About Us

The Ladder for America provides a structured environment of service, mentoring and leadership development with members from the 4th grade through high school and practicing physicians, nurses and other healthcare, medical, and STEM  professionals.

About Us

The Ladder for America provides a structured environment of service, mentoring and leadership development with members from the 4th grade through high school and practicing physicians, nurses and other healthcare, medical, and STEM  professionals.

Who we are

The Ladder for America, 501c3, launched in 2012 in North Minneapolis, is an intergenerational, cascading mentorship club with a mission to inspire, empower and prepare young people for careers in healthcare, medical and science. Since then, The Ladder has grown from a pilot program to opening chapters in Minneapolis and St. Paul with plans in the near future to expand to Boston and beyond.

The Ladder has played a significant role in the lives of our young members, many whom leveraged their mentoring, desire to succeed, and work ethic to become doctors, nurses, scientists, and accomplished professionals in the fields of medicine, healthcare, technology and science and extended the mission of The Ladder in cascading their experience to mentor others.

Meet our board of directors and staff here.

What we do

The most vulnerable time in the life of a school age child’s success is in middle school. 

The Ladder’s cascading mentorship program provides a framework where knowledge and experience is shared – “cascaded” – from the most senior members to the most junior members. Younger members are individually empowered to then share their voices and experiences with peers and scholars who in turn look up to them and continue the mission.

Cascading mentorship positions our young scholars to nurture their interest in a healthcare,medical, science and technology career, while developing their leadership skills and learning the value of mentoring and inspiring others.

Learn more about The Ladder’s foundation of service here.

Our Impact

Build

Build a community of learners and leaders

Create

Create supportive inter-generational and
peer-to-peer bonds

Bridge

Bridge the divide between under-represented communities, education, and the public and private sector in healthcare, medical and science

Link

Link young members and their families to a viable pathway through personal and community enrichment

The Ladder Changes Lives