AUGUST 2021
Every month we'll highlight our members' amazing accomplishments as they put their leadership skills to good use. Here are some of our members' success stories for August.
Our mission at the NSLS is Building Leaders Who Make a Better World. Nationwide, our members participate in social events, volunteer for charities, and take part in a wide range of community service initiatives. Additionally, upon graduation and entering the workforce, members apply the interpersonal skills they've acquired to start businesses, pursue promotions, and continue applying what they learned as NSLS members!
Penn State Student Selected as Marshal for Summer 2021 Commencement
Alayna Spriggle has been selected by Penn State's College of Information Sciences & Technology to be their marshal at commencement. The Reedsville, Pennsylvania native will graduate magna cum laude with both a bachelor's of science degree in Information Sciences & Technology and a bachelor's of Digital Multimedia Design.
The perennial Dean's List student plans on pursuing her master's degree in Management and Organizational Leadership at Penn State Smeal College of Business, where she will continue to develop her skills as a leader. She eyes a career as a user experience project manager.
Read the full story from Penn State News >>
AmeriCorps Alum and Former YouthBuild USA Leader Joins the Team at Philanthropy West Virginia
Sharell Harmon, the impressive mother of three from Elkins, West Virginia, has accepted a role with Philanthropy West Virginia as their Membership and Operations Assistant. This comes after years traveling the U.S. and sharing her story and leadership skills with other young leaders through her experience in AmeriCorps and YouthBuild USA.
In her new role, she will be responsible for supporting membership services, programming, and operations. She holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Political Science from West Virginia University and plans on attending WVU's graduate program in Public Administration or Law.
Read the full story from The Inter-Mountain >>
"The Pride of Lebanon" Publishes a New Book on the Art of Public Speaking
Ali R. Jaber, of the Madonna University chapter, looks to set future public speakers at ease with his first book Public Speaking: Motivational Speeches In Depth. The highly experienced public speaker breaks down the art of a good speech, emphasizing the key pillars on how to overcome fear and deliver something memorable.
The public speaker and digital marketer from Toledo, Ohio, has been creating and delivering motivational speeches for years. His book focuses on the keys to his success and provides a resource for anyone looking to improve their public speaking abilities and to approach future speeches with a positive, confident attitude.
Read the full story at Digital Journal >>
NSLS Member Selected as Academic All-American Student Athlete
George Marinopoulos of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was named a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America. This makes him and another teammate only the 19th and 20th Academic All-Americans in program history.
The graduate student from Slingerlands, NY, is studying for a master's in Supply Chain Management. This comes after graduating in less than four years from the Lally School of Management, where he held a 3.84 GPA. His management experience already ranges from the private sector to volunteer initiatives throughout the Capital Region of New York, as well as leading the Rensselaer Engineers football team as their star quarterback.
Read the full story from RPI Athletics >>
Writer Launches First Book of Poetry Through Adversity
Elani Gordon, from the University of Phoenix chapter, has launched her first book of poems and haikus. My Spiritual Welfare: A Plight to Fight in Recovery of a Latina Butterfly: A Collaboration of Poems & Haikus details a woman's struggle with addiction and the redemptive strength needed to fight for recovery and truth. The inspiring collection is a roadmap for anyone struggling and looking for hope in darkness.
The widower and mother of five from New York City is an advocate for recovery, transformation, and for the voiceless, supporting reunification, treatment methods, and the empowerment of others. Elani attributes her experience as a member of the NSLS as a driving force for launching her first book.
Other NSLS Members Receiving Recognition IN AUGUST:
Julia Jeffer, from Andover, New Jersey, has been awarded $1,000 as part of ShopRite's annual scholarship program. The Music major at the County College of Morris hopes to be a professional musician and stage manager on Broadway. Full story >>
Amber Vanlandghen, a senior Biomedical Science major at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, was recently featured on the university's Titan Magazine cover with Chancellor Andrew Leavitt and other student leaders. Full story >>
Tarin Varvar, of the Southern New Hampshire University chapter, has joined the ticket with the Responsible Leadership and Fighting for Success team in a campaign to the Keansburg Board of Education. Full story >>
Lorenzo Casanova, of St. John's University, will receive full payment of his remaining tuition thanks to the highly-selective Starr Insurance Companies Scholars Program, which also includes a paid summer internship and full-time employment within the Starr organization upon graduation. Full story >>
Georgia Miller-Kamara, an alum of St. Cloud State University, was appointed to the Governor's Community Council on Inclusion and Equity by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Full story >>
