Ascend Events
Event registration, room & board all included for students.
Plus FREE travel to the first event of the year, APEX!
APEX
Held in beautiful northern Michigan, APEX kicks off the beginning of Ascend. For new students, APEX is the ultimate orientation where they meet their teams and team leaders for the first time. For graduating students, APEX is the ultimate crescendo where they cross the stage to receive their final certification and enter the expansive network of Unbound alumni. Open to alumni, family, and friends, APEX is the biggest student event in the program. Past speakers include Eric Metaxes, Joel Salatin, Phylicia Masonheimer, and Navy SEAL Mike Ritland. Check out the 2021 APEX recap video by clicking here! BASECAMP
Basecamp is a hands-on, life skills intensive focused on time, task, and relationship management. Held at the end of January, this event orients students for the spring semester as they move into the execution phase of their Ascend projects. In addition to several keynote speaker sessions, students attend a project orientation where they will work independently or in teams to flesh out their project, pitch their ideas, and receive feedback from their team leaders, Unbound staff, and fellow students. 
CAPSTONE
A key piece of the Signature Leadership Course series that all first year Ascend students complete, Capstone is a robust Christian leadership intensive. First year Ascend students attend Capstone during the third and final Signature Leadership course. Second and third year students return to serve in leadership roles and attend specific leadership tracks that build on each previous year. Their Signature Leadership Course instructor, President of Summit Ministries, Dr. Jeff Myers attends Capstone live and presents several interactive sessions, engages in Q&A time, and regularly eats meals with the students throughout the week.