Each year, a select number of Rising Stars mentorships connect students and business professionals in Prince Rupert, BC. Through seven months of collaboration, participants solve real-world problems, galvanize academic plans, and sharpen career-ready skills. Rising Stars is an initiative of the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce.
Apply as a
STUDENT
Students collaborate with mentors on real-world projects that increase skills and experience, providing powerful advantages in post-secondary education and future careers.
Apply as a
MENTOR
Experienced business professionals are paired with students to help them realize leadership potential and sharpen their entrepreneurial capabilities.
Apply as a
STUDENT
From rich brand exposure to hands-on program influence, Rising Stars offers sponsors many ways to support the mentorship program and strengthen Prince Rupert's business community.
Alexandra van Vianen was already an ambitious student of Northwest Community College when she was accepted to the Rising Stars program. Nellie Cheng, the economic development officer in Prince Rupert, connected her to China to pursue her future entrepreneurial endeavours. She received a scholarship from the Chinese Government upon entering China, then later won the "Outstanding International Woman of the Year Award" in Qingdao, China.
Reid Skelton-Morven's entrepreneurial hustle made the business program at Northwest Community College a great fit. But through the Rising Stars mentorship of Phat Tran, a financial professional and innovator, Reid began to realize next-level ambitions. Today, he is a veteran of the ThriveNorth Business Challenge, owner of three growing businesses, and in 2018 was elected to Prince Rupert City Council. A beneficiary of Phat's investment in him, today Reid also serves as a motivational speaker for young marketers.
Rising Stars is a collaborative initiative from the ground up. The Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce works closely with Coast Mountain College and Charles Hays Secondary School to administer the program. Meanwhile, dozens of businesses in Prince Rupert have invested time and capital in the participants' experience — both as mentors and sponsors. Rising Stars is widely recognized in the community as an effective way for students to build their professional network.
Since 2005, 159 students from Prince Rupert's college and high school have participated in the Rising Stars mentorship experience. In 2013, the city's Chamber of Commerce was recognized as "BC Chamber of the Year" for connecting and growing its economy, most notably through business mentorships. The Rising Stars values are inclusivity, constant improvement, community, and excellence.
