Mortar Board Alumni News

Furthering your education? Apply for a national fellowship by January 31.

Each year, the Mortar Board National Foundation awards fellowships to members of all ages in order to assist in financing their postgraduate education. Thousands of dollars will be available for Mortar Board fellowships for the 2009-2010 academic year, with applications due on or before January 31, 2009.

Recipients are chosen for academic excellence, recommendation, promise, financial need and Mortar Board involvement. Since the establishment of the Mortar Board fellowship program in 1941, more than $500,000 has been awarded to members pursuing further study in graduate or professional school.

Honor an outstanding alumna or alumnus

Mortar Board’s extraordinary alumni members are at the heart of the organization as it continues to grow year after year. In order to show appreciation for these devoted alumni, Mortar Board annually awards outstanding members with the awards listed below. If you know a qualified member or think you deserve an award, submit a nomination by March 15, 2009. To nominate an outstanding alumni member, click here.

Alumni Achievement Award
Alumni who have been out of school for a minimum of five years and are not currently in a national leadership position or an advisor to a collegiate chapter are eligible for this award. Individuals, collegiate chapters, alumni chapters or national leadership members may nominate potential recipients. Nominees should:

have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their profession or their career, are noted for outstanding community service or both;
have shown a continuing commitment to the Mortar Board ideals of scholarship, leadership and service;
are outstanding role models for collegiate members;
are between five and 40 years from their undergraduate degree.

Distinguished Lifetime Membership Award
Alumni that have devoted themselves to Mortar Board throughout their life and are not currently in a national leadership position or an advisor to a collegiate chapter are eligible to receive this award. Additionally, these candidates:

have retained connections or contacts with Mortar Board in either collegiate or alumni areas
have demonstrated outstanding community or campus service on a national or an international level
epitomize the true meaning of "lifetime of service"
have had substantial years pass since being awarded their undergraduate degree

Get involved - run for the National Council

Becoming a part of the National Council gives alumni numerous unique opportunities. Council members serve as the governing board of directors, meet members from all over the country, network with student leaders and professionals, and much more!

At this year’s national conference (held July 24-26, 2009 in Chicago), members will elect several positions to serve a two-year term, including:

President-elect - coordinates the work of the standing committees, serves as national president in the absence or disability of the president, and serves as president for one term following their term as president-elect
Vice president - serves as a liaison to the section coordinators and to the national membership committee
Secretary-treasurer - has charge of all funds and is responsible for the preparation of a national budget, keeps accurate minutes of each regular and special meeting of the National Council and of the national conference and investigates sound future financial planning
Alumni representative - serves as a liaison to various standing committees, assists the National Foundation as necessary and performs other duties as assigned by the National Council
Student representative - to be elected, a candidate must be a collegiate member when elected; they shall serve as liaisons to various standing committees and assist the National Foundation as necessary

Nominations for potential candidates should be submitted no later than March 15, 2009. If you are not interested in running for a position as a National Council member, there are still many other opportunities to get involved. Serve as a national committee member, National Foundation trustee or section coordinator. Simply complete this alumni update form and we will contact you regarding your interest!

Questions regarding running for the National Council? Contact Nominations Chair Bill Niederer at mbforum@mortarboard.org.

Mortar Board Forum magazine in homes now

The semi-annual Mortar Board Forum magazine arrived in homes last month. The edition features stories such as how a member transitioned from a technology career to writing children's books, a generational look at Mortar Board, project updates from chapters across the nation and a historical look at Mortar Board's founding.

If you aren’t a Forum subscriber, you can still read the electronic edition online now. Feel free to update your Mortar Board e-mail subscription preferences to be notified when each electronic edition of the Mortar Board Forum becomes available.

If you would like to receive a mailed copy of the spring/summer 2009 edition of the Mortar Board Forum magazine, you may start subscribing today!

Share your Mortar Board stories with the commemorative historical book

Do you have great Mortar Board stories, photos or memorabilia? Or, would you like to serve as a chapter's permanent historical liaison to assist with the book? Please contact the national Historical Publication Committee at history@mortarboad.org as they prepare for the publication of Mortar Board's centennial history book.
Learn more here.

Celebrate Mortar Board Week, Feb. 15 - 21, 2009

Mortar Board Week, celebrating Mortar Board’s 91st anniversary, will be held this year Feb.15 - 21.

Honor Mortar Board's founding by wearing your official Mortar Board lapel pin throughout the week or by supporting a local collegiate chapter.

Note to members

The Mortar Board National Office wants to know all about you - awards, new jobs, accomplishments, life events, and more! Update us using an easy online form or by sending an e-mail.

Find an alumni chapter
or
Start a new alumni chapter

Mortar Board alumni spotlight

Marilyn Wirtz
The University of Iowa, Initiated in 1977
2008 Mortar Board Alumni Achievement Award recipient

While obtaining both her B.S. and M.A. from The University of Iowa, Marilyn Wirtz began her more than 30-year relationship with Mortar Board. This strong bond developed while Marilyn served as her collegiate chapter’s treasurer from 1977 to 1978. Immediately after graduating, she continued her Mortar Board involvement by joining the area alumni chapter, serving as the collegiate chapter’s advisor and beginning her nearly 10-year tenure as a section coordinator. She then moved on to the National Council, where she served as the national membership chair, followed by the position of vice president and finally topped with nine years as a National Foundation trustee.

Professionally, Marilyn has moved from several teaching positions to her most recent role as principal at Hoover Elementary School, from which she retired this year. Through her many years of devotion to education, she has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, held many professional memberships, taken part in task forces and given countless hours to community service. Specifically, her community and volunteer activities include serving on the Hancher Performing Arts Center Advisory Board; previously serving as president of the Hancher Performing Arts Center Guild; holding positions of both president and treasurer in the Altrusa Club of Iowa City; providing service and guidance as a lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Mary’s Church; serving as president of the University Newcomers Club; serving as a leader for the Girl Scouts and giving back as a member of the Junior League.

Nominator Ruth Skelley, president of the Staff and Circle Alumni Chapter, explains that "not only does [Marilyn] personally present a living model to our actives and alumni, her record of service to our organization is a model of dedication."

Each year at the Mortar Board National Conference, alumni members are honored with either the Alumni Achievement Award or the Distinguished Lifetime Membership Award. Nominations are accepted through March 15 of the award year. To nominate yourself or another alumna/alumnus to be honored in 2009, please use this form.

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