Mortar Board awards its one-millionth dollar in aid

April 30, 2012

The Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board awarded its overall one-millionth dollar in scholarships, fellowships and awards during its annual banquet.

Monetary awards given at the April 14 event included 10 Mortar Board Fellowships at $2,500 each; the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion, a $1,500 award to a faculty member; and the Dean Betty Nelson Award, a community service award that consists of $500 to a winning student and $500 to a winning student organization.

Mortar Board began giving scholarships in 1945, when it allocated $10 to be used alongside funds from the Panhellenic Association and the Golden Peppers organization. By 1976, it had given $13,500 in scholarships and fellowships. In 2000, that number reached more than $580,000 in scholarships, fellowships and awards.

Since 1945, Mortar Board has raised funds for these monetary awards primarily through the annual sale of its calendar. This year, the organization sold about 31,000 calendars.