Dakota State University students walking around campus

Preparation + opportunity = success

That's the DSU equation. We're a four-year university with nationally recognized programs, cutting-edge facilities, and the brightest thinkers. But we're also a tight-knit, inclusive community. Small class sizes mean hands-on training and individualized attention. All this with an affordable, public school price that's among the best values in the region.

Majors & Degrees

Search

Popular searches

smiling woman

Is DSU the right fit for you?

Even the best brochures and postcards (and yes, even websites) can only tell you so much about a college. The only surefire way to know if DSU is right for you is to see for yourself.

Visit DSU

Home ― News ― Students inducted in National Society of Leadership and Success

Students inducted in National Society of Leadership and Success

May 7, 2018

“To be a good leader, you need to focus on your side game.”  

Bryce Nussbaum, residence hall director and wellness counselor at Dakota State University, used that computer game terminology to inspire the 31 new members of DSU’s chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) at the May 1 induction ceremony.

Nussbaum admitted in his keynote address that most tips on leadership focus on getting to the finish line, “but I’ve found that the side quests are what set you apart and bring you value.” In addition to life-long learning, he encouraged the students to use what he called life-wide learning.

“This will set you apart and make you unique.”

Nussbaum cited examples from his own life to demonstrate the advantages of having depth and breadth of knowledge. To purchase a camera for a college field trip to Europe, he needed to get a bank loan, an experience which created an interest in personal finance. His experience with the South Dakota Army National Guard has presented several opportunities for what he called “broadening assignments.”

“These gave me confidence and helped to define me,” he stated.

NSLS is one of the nation's largest leadership honor societies. Each semester, students are invited to become members based on academic standing, and candidacy is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction. The recent induction ceremony was the university’s seventh, making Dakota State University chapter’s numbers at well over 200 students.

Inducted members complete over 10 hours of leadership program training, said Mandy Parpart, the director of student activities at DSU, and the chapter advisor. The process includes an orientation, a leadership training day, three speaker broadcasts, three success networking team meetings, and culminates in the induction ceremony where the students receive their Certificate of Leadership Training. Three members – Bethany Cable, Melissa Lock, and Mitchell Sandberg – volunteered to take extra training and earned National Engaged Leader awards.   

Membership is for a lifetime, Parpart said, and provides access to benefits including scholarships and awards, exclusive on-campus events, employer recruitment through an online job bank, discounts on computers, textbooks, graduate school preparatory courses, insurance and more.

The newly inducted members and their majors include: Shelby Bartlett, physical education, Parowan, Utah; Sydney Borer, an elementary education major from Castlewood, S.D.; Nick Bruggeman, a network security and administration major from Larchwood, Iowa; Bethany Cable, a computer science major from Winner, S.D.; Grant Carlson, an information systems major from Watertown, S.D.; Mattheu Cox, a cyber operations major from Rapid City, S.D.; Andrey Danilson, a digital arts and design major from Des Moines, Iowa; Bernard Afaare Dawaare, a network security and administration major from Ghana; Micah DeHarty, cyber operations, South Sioux City, Nebr.; Lee Flowers, a cyber operations major from Charleston, S.C.; Jordan Haas, a computer science major from Owatonna, Minn.; Nick Hellerud, a computer science major from Owatonna, Minn.; Jake Hult, a finance major from Canton, S.D.; Olivia Janssen, computer science, Rapid City, S.D.; Melissa Lock, a business major from Madison, S.D.; Evan McCreary, an exercise science major from Webster, S.D.; Kayla Mentele, a marketing and finance major from Salem, S.D.; Dylan Merrifield, a cyber operations major from Cambridge, Minn.; Jack Morgan, a graphic design major from Onaka, S.D.; Sydney Moss, a math education major from Castlewood, S.D.; Courtney O’Connell, an elementary education/special education major from Madison, S.D.; Bhim Rizal, a computer science major from Sioux Falls, S.D.; Zac Roehrich, a cyber operations major from Oakes, N.D.; Lauren Sanberg, a general studies major from Anoka, Minn.; Mitchell Sandberg, a cyber operations major from Bemidji, Minn.; Jean-Michael Shingiro Shema, a network security and information systems major from Rwanda; Kaylee Spreier, management, Gering, Nebr.; Rachel Sterling, an elementary education major from Sioux Falls, S.D.; Abbie Strasser, an elementary education major from Lennox, S.D.; Natalie Van Wyhe, an exercise science major from Canton, S.D.; Lindsey Weidner, a graphic design major from Huron, S.D.; Truman Weyand, a production animation major from Faulkton, S.D.

Photo Caption:

NSLS MEMBERS -- The newest inductees into the DSU chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success are: Mitchell Sandberg (back left), Mattheu Cox, Abbie Strasser, Bernard Dawaare, Andrey Danilson, Jean-Michael Shingiro Shema, Lauren Sanberg, Bhim Rizal, Truman Weyand, Dylan Merrifield, Jack Morgan, Jake Hult, Natalie Van Wyhe, Nick Hellerud, Grant Carlson, Zac Roehrich, Jordan Haas, Lee Flowers, Melissa Lock, Evan McCreary, Nick Bruggeman; Sydney Moss, (seated, left), Sydney Borer, Rachel Sterling, Courtney O’Connell, Lindsey Weidner, and Kayla Mentele. Not pictured are Shelby Bartlett, Bethany Cable, Micah DeHarty, Olivia Janssen, and Kaylee Spreier.