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Service at the heart of Mortar Board
Members of Section 22 annually participate in a clean-up effort for the Garden of the GodsMortar Board’s three key ideals of scholarship, leadership and service are the foundation of the organization.  Providing service to your campus and within your own community carries beyond your planned chapter activities. Your individual efforts can make a significant difference in the community (and world).  Here are just a few things that you can do on your own, to share the service ideal of Mortar Board in your community:

  • Play with cats or walk dogs at a local animal shelter
  • Give blood as a part of an area blood drive
  • Help out at a local library
  • Donate used goods such as books, furniture or apparel to a charity
  • Volunteer at a soup kitchen
  • Help to raise money online by simply clicking links on click-to-give Web sites, such as all those available through CharityUSA, including the Literacy Site.

We need your help: 
What does Mortar Board mean to you?
Each year, new members of Mortar Board receive the Official Membership Booklet.  In order to support the Mortar Board ideals and explain what Mortar Board is to the new members, we would love to share your own words on why Mortar Board membership is so important. 

So, what does Mortar Board mean to you?  Some ideas are:

  • Has being involved in Mortar Board changed your college experience (and how)?
  • Do you have any great Mortar Board memories?  What is your favorite/best one?
  • What is your favorite part about being involved in Mortar Board?
  • Do you think Mortar Board is different from other honor societies you belong to? How/why?

Help us shape the Mortar Board of tomorrow by using this easy online form.  We would also love to have pictures, so e-mail a photo and your name to mbforum@mortarboard.org if you would like it to be included with your testimonial.  It can be anything from a headshot to you in action with your Mortar Board team! 

College students help America
According to a study released last year by the Corporation for National & Community Service, between 2002 and 2005, the number of college students volunteering has rapidly grown more than 20 percent, a sharp jump from 2.7 million to 3.3 million. 

Chapter members read to elementary students as a part of a Reading is Leading literacy service event.Overall, roughly 30 percent of college students are volunteering, with nearly half doing it on a regular basis.  Tutoring, teaching and mentoring topped the list of service activities, followed by fundraising and hunger relief efforts.  Mortar Board members are among those devoting so much time to service, giving the most time to community-based projects followed by pro-literacy Reading is Leading projects. 

The Corporation for National & Community Service hopes to increase the number of college students volunteering each year to five million by 2010, and you can be a part of that. For more information on the Corporation, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

Congratulations to our outstanding chapters!
2006-2007 Golden Torch Award recipients at the 2007 National Conference in Columbus, OhioEach year at the annual national conference, Mortar Board’s excellent chapters are given awards for their outstanding devotion to the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.

Congratulations to our 2006-2007 recipients, and we hope that all the chapters will strive to be on this list next year! Click to see the list.

Are you proud to be in Mortar Board?  Let your friends and family know
Be featured in your hometown newspaper!Mortar Board offers press release services for sharing the news of your initiation into this prominent honor society.  Simply fill out a request form online and we will create a tailor-made press release, complete with information about your other accomplishments, and send it directly to the newspapers or organizations of your choice. 

Request your press release today. 

Introducing easy online ordering for all Mortar Board merchandise. Shop now!

Defining
Mortar Board

"Mortar Board has given me the opportunity to work with a very motivated group of leaders and work on a number of community service projects.  It has been an excellent opportunity to improve my own leadership skills.  My favorite part of being in Mortar Board was organizing Turkey for a Day, a charity event, in which students vote, using monetary funds, on a to professor dress in a Turkey costume around Thanksgiving.  All proceeds go to fund underprivileged families Thanksgiving dinners.  I am really glad I had the opportunity to be a member of Mortar Board."

Elizabeth Lingg
Carnegie Mellon University
Class of 2007

Turkey for a Day is a longstanding annual tradition on Carnegie Mellon’s campus.  The Eta chapter of Mortar Board selects a project manager to oversee the charitable event.  Students pay a small fee to vote for a professor they would like to see dressed as a turkey for a selected day near Thanksgiving.  Proceeds go to an area charity, Carnegie Mellon Thanksgiving Baskets Charity, to provide underprivileged families with Thanksgiving dinners. 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, now is the time to start a Turkey for a Day campaign on your campus! 

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! Save 10% Sept. 1 - Nov. 15 when you purchase $25 or more in Mortar Board merchandise. Does not apply to jewelry, furniture, graduation regalia purchases or shipping charges. Maximum discount of $10 per customer. Only valid when $25 or more is spent between September 1 and November 15, 2007.

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