Kansas State University

Honor societies award leadership scholarships to outgoing members

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

Two Kansas State University honor societies, Blue Key and Mortar Board, recognized outstanding outgoing members with scholarships on April 12.

Jordan Marquess, senior in biology and pre-medicine, Olathe, and Jason Troendle, 2015 Bachelor of Science in Agriculture graduate, St. Charles, Minnesota, were awarded William L. Muir II and John "Tom" Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship at the Blue Key banquet and initiation.

Kelsey Ritz, 2015 Bachelor of Science graduate in social work, Manhattan, received the Michael E. Brown Alpha Tau Omega Mortar Board Leadership Scholarship at the Mortar Board initiation banquet.

Blue Key recognizes college students at senior institutions of higher education for balanced and all-around excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. The Muir scholarship is named in honor of two brothers, William Muir, a 1939 member of Blue Key, and John Muir, a 1940 member of Blue Key. The scholarship is awarded by a joint committee of the dean of students, an officer of K-State's Alpha Tau Omega Students' Aid Endowment Fund and a member of the Muir family with input from Blue Key advisers. Each student received $1,000 and a plaque.

Marquess was the co-director for Blue Key's High School Leadership Conference programing and a member of the university's Student Alumni Board, Diversity Programming Committee, Pre-Medicine Club and Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She has served the Student Governing Association as College of Arts & Sciences senator, treasurer, Allocations Committee chair and intern. Her additional honors and awards include the Division of Biology's Most Promising Student award, National Community Involvement Award from Gamma Phi Beta Foundation, Student Governing Association's Susan M. Scott Outstanding Female Leader Award and the Mortar Board Senior Honorary Outstanding Junior Scholarship.

Troendle was personal and professional development chair for Blue Key and a student fellow for the Center for Risk Management and Education. He also served as K-State's All-University Open House public relations chair and strength advocates public relations chair. He interned with Cargill Feed and Nutrition and the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Prior to attending K-State, he served more than 540,000 members of the National FFA Organization as the national secretary.

Mortar Board Senior Honor Society was established in 1918 with the values of scholarship, leadership and service. The Mortar Board Leadership Scholarship is given to a K-State student who is a member of Mortar Board Senior Honorary and has substantially contributed to the quality of student life and outstanding leadership at Kansas State University. Ritz received a $1,000 award. The scholarship, also donated by William L. Muir through the Kansas State Alpha Tau Omega Students' Aid Endowment Fund, was established in 2009 to perpetuate the life of Michael E. Brown at Kansas State University.

Ritz was 2014-2015 vice president of leadership for Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, 2013 philanthropy chair for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, a morale captain for Up 'til Dawn, intern for the Student Governing Association and an undergraduate researcher in the Developing Scholars Program. She has volunteered for the Manhattan Peer Mentor program, International Service Team in Kenya, Ronald McDonald House and Relay for Life. She also worked as building supervisor for the K-State recreational complex.