Darren Yip – Special to Southern News –
Cheers pierced the air and a loud roar of applause filled the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts auditorium as Garrett Owen slowly steered his battery-powered wheelchair up the stage to receive his induction certificate.
Along with Owen, about 200 other students were inducted as members of The National Society of Leadership and Success Thursday night.
Owen, senior journalism major, said that the process of being inducted was “a long process,” “but it was definitely well-worth it.”
“It was pretty good,” said Owen. “Those things I’ve learned definitely would make me a better leader in the future.”
The National Society of Leadership and Success is an honor society that “helps people discover and achieve their goals,” according to its mission statement on its website.
When asked the purpose of the society, founder Gary Tuerack said, “We are dream supporters – we build leaders, support people in achieving their dreams, and better the world in the process. We get people to ask the all-important question ‘What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?’ and then help them to achieve those goals.”
Dean of Arts and Science at Southern, DonnaJean Fredeen said that many more students had started out in the application process, but “it’s only a smaller few who get through the entire program.”
“So it’s something that they should be very proud of,” said Fredeen. “I would hope that this is a moment that they would remember and look back on.”
Regarding the society and the role it plays, Fredeen said that she thinks “it’s very important as part of [their] job in higher [education],” and that “the work of this society is very important in helping us to meet that goal in terms of [their] responsibility in higher education.”
“I think there is more to being a college-educated person than just what happens in the classroom,” said Fredeen.
“I think one of the things that we need to be looking at is trying to inspire and cultivate the next generation leaders.”
Tyler Fredsall was another one of many students who were inducted that night.
“Well, I’m pretty happy, I guess,” said Fredsall with his induction certificate in his hand. “I guess it’s a pretty prestigious organization, so I guess it’s an honor to get in.”
But students were not the only happy ones in the crowd that night; a large portion of the crowd consisted of friends and family members of the inductees. Rhonda Winston was one of the latter.
“I’m very happy, because this is my only daughter and she achieved so much,” said Winston, referring to her daughter, Ta’Lana Sabbakhan, who was inducted.
“I’m honored to know that she has achieved something with her goals.”
Concerning what it means to be inducted as a member, Owen said that it means “that other people think that [he is] a leader,” and that “[he] can lead by example and not just by doing nothing.”
“It definitely says something,” said Owen in a firm voice from his wheelchair. “I think this gives me the opportunity to lead by example, and that means that I go out there and go about what I want to do.”
