By Caroline Aurigemma
The National Honor Society of Leadership and Success held its second live broadcast presentation on Tuesday, Feb 26 in Midknight Eats in Centennial Hall. The speaker, Dr. Shefali Tsabary an author and clinical psychologist, spoke about the struggles and successes of finding your authentic self as a young adult.
Tsabary spoke to the televised audience, including the 15 Saint Rose students about addressing the preexisting and external pressures that students often feel from their parents. Tsabary’s main topic of discussion was the process in which young adults realize that they are their own free thinking and motivated human, and learn how to grasp that knowledge while simultaneously reflecting on their past self, the character transformation of college students.
“There are three steps,” said Tsabary. “Paralysis, a shock when you realize everything you knew was a lie, then comes the death of your old self, and then the rebirth of you.”
Tsabary’s liberation-esque concept stems from an experience she had gone through on her arrival to the US from India when she was just 21 years-old. Tsabary was on a bus in San Francisco when she witnessed a lesbian couple in love. Coming from her traditional Indian background, she questioned why she had never seen something so beautiful and accepted it.
“Everything I had learned, was a lie.”
Tsabary urged students to work on finding themselves, especially whilst in their early 20’s, so not to live a life of regret later.
“Life is no longer linear, it’s mainly about a relationship with yourself,” said Tsabary.
“One thing I took away tonight was the idea of allowing younger generations to prevail and not push them down with already established rules,” said Luiz Sacasa, freshman Political Science major.
The National Honor Society of Leadership and Success is the largest collegiate honor society in the nation. It is the fourth year that Saint Rose has fostered and guided students to join the NSLS.
“Students who are present and listening gain a lot from this,” said Joachim Koka, assistant director of Student Success and Engagement and an NSLS Advisor.
“I thought this would look really good on my resume, and be helpful after college,” said Brianna O’Reilly, a freshman at The College of Saint Rose.
Students scheduled to be inducted are to have a 2.75 grade point average and to accomplish five steps, along with a one-time price of $85, before officially inducted at the end of the spring semester. The steps include an orientation, attending three speaker broadcasts, three success networking team meetings, leadership training, and a reflection process where students submit their thoughts on the steps and broadcasts to the advisors to evaluate. There are also group discussions after each broadcast where members break up into teams to help each other set a “SMART goal.” SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, rewarding and timely. These goals help facilitate individual growth and progress into the NSLS mindset.
“You get what you give,” said Koka. “Tonight’s speaker was all about being honest and true to yourself. I wish I had that as a freshman.”
There are benefits that come with being a NSLS member. NSLS awards about $250,000 scholarships, and provides outlets for letters of recommendations to members when graduating. “The benefits are extensive. The society has many physical perks, but there are social and intellectual as well,” said Aileen Burke, student president of NSLS at Saint Rose.
“Within this process, first year students can meet like minded peers,” said Burke.
Meeting new people seems to be a push for first year students at the college, who choose to commit to NSLS.
“This is a great opportunity to meet new people,” said Sarah Charles, a sophomore Math major.
The third and final semester, live broadcast will be held on March 12 featuring guest speaker Diamond Dallas Page, professional wrestler and motivational speaker.
