Senior Monica Contreras received a support grant from the National Society of Leadership and Success, an organization whose goal is to build leaders for tomorrow.

To join the organization, you have to be referred by a teacher, go through a day of training, and meet with a success networking team. You will then meet with the team twice a month to create goals and brainstorm ways to achieve them.

While she was studying at Mercyhurst North East, Contreras was referred by one of her professors, who thought that she had the ability to receive the scholarship.

Contreras was the president of her chapter for the 2010-11 school year where she ran informational meetings, training days, and induction ceremonies.

As a member, you meet with people from your chapter in small groups and network.

You also attend live streams that have famous and successful people and discuss their lives and hardships on where they are. The most recent speaker that they watched was Hilary Duff.

There are over 200 colleges and universities nationwide that have chapters, with over 200,000 members. The North East chapter has over 80 members and is getting bigger.

This year, Contreras won their “Dream Support Grant.” The National Society of Leadership and Success offers many different types of grants, but Contreras said that she chose this one because it connected to her background and what she’s trying to accomplish.

Contreras talked about her dream of “graduating with her bachelor’s degree and becoming a bilingual social worker to helping community immigrants succeeding and becoming more than immigrants and having the American Dream apply to them.”

To apply for the scholarship, Contreras had to do community service hours, write a 500 word essay, community service hours, two recommendation hours, and be an inducted member of the organization.

The $1,000 scholarship grant will go to her tuition.