Travel

The conference will be held at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel. All hotel reservations will be done by the National Office; please do not contact the hotel. All requests should be done through the conference@mortarboard.org email account or by calling 614-488-4094.

Our unique hotel in downtown Columbus, Ohio, is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Columbus, allowing you to easily explore nearby attractions such as the Ohio Theatre, German Village, and Columbus Convention Center. Delight in our charming hotel’s whimsical design featuring local artwork, eclectic decor, and upscale amenities. Take a dip in our rooftop pool with views of downtown Columbus, or savor a delicious bite at our signature eatery, Latitude 41. After a day of conference fun, retire to your comfortable hotel rooms complete with fashionable furnishings, deluxe toiletries and inspiring views of the city skyline.

The hotel is located at:
50 N 3rd St
Columbus, OH 43215

Did you know 45% of our chapters are within driving distance of Columbus?! If you live within a few hours of the conference site, you may find driving more economical. Carpooling may be a great way to save time and money while making new Mortar Board friends! We encourage you to connect with other delegates and arrange carpools with those nearby. You can ask your Region Coordinator to put you in touch with other chapters in your region or email the National Office at conference@mortarboard.org for assistance.

Parking: Hotel Parking is $35 per night for overnight guests and $20 daily for commuters. Offsite Parking is available and options will be added soon. If parking presents a financial hardship for your chapter, please email conference@mortarboard.org.

Rental cars: Don’t forget the car rental discounts offered as part of your Mortar Board membership!

The closest airport is the John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH). It is 8 miles from the conference hotel, which is about a 12-15 minute ride. 

Ridesharing pick-ups, such as Uber and Lyft are available. After reserving your ride, go to the Arrivals level (level 1 of the terminal), cross the Arrivals drive to the ground transportation area, and stand between the columns to the right.

Taxis are available on the ground transportation level. Call the airport’s Taxi Management team at 614.239.TAXI (8294) with questions.

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is the regional public transit provider for greater Columbus and Central Ohio. COTA’s Trip Planner tool is helpful to plan your trip to and from the terminal. You can also call their customer service hotline at 614.228.1776.

COTA also provides mainstream/paratransit services from origin to destination for people whose functional limitations prevent them from riding COTA’s fixed-route buses. Learn more about this service through COTA’s mainstream/paratransit webpage.

An official delegate who believes their chapter will face an undue hardship by paying for travel costs to the conference may request a travel stipend by completing this application. There is a limited number of stipends available, and no guarantee of support. Stipends are available for official delegates only, not additional collegiate participants. Some funding may be available for advisors to attend. 

Mortar Board considers applications on a first-come-first-served basis, so delegates should submit their applications as soon as possible with the priority deadline being June 1.

By accepting a stipend, a delegate agrees to use it wisely and in full. If the delegate does not attend the conference for any reason, delegates must return the stipend in its entirety to Mortar Board on or before August 8.

Apply for a Conference Support Grant here.