Members of University of Alabama honor societies were recognized Friday during the annual Honors Day Tapping on the Mound ceremony, a long-standing University tradition.
The Tapping on the Mound ceremony, a tradition at the University since the early 1900s, serves to both recognize new honor society members and provide an opportunity for the Coordinating Council of Honor Societies to present their annual awards for outstanding students, faculty and staff.
The Mortar Board, a national honor society dedicated to recognizing college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service, tapped 74 new members at Friday’s ceremony.
Allison Montgomery, a senior majoring in biology and president of the Mortar Board, introduced the new inductees. She said she is proud of the accomplishments of the group and she is honored to introduce the new inductees.
“Truly, it is an organization of leaders,” she said.
The Mortar Board also awarded honorary memberships to Steven Hood, interim vice president for student affairs; Gorman Houston, an instructor in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration; and Tonya Nelson, director of communication for the Honors College.
The Blue Key Honor Society, an organization that recognizes outstanding college seniors, also inducted its new members at Friday’s ceremony.
Kindle Williams, a junior majoring in chemical engineering and chemistry, said she was excited to be inducted into the Blue Key Honor Society and it was an honor to be a part of the Tapping on the Mound ceremony along with some of the University’s best and brightest.
“I’m just excited to be around all the great people out here,” she said. “I love hearing about all of the things that people are doing on campus, and it means a lot to be recognized.”
Rachel Herrington, a junior majoring in nursing who was also inducted into the Blue Key Honor Society, said she was surprised and honored to be recognized for her hard work and contributions to campus through the tapping ceremony.
“I’m very honored,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but it is rewarding to see the work I did in the last three years being rewarded in my last year.”
Emily Meineke, the president of the University’s Iota Circle of the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, introduced the new members of the organization.
Jamie Bowman, a senior majoring in English and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, said she was excited to be able to participate in the ceremony. She said it was an especially great event for her because when she was tapped at last year’s ceremony, it was in the Moody Music Building instead of on the Quad due to weather.
“It’s a long-held tradition at the Capstone, so it’s great to have it on the Quad instead of Moody like last year,” she said. “It’s a continuation of a great tradition at the University.”
Robert Pendley, a senior majoring in political science and president of the Anderson Society, led the recognition of the organization’s 25 new inductees and its seven honorary memberships, which were given to faculty and graduating seniors.
In addition to inductions, the Tapping on the Mound ceremony featured various awards and recognitions, including the Outstanding Student Awards, given annually to exemplary freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students and transfer students.
The Outstanding Freshmen award, chosen by Omicron Delta Kappa, was given to Rosie Lamberth and Joseph Nelson. The Outstanding Sophomore award, sponsored by the Anderson Society, was given to Erica Boden. The Outstanding Junior award, sponsored by the Mortar Board, was given to Benjamin Burkeen. The Outstanding Senior award, sponsored by Alpha Lambda Delta, was given to Laura Freeman. For the Outstanding Transfer Student award, Tau Sigma chose Orion Recke and Kara Parks, and for the Outstanding Graduate Student award, the UA Graduate Student Association chose Sarah Austin.
