It’s beneficial to take up leadership positions when students are involved in a organization, but being a leader involves more than just filling out your resume.

The Northern Leadership Institute aims to be a resource for learning and attaining new skills.

They will be holding their annual Spring Institute on Feb. 26.

“It’s for everybody, whether you’re a new member, an active participating member or part of the executive board,” said Krystal Kleinschmidt, a junior translation in business Spanish major and public relations chair of the institute.

The Northern Leadership Institute began last year and is completely student-run.

The institute began when two graduate students wanted a way for student organizations to promote leadership. Sadiya Khan, a graduate student and chair of the institute, was one of those students.

“We were both very active,” Khan said. “We started talking to other students about how hard it was to train people to become better leaders.”

The Spring Institute will host different sessions in both the morning and afternoon. The opening speaker, lunch speaker and keynote speaker have not yet been determined. Last year’s keynote speaker was former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon.

The sessions will be led by a variety of people.

“We have alums, community leaders and people who have a good relationship with NIU,” Kleinschmidt said.

Khan says the institute is a good chance for people to learn from others who have experience.

“Leadership skills are something you will always need,” Khan said. “We need to constantly improve on our skills.”

Something new that will be added this year is the networking session and a leadership panel.

“People who are at the institute all day might see someone they want to talk to,” Kleinschmidt said. “They will have a chance to talk to other people and session leaders.”

The leadership panel will consist of NIU seniors and recent alumni.

“If you’re a part of an executive board, it’s hard to stay balanced and organized,” Khan said. “They’ll help you with time management and stress management.”

Students can be nominated to attend by faculty members; such as coaches, advisers, deans, community advisers or the CHANCE program.

“It’ll be people who work with a group of students,” Khan said. “The nominations are for people who will benefit from it.”

Students who were nominated will get a letter by next week. If students weren’t nominated, they still have the opportunity to go. Just pick up an application at the University Programming and Activities Office in the Campus Life Building, Room 150. The Spring Institute is free to students.

Students from community colleges around the area also will be invited to come. In all, about 250 students will be allowed to fill the Holmes Student Center.

The deadline to turn in applications is Nov. 30.

Next year, the Northern Leadership Institute will start a seminar series.

The set of seminars will be geared towards different levels of leadership, Kleinschmidt said.

“In the institute, you can only do so much,” Khan said. “The seminars will help us focus on one idea.”