 2025, NNIC will again host undergraduate military, law enforcement, and law school students from across the globe.

The program is an intensive five-week academic program that provides undergraduate students with a transformative learning experience of leadership, addressing climate change issues, communicating the science of climate change and combating misinformation around the science of climate change, as well as individual project planning. Throughout the program, students participate in volunteer and community service activities, leadership workshops, homestays and cultural excursions. Students also have the opportunity to meet with community leaders and representatives of non-profit organizations.

During the program, students engage in a variety of other activities such as action planning sessions and gain valuable skills to create, prepare and lead Community Action Projects that will make a lasting impact in their home countries.

The program starts with an opening week at the Â鶹ӳ»­’s Lake Tahoe campus, followed by four weeks of academic lectures, professional meetings, cultural excursions, community service activities, and leadership sessions in Reno. The program ends with a three-day study tour in New Orleans, Louisiana, as a field trip that complements the program's theme.

In 2024, NNIC hosted 20 undergraduate students from various countries. In 2025, NNIC will host a new group of 20 students for this program.

The Climate Change and Environmental Issues program for undergraduate students and accomplished climate activists. The program aims to provide a better understanding of the people, culture and democracy, communicating climate change science and institutions of the United States.

At the end of the academic program, students will be able to:

• Explain the fundamentals of climate change science and formulate an understanding of the historical implications of science around climate change
• Provide a rationale for climate change mitigation and propose actions in key sectors
• Understand the role of citizens, public land management agencies, and non-governmental organizations in protecting and conserving natural resources
• Capture climate change issues and educate the public on them
• Analyze principal challenges and opportunities for climate change action

In addition, participants will gain relevant experience about Americans and their relationship to climate change and environmental issues.