Gene Pearson, one of the longest-serving professors in University of the Pacific history, has received another tribute for his work, leadership and longevity—the 2024 Excellence in Advising Award from Mortar Board, a national academic honor society.

Pearson is one of six people to receive the award this year, which emphasizes scholarship, leadership, service and the exchange of ideas for junior- and senior-level students.

Other recipients of the 2024 national award are from Ohio State, Texas Tech and Louisville, among other universities.

For 34 years, Pearson has been the Mortar Board faculty advisor for the Knolens Chapter, named after the late First Lady Emily Knoles, wife of President Tully C. Knoles. Pearson was a professor at Pacific for 52 years until retiring in 2022.

“I was asked to take the Mortar Board advisor role in 1990 and have stayed with it ever since,” said Pearson, professor emeritus in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. “It has been a rewarding experience to work with so many fine students.”

Pearson was nominated by Megan Carmichael ’25, last year’s chapter president and a student-athlete on the women’s tennis team.

“Dr. Pearson has been a steady, guiding presence, which has helped the organization thrive and achieve its goals,” Carmichael said. “He is always incredibly selfless and giving in his efforts as an advisor and truly embodies the ideals of Mortar Board.”

Pearson and chapter leaders say the academic makeup of Mortar Board makes the group special. The chapter has members from psychology, music, engineering, business and various other physical and social sciences.

“The interdisciplinary nature of Mortar Board is appealing to me because I get to meet high achieving students from many majors,” said Emma Garber ’25, chapter president for the 2024-25 school year. I also appreciate how the mix of different majors helps us have many different points of view and service.”

In addition to the academic focus, Mortar Board members take part in campus and community outreach, including working at Pacific Trick or Treat and holding children’s book drives.

Mortar Board was founded in 1918 as the first national organization to honor senior college women. The organization shifted to co-ed after the passage of Title IX in 1972.

Judy (McMillin) Chambers ’58, ’60, the university’s late iconic vice president for student life, was a member of Mortar Board in her senior year (1957-58).

Pearson is retired but will stay on as Mortar Board faculty advisor until a new one is selected.

“It is time for another advisor to take over, but this work has meant so much to me over the years,” Pearson said. “In addition to the focus on academics, I have such fond memories of the many students who have made Mortar Board such a wonderful program at Pacific.”

For more information on the Knolens Chapter of Mortar Board, contact Pearson at epearson@pacific.edu