March 8, 2005

Calendar sales fuel Purdue Mortar Board fellowships

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Thanks to the sale of more than 28,000 calendars this year, Purdue's Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board will present at least 10 fellowships totaling $2,500 each to Purdue seniors who plan to pursue graduate education.

In order to be eligible for one of the Mortar Board fellowships, students must be seniors who graduated in December 2004 or plan to graduate before December 2005 and will pursue an advanced degree in graduate or professional studies in the next academic year. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 also is required.

Applications for the fellowships are available on the Purdue Mortar Board Web site. Applications must be turned in at Schleman Hall, Room 250, by 5 p.m. on March 21.

Over the past 59 years, Purdue Mortar Board has given $791,000 in fellowships to Purdue students pursuing graduate degrees, with a vast majority of the fellowship funds coming from the sale of calendars.

"The Mortar Board calendars are so ubiquitous around campus that you almost forget that they represent such an enormous fund-raising effort," said Pablo Malavenda, associate dean of students and Mortar Board adviser. "Through the awarding of these fellowships, Mortar Board seeks to benefit and recognize students who show potential leadership in their chosen field and in their community."

Mortar Board members are selected for their achievements in scholarship, service to the university community and leadership. It is the first national organization to honor senior college women, admitting men only after 1975.

The Purdue chapter of Mortar Board was chartered in 1926 and is now celebrating its 78th anniversary. Purdue's chapter is named in honor of retired Dean of Students Barbara Cook, who advised the group from 1956 until 1986.

Writer: Aaron Martin, (765) 496-3133, martinac@purdue.edu

Sources: Pablo Malavenda, (765) 494-1232, pablo@purdue.edu

Nayan Tara Srivastava, Mortar Board, (765) 513-5200, nsrivast@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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