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The Mackinac Center is proud to celebrate the successful completion of its pilot Freedom Fellowship program, which is designed for emerging professionals in the early-to-middle stages of their careers. Over five biweekly dinner sessions, six fellows explored the principles of free markets and limited government while engaging in practical professional development.
Each session focused on a key theme, from principled leadership and network-building to advancing freedom through public service. Mackinac Center experts and guest speakers guided participants through each topic. A session on civility and civil discourse incorporated tools such as the Ronald Reagan Center’s Civility Compass, helping fellows develop both knowledge and practical skills to lead thoughtfully. Fellows also examined civil discourse, the rule of law and strategies for staying active in the liberty movement. Along the way, they built relationships with like-minded peers and plugged into the broader freedom community.
After each session, fellows submitted their top takeaways, which were compiled into a resource reflecting both individual insights and shared perspectives. Each participant received a completion certificate at the end of the program. When Cami Pendell, vice president for government affairs and coordinator of the fellowship, presented the compilation alongside the certificates, participants expressed deep appreciation. “We will never fully know or see the impact of the seeds you are planting, but I believe it will be substantial and enduring,” one guest speaker told Pendell. “We need more people like you in this arena.”
Some participants have extended their experience by taking part in the fellowship’s three-month mentorship. This optional addition to the program pairs participants with experienced mentors, helping them learn and grow within the Mackinac Center network.
Even in its pilot phase, the Freedom Fellowship has proven its value, providing career guidance, networking opportunities and intellectual nourishment for rising leaders.
With the first cohort’s success, the Mackinac Center looks forward to expanding the program, welcoming additional emerging professionals, and continuing to cultivate leaders who will advance the principles of liberty for years to come. The Mackinac Freedom Fellowship is not just a program. It is an investment in the future of the liberty movement.
