Spotlight: State College Alumni

State College is home to a remarkably accomplished group of former student stand-outs. The Mortar Board Alumni Group of State College counts among its members forty alumni from fifteen colleges and universities in addition to the nearest campus, The Pennsylvania State University.

Mortar Board members know that the Society was founded in 1918 as the first national honor society for college senior women, initiating members at the end of their junior year in recognition of accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, leadership and service. On November 23, 1935, Mortar Board was chartered at Penn State, making 2010 the chapter's 75th anniversary. That very year, the La Vie yearbook stated "Mortar Board is the most select group at Penn State."

The State College Alumni Group was organized in the late 1960s by Phoebe Link. While living in Lansing, Mich., Phoebe was a member of that area’s Mortar Board Alumnae Group. When she returned to State College and was unable to find a similar group, Phoebe organized our chapter which has met regularly for more than 50 years.

What exactly does this group do? Maybe a better question is what don't they do. They assist the collegiate chapter with initiation, award scholarships to PSU students for graduate study, and reviews national Mortar Board fellowship applications for postgraduate education. Most of all, this intergenerational group enjoys getting to know each other and networking. It appears to be more than coincidental that members continue to be "names in the news" and the "movers-and-shakers" that still make things happen in the community.

Chapter members have even received national recognition from Mortar Board. Two members have received the Distinguished Lifetime Membership Award (Mimi Coppersmith, pictured in the center, and Dr. Helen Wise, pictured at right), and Dr. Martha Starling (left) has received the Alumni Achievement Award.

Many members have taken the promise to accept the Mortar Board oath "to give in leadership and service the best that is within you" very seriously by serving as:

• Emeritus members of the Penn State board of trustees: Dr. Helen Wise was the first woman ever elected as a trustee. Helen served for 21 years. She also served as President of the National Education Association; Mimi Barash Coppersmith served for 21 years and was the first woman elected president of the board.
• Interim State College Mayor Felicia Lewis
• Chairman of Discovery Space-Children’s Museum and Vice-Chair of the Mortar Board National Foundation Marty Starling
• Former directors of the Central PA Festival of the Arts: Lurene Frantz & Pat Farrell
• Past presidents of the Mount Nittany Conservancy Mimi Coppersmith, Pat Farrell and current president Vince Verbeke.
• Recipients of the Penn State Renaissance Woman of the year: 1990 Mimi Coppersmith; 1998 Pat Farrell; 2001 Marty Starling
• Recipient of the Excellence in Education Award: Phoebe Link
• Members of the Patton Township Open Space Task force who helped preserve the 465 acre Haugh Tract Marilyn Keat and Brenda Walsh
• Vice president of the national Mortar Board Council (and former PSU advisor and section coordinator) Dr. Abigail Diehl

- Brenda F. Walsh, president of the Mortar Board Alumni Group of State College, Pa. Brenda was initiated at Bowling Green State University.