Mortar Board
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Mortar Board is a national honor society whose membership is composed of outstanding students dedicated to the values of scholarship, leadership, and service. The Cornell University Der Hexenkreis chapter is the oldest, and was founded in 1892[1]. This chapter predates the national society's founding in 1918. Other charter chapters include Swarthmore College, The Ohio State University, The University of Michigan, The University of Florida, and the University of Pennsylvania.
While it is an honor to be selected for membership in Mortar Board, it is the commitment to serve which differentiates an honor society from an honorary. Accepting membership means accepting the responsibility and obligation to be an active participant in chapter activities. This commitment is an agreement to actively engage in the community in the name of Mortar Board's mission.
Though many of the traditions within the society are secret, the membership of each chapter is public. This differentiates Mortar Board from many of the secret societies that were formed at the same time in the late 19th century.
Mortar Board chapters across the nation are challenged to provide thoughtful leadership to the campus and community, to create an environment of effective communication, to move toward a meaningful goal, and to maintain the ideals of the society. Each chapter has the autonomy to determine its own implementation of the goals, National Project, and resolutions and recommendations set forth by delegates to the National Conference.
Mortar Board has 226 chartered chapters nationwide and 19 alumni chapters. Since 1892, more than a quarter of a million college seniors have been initiated into the group.
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[edit] Mortar Board and Women
Mortar Board was the first all-female honor society and continues to promote women's interests today. The organization became co-ed in 1975 following Title IX, at which point a clause was added in the Preamble to the Constitution to include a "commitment to the advancement of the status of women." Following a revision of the Mortar Board governing documents, that statement was incorporated into the organization's stated purpose rather than in the now non-existent Preamble to the Constitution.
[edit] Notable alumni
Nearly a quarter of a million members have been initiated nationwide, with amazing careers in numerous fields. Just a few of the notable alumni are:
- Distinguished politician Condoleezza Rice
- Astronaut on the space shuttle Challenger Judith Resnick
- Best-selling author Aron Ralston
- Professional football player Drew Brees
- Best-selling author Bruce Littlefield
- Writer and motivational speaker David Coleman
Additionally, numerous community and international leaders have been named honorary members. To name a few:
- Professional cyclist Lance Armstrong
- Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
- Poet Maya Angelou
- Former President Jimmy Carter
- Former Mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani
- First woman in space Sally Ride
- American educator, minister, songwriter and television host Fred Rogers
[edit] National Structure
Mortar Board, Inc. is a student-governed organization with national officers coming from the ranks of its alumni. Each year, student delegates meet at the national conference to set policies for the organization to be carried out by the national officers.
Leadership from the students
Mortar Board is governed by active collegiate members. Members annually attend the national conference, with one delegate from each collegiate chapter serving as a voting member of the organization, a responsibility restricted to active student members. These voting delegates determine the national dues and goals of the organization, as well as elect the National Council from the ranks of Mortar Board’s alumni and collegiate members. The structure of Mortar Board, including its purposes and Bylaws, is reviewed annually at the national conference.
National Office
The national headquarters for the organization is located in Columbus, Ohio as an affiliate of The Ohio State University. This office is the source of records and information related to chapter operations, national conferences, alumni, the Mortar Board National Foundation and the historical archives of Mortar Board. The staff enacts policies and procedures established by the National Council and the Mortar Board National Foundation. The National Office staff includes an Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, Communications Coordinator, and Program Assistant.
National Council
The National Council, elected by collegiate members, is charged with guiding the long-term future of the organization, pending any changes decided upon by delegates to the national conferences. All National Council members volunteer to serve Mortar Board with two-year terms (with a maximum of two consecutive terms in any one office, with the positions of president, president-elect and student representative being limited to one term).
National Foundation
The National Foundation was established in 1955 as the fundraising arm of Mortar Board, as well as to serve the educational aims of Mortar Board, Inc. The mission of the National Foundation is to support Mortar Board, Inc. in furthering its ideals of scholarship, leadership and service. Its primary goals are to provide fellowships to Mortar Board alumni pursuing graduate and professional degrees, grant funds to collegiate chapters for special projects that will enhance their contributions to their campus and community and raise funds to support leadership and service initiatives through grants to Mortar Board.
A board of trustees governs the National Foundation. These trustees are volunteers who coordinate the fundraising efforts in collaboration with the staff at the National Office, oversee the investment of the funds and administer the fellowship program and chapter project grants. Fundraising sources include contributions from Mortar Board members, alumni and chapters, along with royalties and donations from corporate partnerships.
Section coordinators
Section coordinators work directly with chapters, serving as close primary contacts for chapters within a specified geographic region. The section coordinator is available to assist the chapters with a variety of tasks, including the completion of forms, execution of events and activities and assistance with communication with the National Office. Alongside the National Council, section coordinators communicate, facilitate and establish continuity within the organization.
(See the diagram to the right for specific information about the structural breakdown.)
[edit] Affiliations
Mortar Board is an affiliate of the Association of College Honor Societies. Mortar Board was invited into the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) in 1937, the only female honor society of its kind to be invited at the time. ACHS is a national organization that provides resources and fosters communication between over sixty honor societies across the country.
Mortar Board is an affiliate of Ohio State University. In 1970, the Mortar Board National Office was established on the campus of the Ohio State University. Today, the National Office remains an affiliate of The Ohio State University and the office is located near campus.
[edit] The Mortar Board National Foundation
The Mortar Board National Foundation, the fundraising arm of Mortar Board, was established in 1955 to serve the educational aims of Mortar Board, Inc. Its primary goals are to:
- Provide fellowships to Mortar Board alumni pursuing graduate and professional degrees;
- Grant funds to active chapters for special projects that will enhance their contributions to their campus and community; and
- Raise funds to support Mortar Board programs that further the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.
The National Foundation is governed by six trustees, who are volunteers and coordinate the fundraising efforts, oversee the investments of the funds, and administer the fellowship, chapter project grant and other programs. Fundraising sources include a contribution from Mortar Board members through their dues, donations from individuals and chapters, merchandise sales, and a Mortar Board credit card.
