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Virtual Book Drive raised more than $25,000 The second annual Virtual Book Drive, held in conjunction with national nonprofit First Book, successfully raised more than $25,478.85 to contribute to the battle against illiteracy. In full, 56 chapters participated in this fundraising challenge. Overlapping with Mortar Board's national project, "Reading is Leading," the Virtual Book Drive allows Mortar Board chapters, alumni and friends to join forces to provide children from low-income backgrounds with their very first brand-new book. Last year, 46 chapters raised more than $25,000 for the Virtual Book Drive. The chapters who raised the most in 2009 are as follows:
Honorable mentions (listed in alphabetical order):
Hope College not only received the top award for the overall chapter challenge and supported Pine Creek Elementary School, but received each monthly top donor award during the drive for August, September, October and November, resulting in an additional $400 in Borders gift cards to support a second recipient, CASA (Children’s After School Achievement). Illiteracy is linked to nearly every major socioeconomic crisis today. Children who cannot read are statistically more likely as adults to suffer poor health, struggle in the job market, rely on government assistance, and find themselves in the criminal justice system. Since 2002, Mortar Board has made a national commitment to combat illiteracy with the "Reading is Leading" initiative. Mortar Board Week is coming soon
In 2010, the 92nd anniversary celebration will be honored by chapters holding events that exemplify the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service on their campus. These range from community service events to leadership expositions. All members, including alumni, are encouraged to wear their official Mortar Board pin throughout Mortar Board Week. Can't find your pin? Order a new one now! Furthering your education? Apply for a Mortar Board 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 2010-2011 academic year, with applications due on or before January 31, 2010. 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.
Mortar Board alumnus David Needs named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year David Needs, current advisor for the Panathenees chapter at Carson-Newman College and a 1990 Mortar Board initiate, has been named Division II Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Needs, the quarterbacks coach, is in his 14th season at Carson-Newman, and 17th season overall. He also played quarterback at Carson-Newman, and was a part of the 1988 and ’89 national championships. He has been a part of 10 South Atlantic Conference titles and three national championship games while on the football coaching staff. In addition to his football responsibilities, Needs serves as head men’s and women’s track coach. |
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
Thank you for your year-end gifts The Mortar Board National Foundation would like to thank all of our outstanding alumnae and alumni supporters for year-end gifts to the Foundation. These gifts will help support fellowships, leadership training, chapter project grants, the annual national conference and more. Mortar Board historical book in research stages 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. Is your alma mater in the "spotlight"? During the academic year, Mortar Board recognizes a chapter for its excellence each month. A list of honorees is available online. Mortar Board Week T-shirt sale Share your Mortar Board pride this February with a classic white tee at a limited-time low price of just $4.99 each. |
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| Mortar Board alumni spotlight | ||||||
Sheila Castellarin
Immediately following her 1958 graduation with a B.S. in human ecology from The Ohio State University, Sheila Castellarin joined the greater Columbus Mortar Board alumni chapter and has since served in nearly every chapter office and attended almost every meeting. Other officers in the Mortar Board alumni chapter have described Sheila as a responsible, organized, efficient, thoughtful, and strong leader. While continually growing professionally at Columbia Gas to the position of vice president for communications and consumer affairs, she always made time for service to her community. For the past 10 years, she has managed the greater Columbus Mortar Board alumni chapter’s scholarship program, distributing approximately $50,000 to deserving students each year and continually fostering growth of the scholarship endowment fund. In addition to the alumni chapter, Sheila has served two, three-year terms on The Ohio State University Mortar Board Alumni Council and is currently serving on a committee to celebrate the chapter’s centennial in 2014. Her devotion to Mortar Board and what she refers to as the “love of her life,” The Ohio State University, is seemingly endless. Her limitless service to the university has consisted of countless memberships and roles, including membership on the university’s Advisory Committee on Women, a five-year term on the OSU Alumni Association’s board of directors as both an officer and committee chair, serving as president of the Alumnae Council, and a six-year term on the prestigious Alumni Advisory Council. For this service, she has been recognized by The Ohio State University with the Centennial Distinguished Alumni Award in 1970, the Distinguished Service Award in 1995, the John B. Gerlach Development Volunteer Award in 1997 and the Ralph Davenport Mershon Award in 1999. Many other central Ohio organizations have had the great privilege of receiving service from Sheila, including the Columbus Metropolitan Library, BalletMet, Columbus Day U.S.A. Association, WOSU board of trustees, Riverside Methodist Hospital Foundation Development Council, Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Catholic Diocese of Columbus Foundation. 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 2010, please use this form. |
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Each year, Mortar Board members commemorate the February 15, 1918 founding of Mortar Board with a celebration: 
