Students Bring Leadership Society to Campus

03/10/2015 

Two SUNY Cortland students have introduced a new on-campus leadership opportunity for their classmates known as the National Society of Leadership and Success. It’s an honor society made up of more than 200 chapters across the country.

The organization’s mission is “to build leaders who make a better world,” according to its website. Regional chapters allow members to experience hands-on, personalized leadership development as well as access to networking opportunities with their peers around the globe. All SUNY Cortland students with sophomore or junior class standing were invited to join the College’s chapter on Feb. 25.

Other SUNY members include University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo and SUNY Purchase.

Aubrey Martin, a senior communication studies major from Marlboro, N.Y., and Kaylee Cunningham, a junior childhood education and Spanish major from Centerport, N.Y., worked together to bring a National Society of Leadership and Success chapter to campus. Martin attended one of the organization’s conferences in Georgia and sought to bring it to SUNY Cortland.

“Anyone can have the opportunity to be a leader if they want to be,” through the National Society of Leadership and Success, Martin said.

Students interested in joining should complete an online application form and pay the one-time registration fee. They then are expected to complete a series of online training that takes approximately 12 hours to become an official inducted member.

The first and second stages to induction include an orientation and Leadership Training Day. The third stage includes three Speaker Broadcast Events featuring webcasts of some of the world’s most successful motivational speakers.

This semester’s speakers are Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post; Debbi Fields, founder and current spokesperson of Mrs. Fields Bakeries; and Dan Harris, correspondent for ABC News, anchor for Nightline and co-anchor for the weekend edition of Good Morning America.

The final stage of induction includes three Success Networking Team Meetings to provide members with a support network of like-minded, goal-oriented students on campus.

In addition to the leadership development activities that come with the induction process, students will have access to more than $100,000 in scholarship and award money, earn a certificate to signify their leadership training and discover the ability to connect with thousands of other inducted members.

Although the organization is recognized by the College, it does not receive funding from the Student Government Association because it requires a membership fee. For more information, students can contact Mary Kate Boland, the advisor for SUNY Cortland’s chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success, at 607-753-2322.

Prepared by Public Relations Office intern Sarah Kelly