Start early! Set deadlines, develop an application or nomination, and begin communicating with the university registrar’s office.
Publicize. Make sure all eligible students are aware of Mortar Board! Fliers, chalking, banners, emails and information sessions are all an important part of publicizing Mortar Board to the general student body.
Make direct contact. It is vital to contact each student in the top 35 percent of the junior class regarding their eligibility. The easiest and most cost-effective way to do this is via email. In some cases, the registrar's office will send emails on your behalf.
Get national approval. All selected candidates must be approved by national Mortar Board BEFORE they can officially be selected for membership. This means your chapter must select members, compile the information of selected candidates into the Official Membership Report, and await approval from the National Office.
Collect dues early. Collect all membership fees prior to initiation. Students are not official members of Mortar Board until their information has been reported and fees have been received.
Make (and meet) deadlines. Complete your selection process before February 25. This ensures that you have adequate time to transition and train your new members and officers.
Why membership selection is so important
You know that Mortar Board is different. More than just an honor that you can list on a résumé, membership in Mortar Board is about actively serving your campus community.
How can your chapter really fulfill that vision unless you select the best and brightest leaders to carry on that work? Even a single “off” year for recruitment and selection can have a significant effect on the traditions you – and all of the classes before you – have worked so hard to put in place.
Think of yourselves as stewards of your chapter. You work to build upon existing traditions. But you are also “holding” the legacy of the chapter for the classes that will follow you. A successful selection is one of the most important ways you steward your chapter.
We are here to help you with this time-honored tradition that has existed since the inception of Mortar Board! If you have questions or concerns at any time, contact your section coordinator or the National Office.
It is vital to read the Membership Selection Handbook from cover to cover and use the resources available on this page for additional assistance.
New for 2012! National Mortar Board recruitment video
Use this national Mortar Board video during your recruitment! If you would like to use the video for digital displays around your campus and need it in a different format, email us at the National Office.
National Mortar Board brochure: a great tool
Mortar Board brochures are available, free of charge, to each chapter. These are great for displaying at informational tables during the selection process!
Membership dues make it possible for Mortar Board to provide valuable support and services as well as the honor of lifetime membership in one of the most prestigious national senior honor societies. All chapters are required to monitor payment of individual members and submit their chapter conference fee to the Mortar Board National Office:
Fee
Amount
Paid by
National new member fee
$75*
Member to chapter
Continuing senior fee
$25
Member to chapter
Local new member fee
Varies
Member to chapter
Conference fee
$250**
Chapter from funds
*Based on financial need, each chapter is permitted to waive one new member fee annually. The Coral V. Stevens Gift Membership is selected confidentially, and may be awarded to one new member or a few, up to a maximum of $75. **New price for the 2012 National Conference.
Mortar Board brochures are available, free of charge, to each chapter. These are great for displaying at informational tables during the selection process! 
