2018-19 NSLS officers Stephen Jackson, Morgan Weigle, Calleigh Kearns and Kylie Kunzman
More than 400 students have joined the Mount St. Mary's University chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) this year as candidates for membership. NSLS assists students in finding their purpose and reaching their full potential through access to leadership conferences and motivational speakers among other resources.
"I was so impressed with the turnout at orientation this year!" said Kylie Kunzman, vice president of the Mount's NSLS chapter. "It is amazing to see so many students willing to step up and become leaders." The Mount's Sigma Alpha Pi chapter, founded in 2017, attracted more than 100 member candidates at each event that has been hosted on campus.
Students are selected to be a part of the society based on their academic standing or leadership potential. Candidacy to NSLS, the largest leadership honor society in the United States, is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction. Before being inducted as lifelong members, candidates then must undergo a series of intensive leadership training steps that are designed to cultivate the necessary mindset and skills that every leader needs to succeed.
Membership extends a variety of resources to students for building their leadership skills through on-campus or online participation, and provides lifelong access to benefits, including scholarships and awards, an employer job bank and personal discounts for students.
The Mount chapter, operated through the Institute for Leadership Ethics, Achievement and Development (iLEAD), hosts numerous leadership development events. The 2018-19 officers are Morgan Weigle, president; Kylie Kunzman, vice president; Calleigh Kearns, secretary; Stephen Jackson, treasurer; Elena Rittie, success networking team coordination; and Katie Kunzman, social events coordinator. The advisor is Dana Sauers, director of iLEAD.
"I learned a lot of leadership communication skills at the leadership training day," said Sydni Surowiec, C'20. internship this summer, so I will use those communication skills during my interviewing process!" After Surowiec is inducted, she also will be able to add a recommendation letter from NSLS to her resume package.
This semester NSLS has offered three orientations and two training days. Like Surowiec, Megan Smith, C'21, found the training day to be beneficial. "I’m so excited for this opportunity to further develop my purpose and passion through NSLS and the positive environment of my peers and leaders of this chapter," Smith said. "NSLS is helping me clarify my goals and how to achieve them with a deeper understanding."
For more information about NSLS, contactl Dana Sauers at sauers@msmary.edu or visit www.nsls.org.