Iowa State President Martin Jischke added another duty to his growing list of activities by recently becoming a member of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s board of directors.

“It is a tribute to both the president and Iowa State to have him in very visible positions that will increase the prominence of the university,” John McCarroll, director of university relations, said of Jischke’s NMSC board of directors appointment.

According to a NMSC press release, NMSC is an independent, non-profit organization. The purpose of the corporation is to administer competitive, nationwide academic tests that make high school students who perform well eligible for more than $44 million of financial aid.

Many of the more than 9,500 high scorers attend ISU. The National Merit Scholars receive scholarship money from the donations of nearly 600 corporations, professional associations, educational foundations and universities through NMSC.

Elaine Detweiler, public relations director of NMSC, said the board of directors of NMSC is responsible for “approving policy and overseeing management of NMSC programs.”

The board contains about 20 members from various areas of the corporate and educational worlds.

“The board typically consists of very prominent college presidents and corporate executives,” Detweiler said.

Jischke, who will serve a three-year term, was appointed at the NMSC’s Nov. 24 board meeting.

This is Jischke’s second appointment to a prestigious committee position in the last month.

He was selected chair of the National Association of Land Grant Colleges in November.

NASULGC is the oldest association of higher education in the country.

“The president was in a position to move up in NASULGC,” McCarroll said.

Jischke’s NASULGC appointment will last until next November.