A selection of books for Northern Michigan University Mortar Board, Pi Sigma Alpha, gives students a chance to go on a blind date with a book during their recent fundraiser at Jamrich Hall. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

MARQUETTE– To go on this date, you can swipe right or left — depending what page you’re on.

For the price of $1, Northern Michigan University Mortar Board, Pi Sigma Alpha, a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership and service, gave students a chance to go on a blind date — with a book.

The event took place recently at Jamrich Hall on NMU’s campus.

Members donated six books each, wrapped in newsprint with short descriptions attached to the front, as a fundraiser to help send the incoming chapter president to a conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, this summer.

“Mortar Board focuses on three ideals, and they are scholarship, leadership and service, so we decided to do our Blind Date with a Book fundraiser (on April 23) because it’s National Literacy Day,” said NMU senior Liz Lang, outgoing Mortar Board chapter president.

Each year the group sends one representative to the conference to help them learn how to structure and lead the club within the three ideals of the Mortar Board society.

“We figured that scholarship and literacy is a huge thing that we focused on — we would do literacy night at the children’s museum all year,” she said. “We had members that would go to that, so we definitely are trying to always strive to give more involvement with not just the campus and scholarship, but also our community.”

Corey Kelly can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 243.