The National Society of Leadership and Success Biola chapter has begun its first full semester as a society, and society leaders and students find the society helpful.

increasing student leadership skills

The society’s goals include increasing student leadership skills and helping students form and accomplish goals through orientation, leadership training, live speaker broadcasts and success networking teams. The society has exceeded several student and society leaders expectations, but also left students hoping to see further improvements.

“It was funny that I think the organization told us, because we were using a different method of getting student membership, that, ‘Oh you’re only going to have maybe 60 members this first year,’ and it was so fun because by the time we started we had over 300 students sign up to participate, which was amazing and phenomenal,” said Jamie Campbell, interim dean for humanities and social sciences and faculty and staff advisor of NSLS.

While the society leaders remain excited about the large number of members, students have the opportunity to engage in close community through SNT groups. Each SNT group has approximately 10 students, led by one of the 12 executive board members or other students who applied to become a leader.

“I’ve heard some positive things about [SNT groups] in terms of accountability and not feeling alone in thinking through what it looks like to be successful beyond the boundaries of Biola,” Campbell said.

The skills students are fostering to use in professional settings outside of Biola start with developing leadership expertise while being a member of the society, which Biola’s NSLS chapter president and junior communications major Sarah Wilde has seen develop.

being an effective leader.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing people just really dive into the program and I love seeing individuals grow in their leadership skills and just believing in themselves is so important and then just seeing confidence grow in different students,” Wilde said.

For NSLS member and senior nursing major Emily Justiniano, the society has challenged her more than expected. One of the ways Justiniano learned was through the leadership training at the beginning of the semester, which taught tips on being an effective leader.

“I found that that actually has helped me a lot in understanding what I want in being a leader and how I can be more effective in my communication skills and in my goal setting,” Justiniano said.

Although Justiniano enjoys learning the leadership skills, there is a heavy time commitment involved. NSLS member and junior accounting major Peter Williamson wants more direction as to the goals of the society.

“I’m not totally sure of the overall direction of where I’m supposed to be going with this or where the thing as a whole is going besides just towards induction into the society as a whole,” Williamson said.