Bronco Buds program to welcome hundreds of Kalamazoo high schoolers to WMU campus
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Nearly 1,200 first-year high school students will soon get a jump start on college with Western Michigan University’s Bronco Buds program. Over the course of two days, on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20, ninth grade students from across the Kalamazoo Public Schools district will come to campus to experience a day in the life of a Western student.
A long-standing collaboration between KPS and WMU, the program is designed to give students an immersive college experience while also opening their eyes to the opportunities available at Western and the steps they need to take during high school to prepare for college.
“We’re excited to welcome these students to Western and show them the possibilities ahead of them,” says Dr. Chris Cheatham, WMU’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Whether they already have a concrete plan for their future or they’re just starting to explore, we’re ready to meet students where they are, ignite sparks of curiosity about potential future paths and start that process of preparing for the next step—wherever it takes them.”
Each daylong program will begin at Read Fieldhouse with a pep rally of sorts, complete with performances by the WMU pep band and cheer squad. Students will also hear from Cheatham; Dr. Darrin Slade, KPS superintendent; and Von Washington Jr., CEO of The Kalamazoo Promise, as well as leaders of the Kalamazoo Promise Scholars registered student organization, sororities and fraternities, and WMU student-athletes.
After the pep rally, students will enjoy lunch at Valley Dining Center before departing for tours of various academic colleges based on the students’ interests. Students curious about nursing careers will get to see the College of Health and Human Services and interact with faculty there, for example, while aspiring entrepreneurs can check out Schneider Hall, home to the Haworth College of Business.
“For students who have never been on a college campus, this program allows them to experience the excitement of living and learning on a vibrant campus like Western Michigan University,” Slade says. “And, all students benefit from being exposed to a variety of curricular programs and expanding their understanding of the career opportunities that await them with a college education. KPS is excited to continue this partnership with WMU to ensure students are able to envision their future selves thriving on a college campus.”
Other opportunities for precollege students
Bronco Buds will be a first introduction to Western for many KPS students—but it won’t be the last. Western’s Office of Precollege Programming is increasing opportunities for high school students to interact with the University. In spring 2026, the office will pilot three career pathway visits for 11th graders from Loy Norrix High School.
Up to 150 students interested in majors within WMU’s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Haworth College of Business will spend an entire day at the respective colleges interacting with faculty and learning about potential career paths available. They’ll explore areas such as the Communication and Social Robotics Lab and Finch Greenhouse; sit in on engineering senior design presentations; or visit Sleeping Giant Capital in downtown Kalamazoo with one of its co-founders, WMU associate professor of management Dr. Doug Lepisto. At Sleeping Giant Capital, WMU students work alongside business professionals in a prime example of Experience-Driven Learning.
“It is our hope that these highly interactive and detailed pathway visits will intensify these high school students’ interest in postsecondary opportunities, allowing them to see themselves in careers they might not have before,” says Dr. Erika Carr, director of precollege programming. “As a first-generation college student myself, I know how important it can be to see the possibilities that lie ahead, and we want to open not just windows but doors for all the youth we work with.”
Western also received a $13.7 million federal grant to expand college readiness efforts to middle school students across five school districts in southwest Michigan. The grant, which began this fall, provides access to additional academic support, summer camps, tutoring and financial literacy education as well as exposure to postsecondary pathways. The support will follow the same cohort of more than 2,500 students through their first year of college.
“Our goal is to give students as much exposure as possible to what’s out there,” Carr says, “and help set them up for success in school and in life.”
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