Innovate Marquette SmartZone

09/04/2026

SAVE THE DATE ✨

Our next Women in Entrepreneurship Coffee and Conversation event will be Thursday, September 24 from 8-10am at the Women's Federated Clubhouse.

Join us for a relaxed morning of meaningful connection with inspiring women from across our community. Come for coffee or tea, stay for the conversation, and share your ideas to help shape the future of these gatherings.

Stay tuned for schedule and speakers details for the morning coming soon...

No registration needed, click the link in our below for more information
https://innovatemarquette.org/events/women-in-entrepreneurship/

08/27/2026

“Kona Hills is our way of being able to steward 80 acres of incredible land and keep it wild and aligned with the culture and traditions of the U.P.” - Sara Johnson

Sara, along with co-owners Jeremy Johnson and Devin Mahoney, created the campground they always wished existed.

Kona Hills Campground is the trio’s long-term commitment to Marquette and the people that call it home. The campground’s rustic, conservation-first model blends outdoor recreation with long-term preservation of the rocky U.P. wilderness we’ve come to know and love.

Utilizing Innovate Marquette’s pilot summer internship program, Kona Hills owners have added a camp host, marketing & social media, and trailbuilding and land stewardship interns. The summer internship program has given three U.P. students hands-on experience with what it takes to run a startup business in outdoor hospitality.

“The campground is simply the beginning,” says Sara. It’s a platform that allows us to invest in thoughtful recreation projects, steward unique landscapes, and create experiences that inspire people to spend more time outside.”

Learn more at: https://innovatemarquette.org/kona-hills-campground/

08/26/2026

Meet Gabbi

Gabbi is a recent Northern Michigan University graduate from Ironwood, Michigan. This summer, Gabbi is the Chalet & Visitors Center Manager at COPPER PEAK.

As part of the Innovate Marquette pilot internship program, Gabbi has spent her summer in her hometown sharing the history and future plans of Copper Peak with visitors.

Learn more about Gabbi and Copper Peak at https://innovatemarquette.org/lessons-in-nature-copper-peak/.

08/21/2026

Meet Jackson 🥾

Jackson Holdwick is a trailbuilding and land stewardship intern at Kona Hills Campground. Trailbuilding and land stewardships are both initiatives he embodies in his everyday life as an outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism major at Northern Michigan University.

This summer, Jackson has put his skills to the test by designing trails for mountain biking and hiking and building bathhouses from the ground up alongside Kona Hills’ owner Devin Mahoney.

“Trailbuilding has always been a passion of mine. Using your hands to craft a path in the Earth is an immersive experience.” -Jackson Holdwick

Jackson has been able to take ownership of his work on the trails, designing trails from his mind right into the thimbleberry-lined paths that sprawl the 80 acres of the campground. His internship is part of Innovate Marquette’s pilot summer internship program– an initiative supporting 8 U.P. students to stay in the U.P. and develop their skills hands-on with outdoor recreation companies.

Learn more at https://innovatemarquette.org/kona-hills-campground/

08/18/2026

Local entrepreneur Brian Marvin talks about his innovation, HSI Relax Release, in the newest episode of Discovering.

Check it out⬇️

https://youtu.be/3-I1Q5RglC4si=ul2M3JBIXxgZq_R4

Episode 194 - Smallmouth bass fishing with former offensive tackle ...

08/18/2026

Meet Hayden

Hayden is a Northern Michigan University student studying Geographical, Information Systems, Technology. This summer, he is Wintergreen Guiding’s Technical Specialist.

His role at Wintergreen Guiding is to help with the operational side of the business, ensuring guides and tours are as professional and immersive as possible. His goal for Wintergreen Guiding is that every client can walk away having learned something new or go somewhere they haven’t before, and ultimately, have a better appreciation for the land they walk.

Currently, Hayden is working on a project that will compare the history of the Upper Peninsula to present day. He is recreating old photographs of Marquette and the surrounding area in preparation for a Wintergreen Guiding podcast.

After graduation, Hayden would like to work for a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) company and use his drone pilot's license to study the Earth. For now, you can find Hayden hiking or backpacking outside, playing rugby, or even woodworking.

As for the Marquette community, “There is plenty Wintergreen Guiding can teach you,” says Hayden. “Come to a weekly Historic Walking Tour around Marquette and learn more about the rich history Marquette holds.”

Learn more about Hadyen’s experience below:

https://innovatemarquette.org/lessons-in-nature-wintergreen-guidings-summer-internships/

08/11/2026

Meet Abby 📷

Northern Michigan University student Abby Arciszewski is Kona Hills Campground's Social Media and Marketing intern. As a marketing major at NMU, Abby’s experience at Kona Hills has been a perfect mix of industry experience and personal interest.

This summer, Abby has created a new rack card for Kona Hills that will be sent to all Michigan welcome centers, facilitated monthly content days to photograph the Kona Hills camping experience, and even taken a course on outdoor hospitality alongside Kona Hills’ owners.

“I have learned a lot about social media algorithms and tips and tricks for posting that only come through testing things out. This internship has really solidified my career goal of working a marketing position in the outdoor industry.” -Abby Arciszewski

Abby’s summer internship is part of Innovate Marquette’s pilot summer internship program, connecting U.P. students to outdoor recreation companies to gain experience in their respective fields while staying in the U.P. for the summer.

Learn more about Abby’s experience at https://innovatemarquette.org/kona-hills-campground/

08/07/2026

Meet Tyler 🪲

This summer, Tyler Retaskie is the Camp Host at Kona Hills Campground. His internship at Kona Hills has given him a front-row seat to what it takes to run a campground. From greeting guests and giving direction to stacking wood and maintaining campsites, Tyler knows what it takes to run a sustainable outdoor rec company.

As an ecological engineering major at Michigan Technological University, Tyler feels right at home learning about the outdoors and how humans interact with nature.

You can find Tyler zipping his bike from site to site, inspecting bugs, or managing reservations at Kona Hills.

Learn more about Tyler and his experience with the Innovate Marquette pilot summer internship program at: https://innovatemarquette.org/kona-hills-campground/

08/06/2026

Kona Hills Campground is a campground made for people that want to camp. Secluded sites, rustic, and self-service, Kona Hills is the perfect place to unplug from our always-connected world for a while.

Sara & Jeremy Johnson and Devin Mahoney created Kona Hills with the belief that conservation and economic development can co-exist. After 6 years of carefully designing Kona Hills, they’re in their second season of hosting campers with the help of three dedicated U.P. college students.

This summer, Abby Arciszewski, Jackson Holdwick, and Tyler Retaskie joined the Kona Hills team as part of Innovate Marquette’s pilot summer internship program. This pilot program connected U.P. college students to outdoor recreation companies, fostering continued economic growth in the U.P. while shaping the next generation of leaders in outdoor recreation.

Each student has a unique role at the campground. Abby, social media and marketing, Jackson, trailbuilding and land stewardship, and Tyler, camp host, have all made a significant impact on the the operations and success of Kona Hills this year.

Learn more about their experience and Kona Hills Campground here:

Located just a short drive from downtown Marquette and tucked deep into the woods lies a quaint and rustic campground with secluded campsites, hiking trails, and Lake Superior views.

08/04/2026

Visiting Marquette or live here and want to learn more about the place you call home?

Every Wednesday evening through August you can join Wintergreen Guiding's Historic Marquette Downtown Walking Tour.

Designed for both locals and visitors, this walking tour visits Marquette landmarks, discussion, and a history lesson on everything from prehistory to shipping and mining to recreation, tourism, and everyday life along the lakeshore.

The tour is perfectly designed to end at the Wednesday night downtown Farmer’s Market! 🍅🫐🍯

Book your spot here: https://www.wintergreenguiding.com/experiences -downtown-marquette-walking-tour-2

Photos by Wintergreen Guiding