By Catherine Gonzalez
Staff Writer
The College’s Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) circle, or the National Leadership Honor Society, is currently running their annual applications.
ODK hosts meetings where students can learn how to become better leaders.
“My favorite part of being in ODK is having the opportunity to build upon my leadership skills through the professional development opportunities offered,” said Matthew Yuro, a sophomore special education, elementary education and history major who is a member of ODK.
ODK also gives students the chance to learn more about the world of leadership from their peers, in addition to learning about themselves as leaders.
“We recently had a ‘Leadership Styles Workshop’ where we identified our styles and talked about facing different conflicts with those styles,” said Catie Murray, a senior psychology major and vice president of ODK. “We also talked about our past experiences in navigating conflict and how to learn from those experiences. I was surprised how well some students handled difficult conversations and made hard decisions. I will be taking some of the members' advice next time I encounter a sticky situation.”
Acceptance requirements include being a rising sophomore, junior or senior, having a minimum GPA of 3.4, and holding at least one leadership position in one of ODK’s Five Pillars of Leadership: Academics and Research, Athletics, Service to Campus and Community, Communications, and Creative and Performing Arts.
Students must also have obtained the necessary application information by either attending an interest meeting on Feb. 21, Feb. 22, or Feb. 26, viewing the slideshow presentation provided in the “This Week @ TCNJ” email for the week of March 6 or contacting the ODK E-Board via email at odkhonorsociety@tcnj.edu.
Applications include a Google Form focusing on students’ leadership experiences and a form linked therein leading to ODK’s national website, which focuses on more objective affairs.
“The part of the application that is on ODK’s national website is in partnership so ODK knows we are following a minimum of the application rules, and so they can learn who is interested in the organization,” Murray said. “It is just numbers and demographic data, so our Google Form is to get to know who at TCNJ is applying to our organization. The behavioral-based questions are the best way to see who will be a good fit.”
Both forms are due by Sunday, March 19. Applicants can expect to hear the acceptance decision during the beginning of April.
Once accepted, students must pay $96 in dues before the Induction Ceremony on April 28 at 8 p.m. $94 will go to the national organization and will be paid through the ODK website, and $2 will go to the College’s circle and be paid in cash or Venmo to ODK’s treasurer, junior nursing major Emily Joseph.
The College’s chapter does not have a quota for how many applicants they accept each year. Thus, everybody is encouraged to apply.
“You don't need to have the most impressive resume or positions to apply,” Murray said, “just demonstrate an interest in learning to become a better leader.”
