Mortar Board Chapter Receives National Award

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Cap & Gown chapter at Midwestern State University was among the outstanding Mortar Board chapters to be recognized at the 2012 Mortar Board National Conference, held in Chicago in late July. 

The Cap & Gown chapter received the Silver Torch Award. This honor is presented to chapters executing timeliness and dedication while exemplifying the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service. Silver Torch Award recipients are selected based on a review of national records, requiring that the chapter meet all of the national minimum standards and deadlines. 

Chapter president Garen Thomas was present to accept the chapter's award. 

Mortar Board is the premier national honor society recognizing college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. Since its founding in 1918, the Society has grown from four to 229 chartered collegiate chapters with more than a quarter-million members across the nation. The Cap & Gown chapter at Midwestern State University was chartered in 1981 and currently has 21 members. 

Mortar Board provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. Some notable Mortar Board members include pioneering engineer Lillian Gilbreth, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Emmy-winning actor Rue McClanahan, astronauts Judith Resnik and Janice Voss, adventurer Aron Ralston, and lifestyle expert Bruce Littlefield.