Mortar Board Pallas Chapter Orientation

Mortar Board???  What makes people do THIS? What makes people do THIS?

What I am getting into?  It’s a family. It’s a family.

National Information  Founded in 1918, originally for senior women  Scholarship, Leadership, Service  alumni and >200 chapters, nationwide!  -- has LOTS of informationhttp://

National Project  “Reading is Leading”  Made the permanent national project in  Goal is to get people back into books by advocating reading.  Virtual Book Drive: Fundraising challenge in which chapters compete to raise funds to bring new books to local programs serving children from low-income families. Visit:

Louisville Mortar Board  Since 1947; descended from Pallas Honorary 1932  Around 1500 chapter alumni  Put out Official UL Planner c  Lots of work – we’d need help  Can revive it – IU has great sales with alumni  Time window will close if we don’t take action Service projects: help with soup kitchens, book drives, on campus lectures, advertise public talks, work with children’s homes, Academic Hall of Fame, etc.

Officers  EVERYONE has a job and should lead something  Usual: President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer  Others: Service, Social (build the group!), Recruitment, Alumni, Tapping, Orientation, Planner (when we do it), Webmaster, Fundraising (important!) See next slides for details.  We’re free to set up as we like  We usually have many co-chairs  Everyone should write an annual report for chapter

Officers  President: sets agenda, meets regularly with advisor(s), usually attends national conference, fills in reports for national office, delegates, leads both by example and by encouraging others to be leaders, annual report for national office  VP: helps President as needed, often takes charge of a few key projects; takes over if President gets ill etc.  Treasurer: handles bank account, writes checks (co- signed by advisor), writes financial reports for national office, keeps accurate financial records, annual report for national office

Some office descriptions – co- chairs, multiple jobs possible  Secretary: get people’s schedules before the semester starts, put up electronic polls for meeting times if they’re not at regular times, call meetings (the more advance, the better)  Flower Chair: organize flower sales, enlist other members to help  Recruitment/membership Chair: advertise annual application time - newspaper, blitzes, writing to RSOs, collect applications, ensure they’re complete  Tapping Chair: organize tapping, keep track of who is tapped (can be shared with another position)

Some Office Descriptions  Service Chair: think up, plan, run service projects (with all members) – MOST important!  Orientation/Induction Chair: plan and run these two crucial early events (can be shared with another position)  Alumni Chair: correspond with alumni, work with UL Alumni Association  Fundraising Chair: think up, plan and organize fundraising events for Chapter expenses or charity  Social Chair: think up, plan, run social events (with all members) – very important!

Some office descriptions  Historian: attend events, take pictures, generate document at end of year with photos (at least a couple of pages), liaise with previous historians to put together chapter history  Communication/Social Media/PR: head up communications with other RSOs (joint service projects, social events etc.), general public, advertising, Facebook etc.  Webmaster: keep up website

Some office descriptions  Special Projects: Academic Hall of Fame – maintain lists, research history of national scholarship winners (after earning Bachelor’s or above)  Special Projects: Annual Lecture – coordinate search for a speaker, work with partner depts./RSOs, apply for CPC funds, organize visit and publicity for lecture  Planner/Calendar: investigate detailed plan how to revive it for the long term (with alumni help), if chapter desires

Advantages of Membership  Prestige and Opportunities  Career and graduate school networking and assistance  Access to Mortar Board job search engine and to a scholarship search engine listing more than $3 billion in awards  Alumni networking, training and leadership opportunities  Access to internships, scholarships and educational opportunities  Portfolium Resumé/CV exchange with Mortar Board members/alumni

Advantages of Membership  Discounts and Services  Special membership discount on GEICO auto insurance  Kaplan test preparation discounts (15 percent off)  Tuition insurance from GradGuard, which helps to cover the non-refunded cost of attendance including tuition fees, room/board and other legitimate expenses  Affordable student health insurance and short-term medical coverage from GradGuard  Special discounts from T-Mobile

Advantages of Membership  Postgraduate Fellowships  Current members and alumni furthering their education in a postgraduate field are invited to apply for Mortar Board fellowships.  Recipients are chosen for academic excellence, recommendation, promise, financial need and Mortar Board involvement.

Expectations of Membership  This is an active service organization. Participation in meetings and at least 2 service projects/semester are the goal. Commitment to active participation up to graduation. Participation in activities  National fee $80 (one can be waived), local fee $15  At least one rep to national conference, Atlanta, first weekend in August (chapter and national office pay), others encouraged to attend

Induction Information  Friday, April 15, 4:45pm  Chao Auditorium  Dress is business casual  Family, friends, and other guests are invited and welcome

Ode  We Mortar Board, receive you  With welcome hearts and hands,  To represent the noble aims  For which our college stands.  And this, our aim, what e’er befall,  Respond to Alma Mater’s call.  Be honest, loyal, true and strong  As future Mortar Boards.

Congratulations!  Welcome to the Pallas Chapter of Mortar Board!