Mortar Board, Inc. is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. Mortar Board began in 1918 as the first national organization honoring senior college women. When the Society opened its membership to men in 1975, the organization maintained a tribute to the founders and its heritage by strengthening the Preamble to the Constitution by including a commitment to the advancement of the status of women. The San Diego State University Chapter of Mortar Board was founded in 1932 as the Cap and Gown Honor Society. In 1965, the chapter was recognized as a member of the National College Senior Honor Society, or simply what is known today as Mortar Board.

In ancient days, students from many lands who spoke diverse tongues were able to meet on a common ground by using the classic language of learning; and so we, students in many universities and colleges, are bound together by a motto shown to the world by three Greek leters, Pi, Sigma, Alpha, representing the ideals of Mortar Board: Service, Scholarship, and Leadership.

Mortar Board is a senior honor society. We accept 40 students from an eligible pool of over 2500 based on scholarship, leadership, and service. We hold monthly meetings and put on many events during the school year. Two of our big events are a facutly-staff appreciation dinner where we invite a faculty or staff member who has particularly inspired us during our college career, and the other big event is the Emeritus Faculty and Staff Outstanding Service Awards ceremony at which we honor members of the SDSU community for their service to the community by placing a bronze plaque at the base of a campus tree.

Tapping will occur the week of April 13 2009. During this time, current members of Mortar Board go into classes of the 40 newly selected students and invite them publicly to join the society. If you are eligible, I strongly suggest you apply. Being selected to Mortar Board is a high honor.

Mortar Board's ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service could easily be described by the preamble of the Mortar Board organization:

• To facilitate cooperation among senior honor societies and to contribute to the self-awareness of its members,
• To promote equal opportunities among all people and to emphasize the advancement of the status of women,
• To support the ideals of the university,
• To advance a spirit of scholarship,
• To recognize and encourage leadership,
• And to provide service and to establish the opportunity for a meaningful exchange of ideas as individuals and as a group.

2003 - Ruth Mount Chapter Excellence Award This award is given to only one chapter which has been selected by the national board as the most outstanding chapter in the nation.

2008 - Golden Torch Award This award is given ot the chapters who not only meet the minimum standards set by national, but also excel above the minimum standards of scholarship, leadership, and service.

Other chapter awards:

• Chapter of Excellence Awards 2008
  • Alumni Relations
  • Mortar Board Planner
  • Backpack Stuffing
  • Emeritus Facutly and Staff Outstanding Service Award
  • Faculty Staff Apprecation Dinner
  • Honors Council
  • Last Lecture Series

Since 2000, students who are members and participate in all five university-wide honor societies (Phi Eta Sigma, Golden Key, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, and Phi Beta Kappa) receive the Henry L. Janssen Honors Council Award. Recipients are listed in the SDSU Commencement program and receive a scholarship award.

Members of Mortar Board work together to play an active role in leadership and service on campus and in the community. Present activities of the Cap and Gown Chapter include:

• Emeritus Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Outstanding Service Awards Ceremony
• Faculty and Staff Appreciation Dinner
• Philanthropy Projects
• Mortar Board Daily Planner and Calendar of Events
• Participation in Honors Council
• Tapping Honorary Members
• Initiations
• Alumni Luncheon
• Senior Luncheon

If you do not need further convincing that you want to join Mortar Board, check out the Apply portion of our site. You will find all the details you need to apply for Mortar Board!