NSCS really aims to give members a broad range of experiences and benefits. We offer scholarships, internship opportunities, and public speaking experiences. However, when asked about the benefits of joining NSCS, the first things members usually mention is the leadership experiences.
That’s right — NSCS is helping transform the students of today into the leaders of tomorrow. That’s something we’re quite proud of, and it’s something we’re excited to share more about in this blog post.
What leadership opportunities are available to members?
NSCS members really have a lot of flexibility in how they use their membership and the opportunities it brings. Students can choose the leadership opportunities that are best in line with their skills and goals. Some of the experiences we offer include:
The National Leadership Council
This is a student advisory board comprised of members from our various chapters, across the country. Members on this board work together to make recommendations to the NSCS Board of Directors. Through their leadership, NSCS is able to make better decisions and policies for its members. Participating in the National Leadership Council teaches students advocacy and collaboration skills, which are important in leadership.
Chapter Leadership
Other members choose to get involved in chapter leadership. Our Chapter Presidents and other chapter leaders get a lot of experience organizing larger groups of students, reaching out to non-members for recruiting purposes, and coordinating chapter events. One of the best parts of working in chapter leadership is the opportunity to work with students with so many different majors and experiences. This is a great way for students to break out of their major and collaborate with those in other fields.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our chapters often organize volunteer events with local organizations, such as the YMCA. Our members are responsible for scheduling such events, assigning work to various members, and coordinating with the participating organizations. This is excellent leadership experience, especially for students who plan on going into non-profit work after graduation.
What do members have to say?
As always, we don’t just want you to take our word for it. We want you to know what our members have to say about leadership opportunities in NSCS.
Hannah Palme, a member from Michigan State University, had this to say,
“My chapter offers professional development for resume building, and we’re also in the works of creating a public speaking workshop.”
We like this quite from Hannah because it points out some leadership opportunities we have not already mentioned. Hannah notes that her chapter offers professional development for resume building. The importance of this sort of program cannot be overstated. In addition to gaining leadership experience, our members can get guidance in adding that experience to their resume. This helps our members become more competitive candidates after graduation, which is essential in any job market.
Hannah also mentions that her chapter is developing a public speaking workshop. Many of our chapters offer something similar, and we also offer public speaking opportunities at our induction ceremonies and other annual events. Public speaking skills are a really important component of leadership skills. Many students do not feel comfortable speaking in public at first, but with practice, they build this skill, which helps them become more competent leaders in the workforce.
NSCS members today are the leaders of tomorrow. Every year, thousands of students like Hannah experience this transformation for themselves. Whether you participate in our professional development workshops, become a chapter leader, speak at induction, or find some other way to engage with NSCS, we are confident you’ll emerge a better leader.
