Since 2017, Felician University has had a chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS)- which is the nation’s largest leadership honor society that works to promote skill development. According to Uma Mahalingham, Director of Felician’s Center for Student Development and Engagement, more than 800 Felician students have gone through the program and became NSLS members. “Those students had the chance through NSLS to work on skills such as leadership, communication, collaboration, problem solving, and team building,” says Mahalingham.

NSLS is different from other honor societies because it asks students to complete a step-by-step program that begins with orientation- where students learn about the steps that will move them toward being inducted. At Leadership Training Day, students get interactive video training which gives them the chance to identify their goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. Students also identify their strengths and weaknesses while developing a plan to overcome obstacles.

NSLS training includes unique Speaker Broadcasts – live-streamed and pre-recorded speaker events, where students have the ability to interact with and learn from leaders, celebrities, and best-selling authors such as Bill Nye the Science Guy and actor, Matthew McConaughey. “Students have the opportunity to access those resources and learn from people who they may have seen on TV, who they may have read about, or who they look up to,” said Mahalingham.

There are also three success network team meetings where students meet every other week in small groups to talk about their goals, how they were able to accomplish those goals, and how they plan to hold each other accountable.

After induction, students become NSLS members for life and have access to a wide range of benefits including scholarships and awards. NSLS also provides a job bank, so members have special access to employment and internship opportunities. They can also provide personalized letters of recommendations for career advancement.

Invitations to join NSLS are typically sent out at the start of the fall and spring semester. For Spring of 2021, Felician invited second semester sophomores, all juniors, and seniors with a GPA of 2.5 and above to join the NSLS. An online chapter for graduate students is also ran through the NSLS organization itself.

For more information contact MahalinghamU@felician.edu.