News & Events

��Ӱҵ�� Members in the News | October 2026

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:44:21 GMT

Our members participate in volunteer events and take part in a wide range of community service initiatives. Upon graduation, they apply the interpersonal skills they've acquired to start businesses, pursue promotions, and more, using what they have learned to Build Leaders Who Make a Better World.

Future Dentist Finds Success as Custom Cake Entrepreneur

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 15:16:29 GMT

An aspiring dentist with a booming cake business is not a pairing you come across often. For Mina Qarizada, it is simply what happens when creativity and ambition share a kitchen.

PhD Student Finds an Entrepreneurial Calling

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 16:09:13 GMT

Melissa Carvalho set out to fill a gap on her resume. She ended up building something far bigger.

Nationally Ranked HVACR Educator Gets Students Career Ready

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:25:57 GMT

Matthew Lemaster teaches a trade where every lesson has to hold up on the job site.

��Ӱҵ�� Members in the News | September 2026

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:32:15 GMT

Executive, MBA Student Creates Traditions Built to Last

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 13:31:54 GMT

Cisco Trevino did not need another credential to prove himself. He went back to school because he wanted to keep growing.

No Job Is Too Small for Top Business Grad, Law Student

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:40:37 GMT

Many pursue leadership for recognition. Trey Jackson understands that real leadership is closer to the opposite, in the unglamorous work most people would rather skip.

Fall 2026 Speaker Broadcast Announcement

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:09:06 GMT

We’re excited to introduce the Fall 2026 Speaker Broadcast lineup, featuring influential voices across media, business, and entertainment. This season’s speakers bring firsthand insights on leadership, resilience, and what it takes to build lasting impact.

Coastal Carolina University Named ��Ӱҵ�� Strategic Chapter Partner of the Year

Admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:50:38 GMT

CCU's ��Ӱҵ�� Chapter Earns National Recognition for Transforming Student Leadership Through Institutional Innovation, Community Impact, and Academic Integration

MIAMI, FL – The National Society of Leadership and Success (��Ӱҵ��), the nation's largest and only accredited co-curricular leadership honor society, has named Coastal Carolina University (CCU) its Strategic Chapter Partner of the Year, a national distinction recognizing the CCU chapter's exceptional commitment to student success, institutional collaboration, and community impact.

The award was presented to Dr. Daphne Holland, Associate Provost for Student Success, alongside Academic Coaching Specialists Megan Grandey and Jordan Ross, who have led the chapter's transformation into one of the ��Ӱҵ��'s most recognized programs in the country. University President Dr. James Winebrake was also honored for his institution's commitment to embedding leadership development at the highest levels of CCU's academic mission.

A Chapter Built on Infrastructure

When CCU's ��Ӱҵ�� chapter launched in December 2021, it joined an already vibrant campus environment home to more than 10,300 students, 70+ undergraduate majors, and a culture of excellence that includes South Carolina's only Top Producing Fulbright U.S. Student institution. More than 2,800 students would eventually join the ��Ӱҵ�� chapter, but building meaningful engagement required more than enthusiasm.

In Spring 2023, with the chapter's induction rate at 28% — well below the 40% benchmark the team had set as their standard — Dr. Holland and her advisors made a decision: invest a full year in building the kind of student leadership infrastructure that would last beyond any single semester.

That decision changed everything.

What Made the Difference

Under the guidance of Dr. Holland, Grandey, and Ross, the chapter assembled and trained a dedicated Executive Board capable of functioning as true operational partners. Student leaders, including Chapter President Abigail DeVico, were equipped with ��Ӱҵ�� Facilitator Guides, clear role responsibilities, and the skills to support hundreds of members simultaneously. During peak induction periods, the team managed more than 120 member inquiries without sacrificing programming quality.

The chapter also pursued institutional partnerships that elevated its standing from student organization to academic asset. Working through Dr. Holland's office, the chapter established a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Coastal Carolina University, allowing ��Ӱҵ�� Advanced and Executive coursework to earn university credit — a first for CCU. Alyssa Ciccarelli, a first-generation college student, became the first CCU student to complete that coursework and receive credit reciprocity, an achievement celebrated publicly at the Spring Induction Ceremony with Dr. Gibbs Knotts, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, in attendance.

In partnership with the United Way of Horry County, ��Ӱҵ�� members served as trained interns in local schools, delivering early literacy instruction through the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness initiative. Richard Williams, Jr., Director of Education at the United Way of Horry County, described the impact directly: "Having these Coastal Carolina University ��Ӱҵ�� interns embedded in our partner sites has been a game-changer… The interns are trained, prepared, and passionate, and because of them, we're able to reach more students with high-quality early literacy instruction while lightening the load on our teachers."

Voices from the Chapter

Member Meghan Ford captured the personal impact: "The ��Ӱҵ�� speakers have helped me to change my life because I wake up every day with a new attitude."

For Alyssa Ciccarelli, the experience carried particular meaning: "As a first-generation college student, navigating everything on my own has been a journey, and the ��Ӱҵ�� made the process easier, less stressful, and empowering. I am beyond grateful for the confidence, growth, and leadership experience I gained."

Recognition from the ��Ӱҵ��

"Coastal Carolina University exemplifies what it means to be a true strategic partner," said Maryanna Laferriere, Strategic Chapter Manager. "Dr. Holland and her team didn't just run a chapter; they embedded leadership development into the fabric of their institution. They built community partnerships, created academic pathways, and developed student leaders who are making a measurable difference both on campus and beyond. This is exactly the kind of impact the ��Ӱҵ�� was built to support."

��Ӱҵ�� Members in the News | August 2026

The ��Ӱҵ�� — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 13:28:29 GMT