MT. VERNON – The Torch chapter at Cornell College was among the outstanding chapters to be honored for their excellence at the 2009 Mortar Board National Conference, held July 24-26.
The group was one of just 32 chapters to take home the Golden Torch Award, presented to outstanding chapters that are “superb, timely, and go above and beyond the minimum standards throughout the academic year.” Only a select number of Golden Torch Award nominees are chosen to receive the award based on their devotion to Mortar Board’s three key ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Additionally, the chapter was one of 28 groups to receive a Project Excellence Award, for their immense fundraising efforts for the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Throughout the 2008-2009 academic year, the chapter held eight different fundraisers (including collecting donations at football games, selling t-shirts, trick-or treating for books, delivering food to dorm rooms, gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble and more) to contribute a total of $2,700 to help repair the flood damage incurred at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.
Finally, the chapter was honored with the Most Improved Chapter Award, reserved to annually recognize a chapter that has achieved success during the year in re-establishing and re-invigorating programming and membership.
Chapter President Adam Norton ’10 and Vice President Jennifer Brown ’10 were present to accept the chapter’s awards.
Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. Since its founding in 1918, the organization has grown from the four founding chapters to 227 chartered collegiate chapters with nearly a quarter of a million initiated members across the nation. The Torch chapter at Cornell College was chartered in 1943 and currently has 27 members.