Gold Award Goes to UA National Society of Collegiate Scholars

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars has been awarded gold status as an outstanding campus chapter.

“Reaching gold status signifies that the chapter is truly living the ideals of the organization to understand that with scholarship comes a responsibility to service and leadership,” said Dr. Stacy Jones, UA director of student leadership and faculty adviser to the UA NSCS chapter. “I commend the executive board for their leadership and helping the organization make a difference in the Tuscaloosa community,” she said.

The NSCS is an honors organization for high-achieving freshmen and sophomores with more than 240 chapters at universities across the country. The UA NSCS chapter was founded in 1999.

To achieve gold status, chapters must hold an induction ceremony for new members, create a student mentoring program, hold campuswide events to support NSCS’ integrity initiative, create an on-campus membership recruitment campaign and engage a campus office in a chapter event.

The chapter officers represented UA at NSCS Convention 2009 where they accepted the award last month. UA will receive a $250 chapter scholarship.

For Blair Edwards, the NSCS national staff representative who works with the UA chapter’s officers, the award comes as no surprise. “The members of the University of Alabama’s chapter are amazing,” said Edwards. “They have gone above and beyond by creating innovative programs and expanding and improving existing programs to provide an exceptional experience for members. They have truly embraced the ideals of NSCS.”

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is the nation’s only interdisciplinary honors organization to invite first- and second-year college students. Membership is by invitation only, based on grade point average and class standing.