Your Questions, Answered Clearly

The NSHCR is the nation's largest accredited leadership honor society. Students are selected by their college for membership based on either academic standing or leadership potential. Candidacy is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction.

In addition to this honorable distinction, the NSHCR provides a step-by-step program for members to build their leadership skills through participation at their campus or online. Upon completion of the program, members receive their leadership certificate and take their place among the top student leaders at their campus and across the country. Members are able to list their affiliation on all statements of personal accomplishment, including their resume.

Membership provides access to benefits including scholarships and awards, exclusive on-campus events, employer recruitment through an online job bank, and discounts on computers, textbooks, grad school prep courses, insurance, and much more.

The NSHCR exists to recognize, cultivate, and honor leaders while making a lasting, positive change in the world. We strive to help members discover and achieve their goals, and we provide real-world experience that helps ensure our members have the best opportunity to achieve success in their future.

Nomination criteria is determined by local Chapter Leaders and is based on GPA and/or leadership potential. Students invited to their school's chapter have earned distinction with their nomination but must complete the leadership program requirements to become inducted.

Please contact the advisor of your chapter to discuss the criteria of students that were invited to join your NSHCR chapter this semester. Their contact information can be found on the inside of your invitation, on the right hand side toward the bottom of the page.

Sigma Alpha Pi are the Greek letters that the NSHCR uses to represent itself. Sigma Alpha Pi stands for Success, Action, and Purpose — Success coming from continual Action toward one’s Purpose — all of which are the core of the NSHCR identity.

NSHCR members pay a one-time fee of $95 when applying to join the organization. The fee includes all membership benefits and partner discounts. Membership does not expire or need renewal.

Once you have completed the steps to become an official member of the NSHCR, your membership items are sent to your local Chapter Leaders to present to you during the induction ceremony. Your membership kit includes a shirt, certificate, car decal, pin, and plaque (if purchased during registration).

When you join some organizations, the information you receive focuses on material, tangible benefits. The items in your membership kit are nice side benefits, but are not the real value you gain from achieving membership in the NSHCR.

The intangibles that you gain from membership will drive your future and establish you as a leader among your peers, including:

• Improved self-esteem
• Peer leadership skills
• Sustainable motivation and drive
• Paradigms that will help you discover and achieve your dreams
• Real-world skills that will help you outperform your peers in the workplace
• A network of movers and shakers that are all a part of the drive to create lasting, positive change in the world

Additionally, you'll receive other benefits such as online resources, customized letters of recommendation for prospective employers or grad schools, graduation accessories that you may purchase and wear at your ceremony to display your NSLS membership, access to exclusive scholarships and awards, personal Success Coaches, and our entire Keynote speaker series.

Click here to see a list and explanation of our membership benefits.

Yes, you are still able to join the NSHCR and can accept your current nomination. Depending on your circumstances, you'll have one of two options. If the school you're transferring to has an active NSHCR chapter, we can transfer your membership to that new chapter. If it does not have an active chapter, we can transfer your membership to our online chapter.

If you need assistance or would like to discuss your transfer options, please contact Member Experience here.

You can apply for membership by completing our nomination process here. The nomination process requires the recommendation of at least one faculty member and can be completed entirely online. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the National Office. If approved, you will receive a nomination code to join and will be considered a pre-inducted member of the organization.

The one-time membership fee is a requirement that we are unable to waive. If you need more time to sign up, please contact your Chapter Leader (contact information can be found on your invitation) to request his/her permission to sign up after the deadline.

If you would like to start a chapter at your school, apply for our Internship Program here.

If instead, you would like to become an online member, please apply through our nomination process.

The nomination process requires the recommendation of at least one faculty member and can be completed entirely online. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Once the National Advisor approves your online application, you're considered a pre-inducted member. You then go through our online leadership program to become an inducted member and receive numerous, NSHCR-exclusive membership benefits.

The Online Chapter is the same as the program at local chapters, except you don't have to attend events in person and it can all be completed online at your convenience. In addition, rather than a campus advisor, you will be coached by an Advisor at the National Office. Participating in this program will enable you to receive NSHCR-exclusive benefits, such as leadership training from the nation's top speakers and authors, personalized success coaching, impressive resume building, and more. It will also enable you to take a break when you need to and proceed at your own pace through the program.