To help Iowa Boy Scouts, the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and the Latter Day Saints Student Association (LDSSA) are hosting Merit Badge University March 7 and 14 at Iowa State.

The event is an opportunity for local scouts to earn merit badges while getting a taste of the university, said Elwynn Taylor, adviser for LDSSA.

He said it gives the young boys an “opportunity to investigate a profession and develop skills in everyday life.”

Boy Scouts can earn merit badges in a number of academic fields similar to those taught at ISU, including meteorology, engineering, chemistry and geology, Taylor said. Merit badges are required to move up in the Boy Scout ranks.

The merit badge classes will be taught by volunteer professors and graduate students who are experts in their areas, Taylor said.

The classes will be similar in style to university classes, so participants can experience a college classroom.

Merit Badge University was started last year by ASP fraternity as a “service project for youth to introduce them to Iowa State, and aid them in their progression through Boy Scouts,” Taylor said.

Thomas Frizelle, ASP service and scholarship director, said the idea originated from a former fraternity member who had participated in a similar event at another university.

LDSSA became involved in the event when the fraternity sought additional help, Taylor said. A number of ASP members are also a part of LDSSA, so there was a natural connection, he said.

A lot of work is involved in running Merit Badge University, Frizelle said.

The most difficult task for organizers is finding volunteer experts to teach the classes and finding available time and locations for the event.

To help with the shortage of instructor volunteers, Frizelle said two or three house members will be teaching merit badge classes.

“There are requirements for each merit badge — sometimes we need to find materials to meet [those requirements],” he said.

Volunteers from the fraternity and LDSSA who are not counseling help out with administrative duties and reserving rooms.

About one-third of ASP members are participating in the event, said Dave Hanson, program director of ASP.

To publicize Merit Badge University, organizers have put a notice in the Boy Scout newsletter, Taylor said.

They have also visited the scoutmasters roundtable, a monthly meeting of local scoutmasters, to spread the word about this event.

Last year, about 60 young scouts participated in the event. This year, a turnout of about 80 is expected, Hanson said.

So far, the scouts have only been drawn from the Broken Arrow District of the Mid-Iowa Council, but Hanson said they hope to expand to the rest of the council in future years.