The patron saint of engineers, St. Patrick, carried a shillelagh as standard equipment. This shillelagh was used by St. Pat in defense of his followers. In 1977, a group of concerned individuals founded the The Order of Golden Shillelagh at the University of Missouri-Rolla. These founders realized that without the support of individuals such as themselves UMR would have a difficult struggle maintaining the high quality of education associated with the school since its beginning in the 1870's. The Order was conceived as a way for people to pick up the shillelagh to promote adequate financial support for the enhancement of quality education.
Education is a debt due from the present to future generations.