SMALL AND BERTOLAS INDUCTED INTO PI GAMMA MU HALL OF FAME

Since its founding in 1924, Pi Gamma Mu has been a labor of love for its many volunteers, including international officers and trustees and the chapter sponsors who are the backbone of the society. While all of our volunteers over the past nine decades are deserving of acclaim for giving of themselves in the service of the society, the international Board of Trustees decided in 2004, 80 years after Pi Gamma Mu's founding, that it is right and proper to formally recognize some of Pi Gamma Mu's leading volunteers, who truly poured their heart and soul into this organization, by inducting them into a Pi Gamma Mu Hall of Fame.  On November 3, 2017 Pi Gamma Mu inducted two new members into its Hall of Fame, Dr. Clara Small and Dr. Randy Bertolas.

Dr. Small, Professor Emerita of History, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, was inducted into lifetime membership in Pi Gamma Mu at the North Carolina Delta Chapter at North Carolina Central University, Durham in May 1968.  She served as the chapter sponsor of the Maryland Gamma Chapter at Salisbury University from 1982 until her retirement in 2013.  Under her leadership, Maryland Gamma regularly made the Society's Rolls of Merit and Distinction.  Dr. Small was appointed to serve as Second Vice-President of the Pi Gamma Mu Board of Trustees in 2011 and continues to hold that position.  Prior to becoming Second Vice-President, she served as Chancellor of Pi Gamma Mu's Northeastern Region where she conducted many site visits for chapter approval, and performed many induction ceremonies.  Dr. Small also currently chairs the Society's Scholarship and Chapter Awards Committees.  She provided the keynote address, entitled "Smalls Little Bit of History", at the Society's 2017 Triennial International Convention in Kansas City, MO.

Dr. Bertolas, Professor of Geography, Wayne State College, Wayne, NE, arrived at the college in 1995.  He rose through the ranks to become professor of geography and also served as longtime chair of the Department of History, Politics, and Geography.  He began working as a faculty sponsor of the Nebraska Delta Chapter in 1999.  The chapter has been cited on the Pi Gamma Mu Chapter Honor Rolls of Merit and Distinction during every year of this tenure.  Dr. Bertolas also served Pi Gamma Mu as Chancellor of the North/Northwest Region from 2005-2008. 

Gordon Mercer, Clara Small, and Larry Heck at the 2017 Awards Banquet in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Randy Bertolas holding his Hall of Fame plaque.