James Jura of St. Joseph inducted into Mortar Board at Nebraska
By NewsPress Now
LINCOLN, Ne. — James Jura of St. Joseph was inducted into Mortar Board at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the annual Ivy Day ceremonies April 13.
Jura is a biochemistry major at the university. Parents are James Jura and Sibyl Downing.
The Ivy Day event, co-sponsored by Mortar Board and the Innocents Society, recognized outstanding contributions of students selected to serve in the two senior honorary organizations, as well as the achievements of current members and notable underclassmen and seniors.
Ceremonies took place at the Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall auditorium and concluded with the traditional planting of the ivy on the south side of Love Library by the 2024-25 presidents of the societies — Hayley Moree of Papillion for Mortar Board and Charlotte Brockman of Gooding, Idaho, for the Innocents Society.
Brian F. Hastings, president and chief executive officer of the University of Nebraska Foundation, delivered the keynote address.
Honorary memberships in the Innocents Society were presented to Rodney D. Bennett, 21st chancellor of the university, and Hernan Garcia-Ruiz, associate professor of virology and associate director of the Nebraska Center for Virology.
Honorary Mortar Board memberships were presented to Dee Dee Anderson, vice chancellor for student affairs and Haley Waggoner, specialist in the Government Relations Department at Special Olympics International.
The Innocents Society inducts 13 new members each spring, with selection based on leadership, academic achievement and service to the university and greater community. The Innocents Society was founded in 1903 to promote the spirit of the university and is the chancellor’s senior honorary. It is uniquely Nebraskan.
New members of Mortar Board are tapped into the Black Masque Chapter each spring by Mortar Boarders wearing black masks and robes. The 31 new members were selected based on scholarship, leadership and service.
For the full list of 2024-25 Innocents Society and Mortar Board inductees, visit https://go.unl.edu/08oi.
