2026 Location & Dates coming soon!

What is North American Academy?

4 Day Event

30+ Hours of Development

144 Academy Graduates

The JCI USA North American Academy is three-day development event that combines leadership and personal growth. Internationally renowned trainers provide over thirty hours of sessions, activities, and coaching that will push you out of your comfort zone and to your next level. You’ll leave inspired and ready to drive immediate improvement in your organization!

The progress and breakthroughs experienced by attendees includes everything from promotions at work to complete career shifts. Check out the testimonials below to see how people have leveraged their Academy experience to bring their life to the next level.

Applications will be reviewed within two weeks of your submission and you’ll be notified about the status of your application.

Development sessions that help you drive impact

When the attendee arrives home from the JCI North American Academy, they will have learned new skills relating to leading a group, motivating others, building an international network of like-minded people, and acting strategically with community and organizational stakeholders to create positive change.

Let us worry about the logistics so you can focus

Just worry about getting to New Orleans! Once you’re on site, the vast majority of logistics are handled for you, allowing you to focus on getting the most of your experience. Your registration includes four nights of lodging, most meals, all training sessions/activities, and the graduation ceremony.

Build your national and international network

With graduates and trainers from seven different countries, you’ll walk out of North American Academy with a wider network from people in the United States and beyond. World-class trainers deliver content in a smaller, more personalized setting that you won’t find in normal conferences and events.

Designed for Young Change Makers

We know that cost can make attending events and advancing your leadership skills a challenge, so we keep prices affordable and provide tools like monthly payment options and fundraising resources.

$2-3K

$600

$750

Comparable cost of other leadership events, plus the cost of hotel and lodging

JCI USA member early bird cost, which includes all of the sessions, four nights of hotel (double occupancy), and some meals covered

Cost for corporate and non-JCI members

Who is North American Academy for?

North American Academy is for impact creators – for future leaders and those who will lead their communities on the local, national, and even international stage. You don’t have to be in a national leadership or executive position to attend NAA. That’s actually the point – the experience is created to empower and educate those that see themselves in larger roles in the future, both within the JCI movement and outside it.

Applicants are asked, “If you could take on one challenge in your community, what would it be? Why?” Check out the responses and careers of some of our graduates.

Attendees identify an issue they want to tackle, and then go through leadership modules to learn how to approach the issue. They then have a community that supports their efforts and who they can collaborate with. JCI USA also offers follow-up trainings and resources.

Responses and attendee information are from when the individual applied to the Academy

A CPA, Patrick wanted to help members of his community tackle the challenge of financial security. The COVID-19 Pandemic, combined with the inflationary economic environment made it increasingly difficult for community members to not only save and obtain their personal financial goals, but to simply survive from paycheck to paycheck.

Ellyn, who had served at various local chapter roles and worked as a Senior Sales Engineer, wanted to address redlining. “This affects so many parts of our community. The effects of this mistake has led to food deserts, economic disparity, lack of opportunity, and a loss of unified culture in our city.”

Nilsa, Founder of Milenial Enterprises Robotics, had a passion for addressing the educational opportunity gap among underserved youth. She was particularly drawn to this challenge because of her background in educational project management, a passion for empowering young people through technology and robotics, and her desire to make a positive impact.

A member of her JCI State Organization’s board, Autumn firmly believes that addressing homelessness requires a collective effort and a comprehensive approach. She was eager to contribute her time, skills, and resources to tackle this pressing issue head-on.

Michael, as a member of his county’s Board of Elections, wanted to restructure local government(s) to where they're more responsive to the needs of their citizens. He had identified many ways that citizens were unable to get insight into decisions being made, leading to confusion and frustration.

As a member from JCI Malaysia, Joyien had heard about how NAA changed people’s lives and how the impact lasted more than a year. She was interested in developing her leadership skills and addressing climate change, seeing it as the top priority of global issues.

Just do it! That sounds cliche, but it truly is a once in a lifetime experience. Even if you don't enjoy every part, I promise you that you will be remembering the opportunity for life, even in small things. The Academy pushed my emotional intelligence, it made me more self-aware, and it made me more aware of others around me.

Jessica Anderson

North American Academy has allowed me to navigate through tough situations and become cognizant of those around me by making sure they feel included and heard. Having a strong personality is one thing but NAA opens up your perspective and allows you to see situations from different vantage points. I wouldn't be the leader I am today without it!

Chris Thompson

The North American Academy is a once in a lifetime experience to push yourself out of your comfort zone in the most positive and productive way. If you have the opportunity, you have to seize it and I promise you will see impacts in all aspects of your life, personally, professionally, and JCI.

Amanda Wingelaar

North American Academy is a program unlike anything I've ever experienced. If you're ready to take on the world, if you're ready to take on your community, if you're ready to take on your life...go to North American Academy.

Christian Gray

I know you might be unsure about joining the North American Academy, but I decided to give it a try and experience a culture completely different from mine, moving from Asia to the West. In the end, I am truly grateful for this opportunity. We went through brainstorming sessions, developed our personal purposes, and clarified how these purposes drive our leadership roles. The complexities of leadership became easier to understand as we learned through doing throughout the entire academy.

Joyien Chiew

The training and sessions provided, along with the group of people and friendships set me on a clear path to where I am now. The NAA experience is unlike anything else I've experienced in JCI.

Sue Solymosi

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included in the registration?

These are included with registration:

Four nights of hotel (double rooms for double occupancy)
Over 30 hours of development sessions, activities, and content
Networking with other young changemakers from across the United States and world
Daily breakfast, Wednesday reception, lunch on Friday and Saturday
Graduation ceremony and celebration

Are there limitations for who can apply?

For JCI members: North American Academy exists to empower the future leaders of the JCI USA movement, so priority is given to those that have at least 3+ years remaining in their JCI tenure. However, consideration is given to all applicants so you can certainly still apply if you don’t fit this description.

For non-members: If you are between the ages of 18-40 and interested in further developing your leadership skills while building a network of young leaders, we encourage you to apply!

Can I attend the Academy more than once?

As a regular attendee, no. We do encourage graduates to apply to be part of the Event Team, which delivers the training, group activities, and logistical support.

Where do I fly into?

The closest airport (15-20 minutes from the Academy site) is the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).

How do the rooming assignments work?

NAA is designed to be an immersive experience where you connect with other young leaders from around the world. Similar to other JCI Academies, you’ll be paired with a same-sex roommate in a double room for the duration of the week.

If you need alternative accommodations, please reach out to us and we can explore different options. Please keep in mind that Academy registration costs are based on double-occupancy rooms, so alternatives may have different pricing.

I want to go, but can't afford registration. Is there anything you can do for me?

To ensure it’s financially viable for members to attend, a monthly payment option is available and we’re also working on resources for individual fundraising so that finances don’t prevent you from attending the Academy.