Two Iowa State professors delivered their “last lectures” Wednesday night as part of National Mortar Board Honor Society Week.

For the “Last Lecture” series, the two professors were asked to speak as if they were delivering one final lecture.

Steffen Schmidt, professor of political science, and Robert Wallace, associate professor of botany, spoke about the importance of different roles of people.

Schmidt said grass roots activism is the most important thing students should get involved in.

He said urbanization has taken away from grass roots and community involvement.

But as the population has urbanized, Schmidt said organizations such as the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club, the Elks Club and the Lions Club have formed to keep grass roots prevalent.

“People need to join these organizations because they provide the skills and habits essential for democracy,” he said.

Schmidt said listening, public speaking and taking minutes are tools citizens can use to take charge and improve their conditions. He urged students to act now instead of waiting around.

“Groups that are organized, active and interacting have empowerment,” he said. “The government pays attention to civic participation.”

Schmidt said Minnesota is a great example of civic participation by citizens.

“Minnesotans are the most intense group-joiners per capita in the United States. They are the most trusting,” he said. “They are the most likely to vote per capita in the U.S.”

Schmidt said he challenges “you and future generations to break the disturbing trends among younger generations.”

“My goal is that you leave here to preach, to plead, to make students aware and more engaged in political science,” he said.

In Wallace’s “last lecture”, he stressed the importance of individuals knowing their positions and responsibilities in the biological world.

“You are on a planet — you are here. Unless you know someone at NASA, your chances of getting off are slim, even if you wanted to,” he said.

Wallace said evolution is a key part to organisms’ survival in the context of their environments. He said biology and other disciplines could help people understand the Earth and people’s lives here.

“You are here on earth for a flash. Your 90 years here is just a speck on the geological time scale,” he said. “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”

Wallace said the word “evolve” can be misconstrued to fit slogans and titles.

“People today misuse the word evolve to mean any kind of change,” he said. “Evolution is a subtractive process — extinction is forever.”

Mortar Board, Inc., is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership and service.