Pi Gamma Mu is set to help the service project Partners for Patriots this semester.  

The honor society for social sciences will be accepting donations outside Connell 237 until March 31 at noon. Partner for Patriots take in shelter dogs and train them as service dogs for veterans.  

The honor society was founded in 1924 at the Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. Pi Gamma Mu currently has around 150 active chapters in the United States of America and overseas and is the oldest social science honor society.  

Some prominent members are Henry J. Abraham, Reginald H. Jones, Lyndon Baines Johnson and Michele Price. The society at WSC invites the upper third of their current class to join every semester, starting with second semester sophomores, who are either majoring in the social sciences or have taken enough credits in the social sciences.  

“Each year, our Pi Gamma Mu Nebraska Delta chapter tries to do a service project that involves supporting veterans, the homeless or animals in animal shelters,” Randy Bertolas, the advisor for the WSC chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, said. “In recent years we’ve arranged donations to both Haven House and the Norfolk Rescue Mission.” 

Bertolas credited Celeste Durant, an online WSC student, to the idea.  

“I don’t get days off thanks to this being my final semester and internship taking over my two days off from my full-time job,” Durant said. “I still try to support the animal rescues even when I’m incredibly busy. Dogs make me feel calmer and taking care of them allows me to turn off my anxiety-filled brain for a moment while I throw a ball or cuddle an old dog that’s scared and confused about being surrendered.” 

Dr. Bertolas said that if anyone has any ideas for any further service projects that they are welcome to send them to him.