Caroline Wilkerson ~ Staff Writer
On Sept. 7, 2019, University of Lynchburg’s National Society of Leadership and Success welcomed back members and new inductees for a barbecue in celebration of the new school year.
President and senior Kimberly Mendez said, “I thought the barbecue would be a great way to bring awareness to the honor society, but to also bring together the old and new members of the chapter. One of NSLS’s foundations is building a community of leaders, and I thought this event would be a great way to do that.”
The University’s chapter of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success began in Spring 2018, and since has grown to over 190 members, with an incoming class of 126 students.
According to the national website of NSLS, their mission is “building leaders who make a better world.” Additionally, “The NSLS is an organization that helps people discover and achieve their goals and offers life-changing lectures from the nation’s leading presenters and a community where like-minded, success-oriented individuals come together and help one another succeed. The NSLS also serves as a powerful force of good in the greater community by encouraging and organizing action to better the world.”
New inductees must complete a process of orientation, a leadership training day, and three speaker broadcasts and success networking team meetings in order to reach induction into the society.
Mendez said, “Since the chapter’s beginning, we have participated in events to bring the campus together in ways such as hosting Bingo nights, and other game nights, volunteering with Lynchburg Grows, and hosting speaker broadcasts of different world leaders.”
Kalila Murray, a junior and treasurer of the honor society, said, “Over the weekend, I got to witness a community and organization come together to host a welcome back barbecue that not only made everyone feel welcomed, but it provided a safe space where everyone felt welcomed and safe. I was also happy that I had the opportunity to be a part of the first executive board of the NSLS that hosted something like this.”
Sheila Raczynski, a sophomore and inductee, said, “The barbecue was a great way to get to know some people in the National Society of Leadership and Success before the orientation process started. I was able to talk to every student on the executive board and we also played a few games, which made things more casual and comfortable. The food was great too, and I am super excited to continue with NSLS.”
Mendez concluded, saying, ”I hope as a leadership society, we can continue to bring the campus together through events like these, and continue to grow as a chapter.”