Shelton Challenge
Summer 2025
July 6 to 11, 2025
Deadline: June 15, 2025
What is the Shelton Challenge?
The Shelton Challenge is a six-day residential leadership experience to help students expand their knowledge and skills of what it takes to be an effective leader. Offered to rising 9th-grade to graduating seniors (graduating seniors included) with a 3.0+ unweighted GPA, hands-on activities focus on: personal leadership assessment and interpersonal dynamics, the role of values and ethics in leadership, leadership traits and approaches, empowering others, civic and social responsibility and goal setting.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in team-building activities, low and high ropes courses, service projects, and fun night activities to help students get to know others participating in the program.
Have Questions?
Contact us at sheltonchallenge@ncwu.edu or 252.985.5386
Scholarships Awarded
The Shelton Challenge will offer a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to students who complete the Shelton Challenge and enroll as a full-time undergraduate student at North Carolina Wesleyan University. The scholarship is renewable for each academic year (fall/spring) if the student maintains an overall GPA of at least a 2.70 (and is enrolled as a full-time student) for a maximum of four academic years.
Tuition/Costs
The cost to attend the Shelton Challenge six-day residential program is $500. This cost includes all curriculum materials, lodging and food, low and high ropes training, transportation during week, and night activities.
With submitting the application, please mail a $100 deposit to hold space in the program. The deposit will go toward the final payment of $500. Please make all checks or money orders payable to the Shelton Challenge at N.C. Wesleyan University. If the applicant is not accepted to the program, the $100 will be refunded. If the applicant is accepted, and the applicant then chooses not to attend the program, a refund may be provided up to a month prior to the selected date to attend the program.
For more information or questions, contact Mike Armbruster at marmbruster@ncwu.edu or 252.985.5213.
Meet General Henry H. Shelton
General Henry Hugh Shelton, Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Clinton and Bush (1997-2001) and Congressional Gold Medal recipient, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Metal. LEARN MORE>
Form Center
WHAT TO EXPECT
DEVELOP
Develop and practice skills related to self and team reflection to better understand deeper meanings while relating current experiences to future applications with the ultimate intent of continuous personal-quality improvement.
ENGAGE
Engage in a youth-adult mentoring civic engagement model to enhance appreciation for social responsibility and intergenerational respect.
MODEL
Model General Hugh Shelton’s values-based leadership principles and traits inclusive of honesty, integrity, compassion, social responsibility and diversity.
ACCESS
Assess baselined leadership skills and preferred practices using Kouzes and Posner’s “Leadership Practices Inventory” and a 360 degree reflective model with the incorporation of assigned leadership roles and responsibilities during the week.
PREPARE
Prepare a leadership self-development plan for accomplishment of short-term objectives and life-long goals.
