After completing your NSLS orientation, you have four remaining steps before you reach induction: Leadership Training Day, three speaker broadcasts, a series of Success Networking Team meetings, and the induction ceremony itself. Each step must be completed in order, and your chapter will set specific deadlines within the semester.
Leadership Training Day and the DiSC Assessment
Your first post-orientation requirement is Leadership Training Day (LTD), a two-hour interactive video session. This is meant to be the foundational experience of the program, focusing on goal-setting and personal leadership development. Around the same time, you’ll also complete the DiSC assessment, a personality and communication style tool that helps you understand how you work with others. Both LTD and the DiSC assessment need to be finished before you move on to the next steps.
Three Speaker Broadcasts
The third step toward induction is completing three speaker broadcasts. These are live or recorded presentations from notable leaders, authors, and professionals covering topics like career development, resilience, and personal growth. You’ll typically watch them on a set schedule determined by your chapter, and each broadcast counts individually toward your requirement. Missing one means you’ll need to make it up, so check your chapter’s calendar early and mark the dates.
Success Networking Team Meetings
Success Networking Teams (SNTs) are small group meetings where members support each other in setting and achieving goals. At your first SNT meeting, a facilitator will walk the group through the SMART goal framework: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Each member introduces themselves, shares their major, career goals, and graduation timeline, then sets a personal goal to work toward throughout the remaining meetings.
In subsequent meetings, you’ll check in on your progress, adjust your action steps, and help other members stay on track with theirs. SNTs can be held virtually or in person depending on your chapter. If your meetings are virtual, webcams are encouraged but not required. Each group is led by a facilitator, often an executive board member or a student who has already completed an advanced certification.
The Induction Ceremony
Once you’ve completed Leadership Training Day, the DiSC assessment, all three speaker broadcasts, and your SNT meetings, you’re eligible for induction. Your chapter will host a ceremony either on campus or virtually, depending on the school. This is when you officially become an inducted member of the NSLS, which qualifies you for the benefits tied to membership, including scholarship opportunities and the credential itself.
What You Can Do After Induction
Induction isn’t the end of the road if you want to keep going. Once inducted, you become eligible for two additional tiers of leadership programming.
The Advanced Leadership courses (ADV 201 and 202) focus on topics like emotional intelligence, growth mindset, inclusiveness, and grit. The certificate pathway (ADV 201) has you explore the NSLS’s nine core principles. The credit-recommended pathway (ADV 202) goes further, adding a community-focused team project where you apply design thinking and collaborate using the DiSC styles you learned earlier. A certificate course takes roughly 10 hours to complete, while the credit-recommended version averages about 30 hours.
The Executive Leadership courses (EXEC 301 and 302) build on that foundation with real-world project management. In the certificate pathway, you complete a “Better Me: Better World” project focused on personal development and critical analysis. The credit-recommended version centers on a “Better Community: Better World” project, where you lead a team effort to make a tangible impact in your community. You get up to three semesters from enrollment to finish any of these courses.
None of these advanced programs are required for induction. They’re optional next steps for members who want to deepen their leadership experience or earn additional credentials.