Founded in 1918, Mortar Board is a national honor society recognizing college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service, and provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to college and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community.
Mortar Board is the largest and most established national honor society recognizing college seniors for superior achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. Membership is synonymous with dedication and success. Mortar Board members are not only recognized as the top scholars and leaders on their campuses, but Seattle Pacific University’s Ivy Honorary Mortar Board chapter is part of 231 chartered collegiate chapters in 46 states.
At SPU, Ivy Honorary is known for providing service to the campus community by participating in Latreia and other service events, providing free upper-division tutoring, and hosting the annual Last Lecture when a retiring SPU faculty delivers his/her last public lecture. Ivy Honorary also selects the Top Prof of the year, and invites that professor to address incoming Ivy Honorary members and their families at the Spring Induction event. Additionally, Mortar Board offers numerous benefits to members, including career networking, fellowships and awards.
General inquiries: ivy@spu.edu
Specific questions: please email the appropriate Ivy Honorary Board Member from the Officers Page
Learn more about benefits here: //www.mortarboard.org/About/MemberBenefits/
Eligibility
Q: Can I be nominated even if I am a sophomore with junior credit standing, or a junior with senior status, or a senior who will stay for one more year?
A: Yes. Our only requirements are that you have at least 90 credits, a GPA of 3.5 or above, and will attending Seattle Pacific University with a graduation date of spring quarter of the following year or later.
Q: Can students studying off-campus (for example: those on international study programs, internships, or student-teaching assignments) and those who are graduating mid-year be considered for Ivy Honorary?
A: Yes. Academically eligible students in these categories are part of the candidate pool and should receive consideration.
Q: What should I do if I haven’t been notified of my eligibility and I believe this was an oversight?
A: Please contact the Chair of Membership Abby Larreau to ensure that you are eligible. larreaug@spu.edu
Nomination
Q: Who can I ask to be a reference?
A: Academic references should come from a SPU/community college/other professor who is familiar with your academic performance. Leadership references can come from anyone besides your immediate family who can attest to your leadership abilities, and Service references are the same. All three recommendations can come from professors if they meet the criteria, but they must be from 3 separate sources.
Q: What can I do if my references did not turn their form in on time?
A: It is your responsibility to ensure that your complete nomination packet is submitted by the deadline. It may be a good idea to check in with your references some time before the deadline to ensure your forms are mailed and received on time.
Membership
Q: How are people selected?
A: The top 35% of the junior class receives notification of nomination. Once all the nomination forms are turned in, a committee reviews the forms in a process of blind selection with heavy emphasis placed on references. 25-30 new members will be chosen from those who applied.
Q: If I am selected for membership, do I have to pay a fee?
A: Yes. There is a $92 fee, but Ivy Honorary usually sends a letter to parents to inform them of their student's nomination and request their support.
Q: What does it mean to be an active member of Ivy Honorary?
A: Active Membership in Ivy Honorary entails consistent attendance at monthly meetings, volunteer service on committees, and a continued involvement in scholarship, leadership, and service during your time at Seattle Pacific University
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
Majors: Literature, Anthropology and Biology
EC: Orchestra, String Quartet, Theatre, Second Essence Board, Liturgical Worship Organizer
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
Yes. MPhil and PhD in Biological Anthropology from Cambridge University, UK.
How was Ivy Honorary important to you at SPU? Did you keep in touch with many of your colleagues after school?
Yes; a number of my closest friends were in Ivy Honorary with me and we still correspond and get together now.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
My husband and I are enjoying being back in Seattle and at SPU. Especially at this time of the year we tend to split our time between basketball games and visiting Seattle parks; Volunteer Park is my favorite place in the city.
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
Take some time to travel and visit other places. In your 20s it is inexpensive to travel and very easy to get work permits in other countries. Use this to your advantage and gain some insights into other cultures.
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
I majored in English Literature, and was involved with not only Ivy Honorary but also the Hawai’i Club at SPU.
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
I completed a Master of Education degree at SPU in 2004.
How was Ivy Honorary important to you at SPU? Did you keep in touch with many of your colleagues after school?
Ivy Honorary was a great avenue for working with my peers to serve the larger SPU community. Unfortunately, we lost touch after graduation. I’m hopeful for future classes, especially as web sites and Facebook have made it a lot easier to stay in touch.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
I’m still at SPU, working in Student Academic Services, continuing my passion for serving the SPU community.
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
Enjoy your time at SPU—it sure goes by fast!—and never lose sight of your passion in life.
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
I was a Theatre major and Music minor at SPU. I fell a few upper division credits short of an English minor too.
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
No, I didn’t. I could never decide what I would wish to study if I went to graduate school. I still can’t decide. Too many things interest me.
How was Ivy Honorary important to you at SPU? Did you keep in touch with many of your colleagues after school?
Ivy Honorary was brand new in my final year at SPU. I’m not even sure I knew what it was. I remember that I was awarded membership, but I don’t think the group held any meetings or completed any service projects.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
After graduation, I was at SPU for a few years, working in the Controller’s Office and Student Financial Services. Following that, I spent a seven-year stint working for Taproot Theatre Company, serving as Box Office Manager and eventually as their Business or General Manager. I returned to SPU in 2006 to work for the School of Business and Economics.
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
The same advice I give to all students: Take advantage of the relationships and opportunities that are unique to SPU and to being a college student. My top two recommendations are to study or serve abroad and to get an internship. Beth and I had the privilege of chaperoning the SBE China study abroad trip in 2011 and it was unreal! These experiences are formative and you will remember them always.
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
I majored in Theological Studies and Sociology. Along with serving as President of Ivy Honorary in 1994-95, I was a Student Ministry Coordinator, a Residence Hall Ministry Coordinator, and a Centurion. I also loved participating in SPU Intramurals.
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
I did a Master of Divinity degree at Duke University and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University.
How was Ivy Honorary important to you at SPU? Did you keep in touch with many of your colleagues after school?
Even though Ivy Honorary was in its very early stages when I was involved, it was a lot of fun to begin to brainstorm ways to serve our community and highlight academics on campus. I have kept in touch with a number of friends from Ivy Honorary over the years (Facebook helps a great deal!). And, of course, my colleague Dr. Koenig was an Ivy Honorary officer at the same time I was.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
I absolutely love teaching theology at SPU! The people here at SPU make this community a very special place to live out one’s vocation. My wife Jamie and I love living in the Pacific Northwest and finding new adventures with our five year old son Nathan.
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
Try to create as much balance in your life as possible. I fully recognize that the demands of classes and other commitments can seem overwhelming at times. It is very important, though, to make time to develop and maintain friendships, to take care of yourself, and to enjoy this great city and region.
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
I double majored in Christian Education (now known as Educational Ministries), and Sociology with an Emphasis in Anthropology. I was involved in student life: on STUB, and a P.A. in Ashton Hall. I also volunteered with my home church’s youth group.
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
After SPU I attended Princeton Theological Seminary, where I got an M.Div., and continued on there to get a Ph.D. in Old Testament.
How was Ivy Honorary important to you at SPU? Did you keep in touch with many of your colleagues after school?
Ivy Honorary was important to me as a group that did service. It included many of my friends, but also broadened my circle of immediate friends. I did keep touch with several of them.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
My current life is really full, with family and teaching! On bad days, I feel like I have a lot to juggle as a working mother, but on good days, I find that it helps me have a more healthy, balanced life. Specifically, working helps me be more present with my kids when I am at home, and being at home puts work in perspective, and helps me not to be a workaholic.
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
Don’t be too eager to get to what’s next. Enjoy where you are, and the people around you right now.
What were your major(s), minor(s), and extracurricular activities at SPU?
I did an English major and the Secondary Education Endorsement. I was very involved in Urban Involvement, and played bassoon in the Wind Ensemble.
Did you go on to a graduate program at or after SPU and if so, where and what did you study?
After graduation I received training in youth ministry through World Vision’s Vision Youth program. In 2003 I returned to SPU to work in Campus Ministries. I completed SPU’s Masters in School Counseling program in 2006.
What would you like to share about your current life, career path and family?
I’m married to Janiess (Butz) Sallee, also class of ’99 and ’06..
What advice would you give to current Ivy Honorary students?
Pursue community involvement in college as a way to connect theory and practice. My community involvement led to employment after college and has shaped my vocational path in significant ways.
New Member Induction
April 22th, 11:00am
Demaray 150
Induction is where Ivy Honorary adds newly tapped members into our society. Friends and family are encouraged to attend! Dr. Kevin Neuhouser will be giving an opening speech as the voted winner of Top Prof. We hope to see Dr. Dan Martin and Dr. Jeff Van Duzer, our honorary members for this year. The event will be formal, with a reception afterwards in Demaray Lobby.
EBoard Meeting
May 4th, 5:00pm
Center for Learning
The executive board will be meeting to discuss the general membership meeting, induction, and other coming events. Please join us for this meeting if you are interested in club leadership -- this will give you a sense of what it’s like to serve on the Executive Board for Ivy Honorary!
General Membership Meeting
May 11th, 5:00pm
Weter 201
Please join us for this meeting. New officers will be elected at this meeting for the 2017-2018 academic year, and this is a great opportunity to see what Ivy Honorary meetings are like for next year!
Last Lecture
May 17th, 6:00pm
Demaray 150
Each year, Ivy Honorary elects a retiring professor to give a final lecture to the university as a whole. This year, Dr. Roger Feldman has been chosen as the lecturer! Dr. Feldman is a professor of the Art department, and has taught at Seattle Pacific University for 16 years. We will be sad to see him go, but encourage all university students, faculty, and staff to attend his Last Lecture. The reception will start at 6:00pm in the Demaray Lobby, and the lecture will begin at 6:30pm.
Ivy Honorary offers free tutoring this year for students of Seattle Pacific! This tutoring is offered specifically for upper division courses, and courses that are not already offered by the Center for Learning's "Study Tables".
For questions about tutoring, please contact the Center for Learning: (206) 281-2475 or email us at ivy@spu.edu
Matthew Bowden, Sarah Payne, Mary Mathison, Emily Burgess, Amy Wagner, Claudia Zarcula
(Not Pictured) Janel Crouch, Lucy Rovianek, Niki Amarantides, Mike Langford
Chapter President
Mary Mathison — responsible for overseeing the SPU chapter's operations and coordinating with the national office
mathisonm1@spu.edu
Ivy Vice-President
Janel Crouch — responsible for assisting the President and acting as President in her absence (or request).
crouchj1@spu.edu
Financial Officer
Lucy Rovianek — responsible for ensuring that chapter finances are in order and collecting initiation fees.
wecksl@spu.edu
Chair of Service
Sarah Payne — responsible for organizing service projects and coordinating Ivy volunteer activity.
paynes1@spu.edu
Publicist and Ivy Historian
Matthew Bowden — responsible for maintaining the website and promoting Ivy Honorary to the SPU student population, as well as comopiling the chapter's history.
bowdenm@spu.edu
President Elect
Emily Burgess — responsible for learning the role of the Chapter President and undertaking it towards the years end to become President the following year
burgesse@spu.edu
Chair of Membership
Claudia Zarcula — responsible for selecting and initiating new members to Ivy Honorary.
zarculac@spu.edu
Secretary
Amy Wagner — responsible for notifying members of meeting information, and recording and distributing minutes.
underwooda1@spu.edu
Faculty Advisors
Niki Amarantides — Director: Center for Learning
nikia@spu.edu
Dr. Michael Langford — Associate Professor: Theology, Discipleship, and Ministry; Coordinator of Youth Ministry Education and Training
langford@spu
Induction into Ivy Honorary is offered by invitation only based on GPA, although we do have the capacity to offer membership to three outstanding university members who may not meet these requirements. If your GPA is above a 3.5, look for an invitation email near the beginning of winter quarter!
If you have any questions or concerns about the process, feel free to leave us an email!