BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) received the Gold Award at the NSCS Honor Gala in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 15. The UAB chapter also received a $250 Chapter Scholarship.

The NSCS is an honors organization for high-achieving freshmen and sophomores. Members must have a GPA of at least 3.4 and be in the top 20 percent of their class. The organization has more than 240 student-run chapters at universities nationwide. The UAB-NSCS chapter was founded in 2000.

"The members of UAB's chapter are amazing," said Blair Edwards, the NSCS national staff representative who works with the UAB chapter officers. "They have gone above and beyond by creating innovative programs and expanding and improving existing programs and have provided an exceptional experience for their members. They truly have embraced the ideals of NSCS."

To attain gold status, chapters must hold an induction ceremony for new members, create a student mentoring program, hold campuswide events to support NSCS' integrity initiative, create a membership-recruitment campaign and engage a campus office in a chapter event.

NSCS is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is the nation's only interdisciplinary honors organization to invite first- and second-year college students. Membership is by invitation only based on grade-point average and class standing. NSCS offers members exclusive access to scholarships, career resources and leadership and networking opportunities. NSCS has more than 625,000 members and 235 chapters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

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