UNC Asheville's Chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars was honored recently with a national Gold STAR Chapter Award. The award was presented to just 41 of the 228 chapters throughout the nation.

UNC Asheville's chapter of NSCS, which currently has 232 members with 37 new members inducted this year, was selected to receive the award for its outstanding dedication to scholarship, leadership and service. Students maintained a rigorous schedule of chapter and officer meetings, community service and social activities, campus recognition activities, meeting with campus officials, mentoring and tutoring middle school and high school students and working with the national office to invite new members.

Over the past three years, the UNC Asheville chapter of NSCS has worked at the Room at the Inn women's shelter, organized a reading party for a local Head Start center, worked with Habitat for Humanity, sent gifts to orphans in Afghanistan, adopted the stream that runs through the Asheville Botanical Gardens, and taken part in Big Brothers Big Sisters.

NSCS is UNC Asheville's only national honorary organization for high-achieving students in all disciplines. NSCS recognizes outstanding academic achievement among first and second year college students. Membership is based on grade point average and class standing, and is by invitation only.