 "Photo: Jim Comeau / Staff Photographer")
 "Photo: Jim Comeau / Staff Photographer")
Sometimes leaders are born. Other times, they're made.
Forty of San Diego State's most academically successful, leadership-oriented and charitably active students were initiated as the newest members of the Mortar Board honor society on Sunday afternoon in Aztec Center's Casa Real.
"I want to congratulate the 40 new members; it's a great honor to be a part of (Mortar Board)," Mortar Board President Samantha Spilka said during her welcome address. "(They) represent the brightest and the most determined and the greatest leaders on our campus."
Spilka, a psychology senior, and the other graduating Mortar Board seniors wore their caps and gowns, encircled the audience and read the names and qualifications of the 40 initiates. Mortar Board is a national senior honor society that aims to uphold the ideas of scholarship, leadership and service, according to the organization's Web site.
The new members were selected from a pool of about 3,500 applicants who submitted applications that included an essay and a recommendation from a faculty member. In addition to stellar cumulative grade-point averages and academic qualifications, students were chosen for their work outside the classroom.
Outgoing Mortar Board member and finance senior Ryan Howard said he was proud of the incoming seniors and felt that they exemplified the honor society's ideals. Many alumni acknowledged this, too.
Serena Hourigan, the scholarship chair for Mortar Board, awarded two $500 scholarships to incoming members Christa Hunt and Jeffrey Underwood. Hunt has a 3.99 GPA and is also the co-founder of the Aztec Volunteers, which has organized numerous San Diego service events, including the Pacific Beach cleanup and Denim Day for the Boys and Girls Club. Underwood, who has a 3.77 GPA, founded the Armed Services Pre-Professional Health Association and plans on attending medical school.
A few special outgoing members were recognized by emeritus political science professor and active Mortar Board leader Henry Janssen, Ph.D.
Janssen presented 13 graduating seniors, who belong to all five SDSU honor societies, with $500 each and a plaque with their names engraved on it. Janssen expressed the special prestige that Mortar Board has over other honor societies.
"You can get into the other four (honor societies) with superior grades," Janssen said, "but you can't get into Mortar Board without leadership and service."
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