By Kasie Von Haden
Lumen Editor
A Viterbo chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) has recently been implemented through the Office of Campus Activities. The NSLS is a nationally recognized society that has chapters at 278 colleges and has 152,470 members nationwide, according to their website.
Out of the 1,000 Viterbo students eligible, 267 students have registered for the society, which focuses on leadership training and development.
To be eligible for the society, students have to have a 3.0 GPA and must be nominated, Reyburn said.
“I’m amazed at the number of students that registered for this,” said Kari Reyburn, coordinator of Campus Activities. “We are obviously fulfilling a need that Viterbo had for leadership development and training, and I’m excited to help students gain those skills.”
Of the 267 students, many are undergraduate students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, but there are also adult learners, too.
Heidi Lomprey, a La Crosse native who is currently in the associates of arts program, and who considers herself to be a sophomore, is an adult learner registered for the NSLS.
“With three kids at home it is hard to get involved in a lot of things, but this organization looks like it can help me develop myself as a leader at Viterbo and in my future workplace, as well as connect me to a national network of leaders,” Lomprey said. “There is always the benefit of a great resume booster as well.”
Josh Kohnhorst, a senior business management major from Tomah, Wis., and currently the president of the Student Government Association, is also registered for NSLS.
“I joined the NSLS because it is a prestigious organization and it will give me the resources necessary for personal development,” Kohnhorst said. “I’m hoping to gain leadership qualities that I will be able to use to better the lives of others.”
The NSLS is looking to do just that.
“We want to offer this leadership training for students to become better leaders in their school, community, and career,” Marriott said. “I think it will teach different leadership roles needed in
Once students have registered and paid their one-time society dues, of $85, they must also complete several other programs before being officially inducted.
“Students need to participate in orientation, attend three speaker presentations, attend the leadership training day, and be active in a success network team,” Reyburn said.
The speaker presentations are live videoconferences that students in the NSLS will watch as a large group.
Speakers in the past have included Nigel Barker of “America’s Next Top Model” and Patch Adams of the Gesundheit! Institute.
This year’s speakers include Alton Brown of Food Network’s “Good Eats,” Kevin Carroll, the founder of “The Katalyst Consultancy,” and Mel Robbins, “America’s Life Coach.”
These speakers, among others, will focus on several aspects of success, including how people can get what they really want, how to perform true potential, and the power of financial education.
Another program that students will participate in is the success network team, or SNT, which will meet three times throughout the course of the entire program. The SNT will consist of a small group of students that will meet and work on goal setting and achievement.
“This program provides the tools [the students] need to attain their goals, using the S.M.A.R.T. procedure, which is the criteria they’ll use for goal setting,” said Dodie Marriott, administrative assistant for the Office of Campus Activities.
Smart, Measureable, Achievable, Rewarding, and Timely are the criteria Marriott is referring to. The SMART criteria is a model constructed by the NSLS.
“In addition, when students are in their SNT, they have a four step process to their meetings,” Marriott said. “They’ll do a progress report, state goals and desired outcomes, give ideas and suggestions for each other, and then take action steps.”
“It’s their choice to accomplish what they want in these groups,” Reyburn said. “It can be personal, academic, or about other goals.”
Because this is the first year for the NSLS at Viterbo, Reyburn and Marriott are hoping that this year’s members will remain active members of the NSLS, utilize the skills they learn throughout the program, and take advantage of the benefits the NSLS has to offer, including scholarships and partner discounts.
“I hope the NSLS will give students confidence and skills to be more active leaders that they can apply in their majors and internships,” Reyburn said. “It will also get students involved, more engaged, more active, and more connected across the board in the Viterbo community.”
