Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society honors college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. Mortar Board began in 1918 as the first national organization honoring senior college women. When the Society opened its membership to men in 1977, the organization maintained a tribute to the founders and its heritage by strengthening the Preamble to the Constitution by including a commitment to the advancement of the status of women.   

​

Mortar Board is the nation’s oldest senior honor society. It emphasizes academics, leadership, and community service. Members actively serve their community during their senior year. It is not one of those organizations that you just list on your resume. There now are 231 chartered chapters across the United States.  For more information about what Mortar Board is and does across the United States see: http://www.mortarboard.org/

​

While it is an honor to be selected for membership in Mortar Board, it is the commitment to continue to serve that differentiates an honor society from an honorary. Accepting membership means accepting the responsibility and obligation to be an active participant in chapter activities. This commitment is an agreement to support actively the ideals of the society.  

 

Clemson's Order of Athena Chapter of Mortar Board was organized and chartered by Clemson University's Blue Key in 1968. It was originally intended to be a women's honor society.  The Order of Athena members became affiliated with the national office of Mortar Board  in 1976.  For decades now, Clemson's Order of Athena Chapter of Mortar Board  has been a very diverse, active part of the Clemson campus.