Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Glenda K. Guyton
Mortar Board National College Honor Society mourns the passing of Glenda Guyton, a cherished and devoted member whose legacy of scholarship, leadership, and service spanned decades.
By: Mortar Board National Office
Mortar Board National College Honor Society mourns the loss of one of its most dedicated and beloved members, Glenda Guyton, whose decades of service embodied the Society’s ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Initiated as an honorary member in 1974 at Carson–Newman University, Glenda’s commitment to Mortar Board was unwavering. Her legacy is felt most profoundly at the University of Alabama, where she advised the Hypatia Chapter for more than twenty years. With steady mentorship, guidance, and encouragement, she helped the chapter flourish, leading to the creation of an endowment to ensure its future success. Her exceptional leadership was recognized nationally in 2013 with Mortar Board’s Excellence in Advising Award. She was most recently honored with the 2025 Distinguished Lifetime Membership Award.
Glenda’s influence extended well beyond campus. She served as an Alumni Representative to the National Council, a Region Coordinator for Section 6, and was a proud charter member of the Mortar Board Torch Society, holding member number 93. Her dedication to higher education also shone through in her professional career as Assistant to the Dean of Women at the University of Alabama, a role that earned her induction into the Student Affairs Hall of Fame in 2011.
Across the Mortar Board community, Glenda will be remembered not only for her remarkable leadership and service but also for her warmth, generosity, and signature heartfelt renditions of ‘The Torch’. She inspired generations of students and alumni to lead with purpose, give selflessly, and cherish the bonds of the Mortar Board family.
Her passing leaves a deep void, but her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, the chapters she strengthened, and the enduring spirit of service she championed.
We honor Glenda with gratitude for a lifetime of commitment to Mortar Board and higher education. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten.
