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Mortar Board Wins Silver Torch Award


Chapter President Carrie Kirk accepts the Mortar Board Torch Award in Chicago.
Mississippi College's Mortar Board chapter is winning kudos for its achievements at the national level.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. Distinguished members over the years have included former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

MC's 31-year-old Cap & Gown chapter is making its, mark, too. Last month, the MC group was among 67 chapters nationwide to receive the Silver Torch Award. The honor goes to chapters showing timeliness and dedication, while exhibiting ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.

The award for MC came at the organization's national conference in Chicago July 24-26.

"Obviously we are very proud of our Mortar Board," said Joseph Odenwald, MC coordinator of student development. "Last year's class was fantastic to work with," he said. The students leading Mortar Board at the Christian university in 2009-2010 are just as "eager to give back to the college and the greater community," Odenwald added.

Carrie Kirk, chapter president for the 2009-2010 academic year, was present at the event to accept the chapter's award. Kirk is an MC senior from Madison, a soccer standout for the Lady Choctaws and a Madison Central High graduate. Serving with Kirk as the chapter's vice president is Josh McCormick of Oxford. McCormick is a senior who's active in the Baptist Student Union and MC student government.

The Cap & Gown chapter at MC enrolls 50 members. Jim Turcotte, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, is sold on the merits of MC's Mortar Board chapter. In the past, the group has assisted high school student council organizations, he noted. They've also worked hard on a fund-raising event to honor MC faculty and staff.

"The vision of Mississippi College is realized by our students and has been acknowledged by a recent designation of excellence" at the 2009 Mortar Board's national conference, Turcotte said.

MC senior students are selected to the group entirely through a peer process. The students on the Clinton campus plan and put into motion a variety of service projects.

Mortar Board was founded in 1918. The first college chapters were housed at Cornell University, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University and Swarthmore College. Today, there are 227 chartered collegiate chapters with nearly 250,000 members nationwide. To learn more about Mortar Board, go to www.mortarboard.org.