# SPURS National Honor Society

SPURS National Honor Society was an American collegiate sophomore honor society. It was established in 1922 at Montana State University and disbanded in 2005. Several chapters remain in operation as independent, local societies.

## History

SPURS was founded at Montana State University at Bozeman as an honor society and service club for sophomore women in 1922. It was sponsored by the local chapter of Mortar Board honor society to support and encourage student service to the university. Its purpose was to encourage women to have loyalty and to serve the university and to promote and support school spirit, campuswide student events, and campus traditions,
Chapters were established at smaller colleges and universities in the United States. Most chapters volunteered to help with freshmen orientation and homecoming, tutored, and ushered for campus events. Originally a women-only organization, its male counterpart was the Intercollegiate Knights. Its alumnae association for juniors was called the Stirips. SPURS became co-educational in 1976.
By 2006, the honor society was down to eleven active chapters, with only half being strong. There was also a lack of interest in members filling national officers. The national SPURS organization dissolved on May 31, 2006 by decision of its October 2005 national convention. After SPURS ceased operations, a few chapters continued as local honor societies. The chapter at Linfield College continued as a local honor society that included sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students at the University of Arizona reinstalled SPURS as a club in 2017.
The Montana State University SPURS chapter decided to merge with the MSU Student Alumni Foundation the following year, along with the dissolved society Fangs which was a branch of the Intercollegiate Knights. The alumni association holds SPURS and Fangs reunions. It also coordinated the Spurs & Fangs/Student Alumni Association.

## Symbols

The name SPURS was the monogram of the society's pillars: Service, Patriotism, Unity, Responsibility, and Sacrifice. Its motto was "At Your Service".
The SPURS badge was a small gold spur attached to a chain. Its colors were blue and gold. Members wore dresses of blue and gold when volunteering for the university. Its flower was the yellow chrysanthemum. Its quarterly newsletter was called The Spur.
SPURS celebrated its Founders' Day annually on February 14.

## Membership

Members were sophomores who were selected for their academic accomplishments, leadership, and student activities. They were required to have a GPA 3.0 or better. Potential members were recruited and initiated at the end of their freshman year.

## Chapters

Following is a list of known SPURS chapters, with inactive institutions in italics.
| Number | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| 1 | February 14, 1922 – May 31, 2006 | Montana State University | Bozeman, Montana | Withdrew (local) |
| | Before 1928 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | Inactive |
| | 1925 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | Inactive |
| 5 | 1925 | University of Puget Sound | Tacoma, Washington | Withdrew (ΦΕΣ) |
| | 1928 | Utah State University | Logan, Utah | Inactive |
| | 1931 | Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado | Inactive |
| | 1931 – May 31, 2006 | University of Redlands | Redlands, California | Inactive |
| 15 | April 8, 1933 | Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | Inactive |
| | 1937 – May 31, 2006 | University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | Inactive |
| | 1942 | Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Inactive |
| | 1947 – May 31, 2006 | Linfield College | McMinnville, Oregon | Withdrew (local) |
| | c. 1947 | University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Inactive |
| | 1949 | Idaho State University | Pocatello, Idaho | Inactive |
| | 1950 | Whitman College | Walla Walla, Washington | Inactive |
| | October 1951-November 1989 | Gonzaga University | Spokane, Washington | Inactive |
| | 1955 | Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | Inactive |
| | 1955 | University of the Pacific | Stockton, California | Inactive |
| | 1957 | University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas | Inactive |
| | 1958 | New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Inactive |
| | 1960 | California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach, California | Inactive |
| | 1961 | Adams State College | Alamosa, Colorado | Inactive |
| | 1964 | University of Nevada, Reno | Reno, Nevada | Inactive |
| | 1965 | California State University, Fresno | Fresno, California | Inactive |
| | 1965 | Emporia State University | Emporia, Kansas | Inactive |
| | 1966 | Eastern New Mexico University | Portales, New Mexico | Inactive |
| | 1966 | Jamestown College | Jamestown, North Dakota | Inactive |
| | 1966 | University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | Inactive |
| | 1966 | Wichita State University | Wichita, Kansas | Inactive |
| | 1967 | Fort Wright College | Toppenish, Washington | Inactive |
| | October 14, 1967 | Marylhurst University | Marylhurst, Oregon | Inactive |
| | 1968 | University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, Colorado | Inactive |
| | 1969 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Mankato, Minnesota | Inactive |
| | 1974 | Fort Hays State University | Hays, Kansas | Inactive |
| | | Brigham Young University | Provo, Utah | Inactive |
| | | California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, California | Inactive |
| | | California State University, Chico | Chico, California | Inactive |
| | | Carroll University | Waukesha, Wisconsin | Inactive |
| | | Central Washington University | Ellensburg, Washington | Inactive |
| | | Colorado Women's College | Aurora, Colorado | Inactive |
| | | Eastern Washington University | Cheney, Washington | Inactive |
| | | Humboldt State University | Arcata, California | Inactive |
| | 19xx ?–1995 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Withdrew (local) |
| | | Montana State University Billings | Billings, Montana | Inactive |
| | | Minnesota State University Moorhead | Moorhead, Minnesota | Inactive |
| | | Montana Tech of the University of Montana | Butte, Montana | Inactive |
| | | New Mexico Highlands University | Las Vegas, New Mexico | Inactive |
| | | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, Arizona | Inactive |
| | | Northern Montana University | Havre, Montana | Inactive |
| | | Northern State University | Aberdeen, South Dakota | Inactive |
| | | University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | Inactive |
| | | Pacific Lutheran University | Parkland, Washington | Inactive |
| | | Pacific University | Forest Grove, Oregon | Inactive |
| | | Rocky Mountain College | Billings, Montana | Inactive |
| | | San Diego State University | San Diego, California | Inactive |
| | | Seattle University | Seattle, Washington | Inactive |
| | | University of Alaska Fairbanks | College, Alaska | Inactive |
| | | University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, California | Inactive |
| | | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Inactive |
| | | University of Colorado | Boulder, Colorado | Inactive |
| | | University of Great Falls | Great Falls, Montana | Inactive |
| | | University of Mary | Bismarck, North Dakota | Inactive |
| | | University of Minnesota | Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, | Inactive |
| | | University of Montana | Missoula, Montana | Inactive |
| | | University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, Nebraska | Inactive |
| | | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | Paradise, Nevada | Inactive |
| | | University of Portland | Portland, Oregon | Inactive |
| | | University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming | Inactive |
| | | Western Montana College | Dillon, Montana | Inactive |
* ↑ Merged with the university's alumni foundation to form SPURS and Fangs Student/Alumni Association (local).
* ↑ Rather than dissolving with the closure of its national, the chapter joined Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.
* ↑ Chapter reformed as a local honor society in 2017.
* ↑ The chapter originated as the Daughters of Tradition (local), established before 1935.
* ↑ After the dissolution of the national organization, the chapter at Linfield College continued operations as a local honor society of the same name. The club expanded to include juniors and seniors, abandoning its sophomore-only rule.
* ↑ Separated from National Organization in November 1989 and became the Setons
* ↑ Chapter formed at Colorado State College, now the University of Northern Colorado.
* ↑ The college merged with the University of Denver in 1982.
* ↑ Chapter formed from the Sparks (local), established in the 1920s. It withdrew from the SPURS and became the Silver Sparks (local).