Events
Check out upcoming Mortar Board events and save the dates!
Career Connections: Building Your Personal Board of Directors
Monday, March 23, 2026
1:00pm Eastern / 12:00pm Central / 11:00am Mountain / 10:00am Pacific / 8:00am Hawaii
All members, both current students and alumni are invited to join for our Spring Career Connections!
Career Connections is Mortar Board’s ongoing professional development series designed to connect members with influential leaders, alumni, and peers who are shaping industries and communities. Each program provides actionable insight, authentic conversation, and meaningful networking opportunities to help you navigate your next chapter with confidence.
We kick off the year with a dynamic panel on “Building Your Board of Directors” — a conversation about intentionally cultivating mentors, sponsors, and champions who will challenge, advocate for, and elevate you throughout your career.
Meet the Panel
Dr. Patience Whitworth
Dr. Patience Whitworth (The Ohio State University, 2003) works as the Associate Vice Provost for Student Success at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University; Ph.D in Education Leadership and Policy from University of Vermont.
She is a dedicated Mortar Board member giving back to the Society in a number of roles including:
- President-Elect of the National Council (2025 – present)
- Vice President of the National Council 2022 – 2026)
- Section Coordinator (2018 – 2022)
- MBAA Lifetime Member (2014 – present)
- Member of Columbus Alumni Chapter
- University of Vermont Chapter Advisor (2014 – 2017)
- Collegiate chapter president, The Ohio State University
Bruce Ware
He began his career in investment banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in New York and later worked at Bank One (now part of JPMorgan Chase).
Mr. Ware currently serves on the boards of publicly traded companies AAON, Inc. and Seneca Foods. He previously served on the board of Blackhawk Bank, a $1.5 billion community bank in Wisconsin.
He remains deeply engaged with his alma mater, serving on the Executive Committee of the University of Mississippi Foundation.
A native of Dallas and a first-generation college graduate, Mr. Ware holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MA from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BBA in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi.
Jenni Birch Szolwinski
Jenni Birch Szolwinski was initiated into the Barbara Cook chapter of Mortar Board at Purdue University in 1993. Mortar Board at Purdue is a family affair for the Szolwinskis: her husband Matt led the way in 1992; her daughter Anna was initiated in 2021 and served as chapter president; and her son Adam is a member of the current collegiate chapter.
The opportunity to contribute to Mortar Board at the national level has been one of Jenni’s greatest joys. She served as a Section Coordinator before joining the National Council, during which time she held multiple leadership roles, including Secretary, Treasurer, and Alumni Representative.
Jenni currently works as the Director of Industry Relations in the College of Engineering and Computing at Miami University in Oxford, OH. She is passionate about traveling, reading, and riding her Peloton bike!
Dr. Brendan Wall
Brendan Wall (Illinois State University, 2018), holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Illinois State University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Iowa State University. He currently works as a Post-Doctoral Scientist – Peptide Chemistry, for Eli Lilly & Company.
Brendan currently serves as Vice President elect for the Mortar Board National Council and has dedicated his time in a number of other volunteer roles including:
- Region Coordinator (2022 – 2026)
- Governance Committee Member (2021-2022)
- Student Representative at-Large, National Council (2019-2021)
- Strategic Planning Team student participant (2020)
- Chapter Secretary, Selections Chair, and President (2018-2020)
Mark Your Calendar for the Spring Mortar Board Book Club
Sunday, April 12, 2026
7:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Central / 5:00pm Mountain / 4:00pm Pacific / 1:00pm Hawaii
All members are welcome to join for connection, engagement, and thoughtful discussion as we dive into The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (and Sawyer Robbins).
Advisor Meet-Ups
Recruiting & Initiations — Best Practices
Tuesday, February 10 at 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/12pm PT/10am HT
Explore proven strategies for attracting the best students, supporting selection, and running meaningful, manageable initiations.
Funding & Financial Planning for Next Year
Thursday, March 5 at 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT/11am HT
Learn how to secure and plan chapter funding, budget for key events, and advocate effectively for resources next year.
Wrapping Up the Year & Preparing for a Strong Transition
Tuesday, April 7 at 2pm ET/1pm CT/12pm MT/11am PT/9am HT
Focus on reflecting on this year’s successes, applying for awards, documenting practices, and setting up the new class and officers for a smooth start.
Planning Next Year’s Programming
Monday, May 4 at 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT/11am HT
Dive into designing intentional programming for the upcoming year, balancing traditions and events with realistic capacity and student goals.
Mortar Board Information Sessions (for interested and new members)
Join this 30-minute info session to learn how Mortar Board recognizes and develops college leaders through scholarship, leadership, and service—exploring the organization’s purpose, member benefits, and what your own experience could look like.
- Friday, February 12 – 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/12pm PT/10am HT
- Monday, February 23 – 1pm ET/12pm CT/11am MT/10am PT/8am HT
- Wednesday, March 4 – 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/12pm PT/10am HT
- Tuesday, March 10 – 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT/11am HT
- Thursday, March 19 – 2pm ET/1pm CT/12pm MT/11am PT/9am HT
- Tuesday, March 24 – 5pm ET/4pm CT/3am MT/2am PT/12pm HT
- Wednesday, April 1 – 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/12pm PT/10am HT
- Monday, April 13 – 5pm ET/4pm CT/3am MT/2am PT/12pm HT
- Thursday, April 30 – 2pm ET/1pm CT/12pm MT/11am PT/9am HT
- Friday, May 15 – 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT/11am HT
Mortar Board National Conference (MBNC) 2026 in Columbus, OH
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Mortar Board National Conference (MBNC), taking place in Columbus, OH from Sept 25-27! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with the Mortar Board community and grow together.
Keep an eye on social media and the conference page of our website for more information as we get closer!
