We are one of the 228 chapters that make up Mortar Board, a century-old national honor society that recognizes college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service. Mortar Board provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community.
Purpose
Mortar Board, Inc., as an honor society, is an association of individuals selected for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership and service, which recognizing the advantages of a national union of senior honor societies, has formed a national honor society, whose purpose shall be to facilitate cooperation among those societies, to contribute to the self-awareness of its members, to promote equal opportunities among all peoples, to emphasize the advancement of the status of women, to support the ideals of the college or university, to advance a spirit of scholarship, to recognize and encourage leadership, to provide service, and to establish the opportunity for a meaningful exchange of ideas as individuals and as a group.
Mission
Mortar Board, Inc., a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service, provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. (Adopted July 1994)
Motto
Our motto is Pi Sigma Alpha, letters that correspond to three Greek words representing the ideals of Mortar Board: scholarship, service and leadership.
Symbol
A mortarboard, an ancient symbol of honor and distinction, represents the organization. Many early scholars adopted the clerical or monastic robes as a symbol, illustrating their devotion to learning.
Colors
Our colors are gold (representing achievement) and silver (symbolizing opportunity).
Certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies
Mortar Board has been a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies continuously since 1937, when it became the first women’s organization admitted to membership. Many Mortar Board leaders have served as presidents of this august body. Membership in ACHS guarantees that a society meets strict criteria designed to ensure student growth and tangible, lifelong benefits to belonging. Mortar Board joins ACHS in urging caution before accepting invitations from noncertified groups. ACHS provides an Information Alert to facilitate this examination.More information can be found on the Mortar Board National Organization Website.