Exceptional West Virginia University students who want to give back to their campus and community through service initiatives and projects are encouraged to apply online for the Helvetia (sophomore), Chimes (junior) or Mortar Board (national senior) honoraries.

These honoraries provide opportunities for continued leadership development and encourage lifelong contributions to the global community, said Keith Garbutt, dean of WVU s Honors College.

Induction into these groups is a great honor, he added, and membership may be helpful when students apply for other University awards, such as Order of Augusta, or professional programs.

Professional programs are looking for evidence that youve been of service to other people, and all of these have opportunities to attend meetings and take part in service activities,Garbutt said.

Selection is based on a combination of academics, honors and awards, campus activities, community service and contributions to the students major field of study or academic department. To be considered, students must have at least a 3.3 GPA for Helvetia and Chimes and a 3.4 GPA for Mortar Board.

In addition, Mortar Board requires two recommendationsone from a faculty member and another from an extracurricular adviser. Applicantswork activities and difficulty of class schedule may also play a factor.

WVU has created special Web pages, linked to the Weekend of Honors Web site, where students can view the specific criteria and apply online. Log onto http://weekendofhonors.wvu.edu/ and click onhonorariesto get started. The application deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Students inducted into these honoraries will be recognized during the Universitys annual Weekend of Honors activities April 3-5.

If students have questions about the application process, they should contact the appropriate adviser: HelvetiaJack Hammersmith ( “