abolish segregation

Omicron Delta Kappa

The Omicron Delta Kappa Society ΟΔΚ
Nickname: ODK
The ΟΔΚ Key
Founded:	December 3, 1914 at Washington and Lee University
Founders:	James Carl Fisher Rupert Nelson Latture William Mosely Brown
Members:	280,000
Circles:	310
Official Colors:	Sky Blue, White, & Black
Official Flower:	The Blue Delphinium
National President:	Steve Bisese
Executive Director:	John D. Morgan
Address:	Transylvania University 421 North Broadway Lexington, KY 40508
Omicron Delta Kappa Website

Omicron Delta Kappa, or OΔK, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300 college campuses. The society recognizes achievement in the five areas of scholarship; athletics; campus/ community service, social/religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. ODK is a quasi-secret society in regards to the way its members are selected and kept secret for a period of time. Membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa Society is regarded as one of the highest collegiate honors that can be awarded to an individual, along with Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa.

History

Founding

On the evening of December 3, 1914, the Omicron Delta Kappa Society was founded by fifteen men who gathered in a small office on the third floor of Reid Hall on the campus of Washington and Lee University. J. Carl Fisher first brought up the idea of creating such a society with close friend Rupert Latture. The two soon included mutual friend William Brown in the discussion, and thus these three men are referred to as the three principal founders of the society. Together with three faculty members, including the president of the University and the dean of Engineering, these men gradually selected nine additional men to affiliate with them. The complete list of the fifteen founders is as follows.

James Edwin Bear, ΒΘΠ, editor of the student magazine
William Moseley Brown, ΔΚΕ, ΦΒΚ, debater, president of YMCA
Carl Shaffer Davidson, ΚΣ, student instructor in civil engineering
Edward Parks Davis, ΚΣ, athlete
Edward A. Donahue, ΦΚΣ, captain of football and baseball
Dr. De la Warr Benjamin Easter, ΚΣ, ΦΒΚ, professor and first president of ΟΔΚ
James Carl Fisher, business manager of the student magazine, established campus radio station
Philip Pendleton Gibson, ΠΚΑ, president of student government, editor of student newspaper
Thomas McPheeters Glasgow, ΦΔΘ, orator, athlete
David Carlisle Humphreys, FIJI, professor and dean of the School of Applied Science
Rupert Nelson Latture, ΔΥ, ΦΒΚ, president of the YMCA
John Eppes Martin, ΑΧΡ, business manager of the year book
William C. Raftery, ΦΚΣ, athlete
John Purver Richardson, Jr., ΣΧ, instructor in biology
Dr. Henry Louis Smith, ΦΔΘ, ΦΒΚ, president of Washington and Lee University

All fifteen men were prominent leaders on campus, and they rallied around the idea that all-around leadership in college should be recognized, that representative men in all phases of college life should cooperate in worthwhile endeavor, and that outstanding students and faculty should meet on a basis of mutual interest and understanding. The founders also insisted that ODK would not simply be another society in which members would simply earn a Key and then be finished. Members of ODK would be expected to remain active in campus politics, in upholding spiritual and moral values, and in rendering service to the campus and community.

The founders decided that the society would be kept a complete secret until keys could be designed and produced. A few days after returning from the winter holiday, the keys arrived, and on January 15, 1915, each man wore the key on campus for the first time, and the first public announcement of the establishment of Omicron Delta Kappa was made in the student newspaper on that same day. As stated in the announcement, the society would be publicly known as "The Circle," because the Greek letters have secret significance known only to the members.

Women in ODK

Membership in Omicron Delta Kappa was restricted to men only during the first sixty years of the society. At the 1970 and 1972 National Conventions, the University of Alabama Circle introduced an amendment to the National Constitution to admit women into the Society. In June 1972, Title IX of the "Education Amendments Act of 1972" prohibited sex discrimination in federally assisted educational programs and amended parts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Professional and honor fraternities were included in Title IX. The Special Committee on the Possible Role of Women met in January 1973 and recommended changes to the National Constitution that would abolish segregation based on gender within the Society. On March 12, 1974. the National Convention convened in New Orleans and approved the initiation of women into the Society. On that date, the first women members were recognized by the Society. They were: The Johns Hopkins University Circle-Carolyn Julia Kucinski and Diane Christine Ragosa; University of South Florida Circle - Robbie Lynn Cooney, Maria Dolores Delvalle. Roxane R. Dow. Catherine Ann Rohrbacher. Karen Diane Janzer, Linda Ann Touten, Martha Gwyn Van Deman, and Cathy Sue Welch.

Cheryl M. Hogle was elected as the first woman National President at the Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee on February 25. 1998. After serving four terms as a Faculty Province Director and two terms as National Vice President for Extension, she was elected by unanimous vote of the Convention.

On March 22, 1992, the National Convention passed a resolution authorizing the incorporation of the Society. On July 1, 1992, the Omicron Delta Kappa Society was merged into the corporation, The Omicron Delta Kappa Society, Inc.

Rivalry with Mortar Board

Prior to the passage of Title IX, outstanding women leaders were tapped into a similar society for women known as Mortar Board. Mortar Board was established just a few years after ODK, in 1918, and it stood for many similar ideals and purposes. With the passage of Title IX; however, ODK was now required to accept women into membership, and Mortar Board was required to accept men. As a result, the two organizations found themselves competing to tap many of the same outstanding student leaders on college campuses, and what once existed as two complementary societies grew into rivalry at many institutions of higher learning. While the rivalry sometimes becomes fierce during membership selection times, at other times during the year it takes a more congenial tone as the two organizations often compete in service, athletics, or other campus events.

Purpose of the Society

The Purpose of the Society is threefold:

First, to recognize those who have attained a high standard of efficiency in collegiate activities and to inspire others to strive for conspicuous attainments along similar lines;

Second, to bring together the most representative students in all phases of collegiate life and thus to create an organization which will help to mold the sentiment of the institution on questions of local and intercollegiate interest;

Third, to bring together members of the faculty and student body of the institution, as well as other Omicron Delta Kappa members, on a basis of mutual interest and understanding.

Membership Selection

To be eligible for membership in OΔΚ, an individual must obtain at least junior or senior academic standing. Unlike Phi Beta Kappa, which limits membership to the liberal arts & sciences, ΟΔΚ is open to students of all areas of study, but they must exhibit outstanding leadership distinction in the five areas of scholarship; athletics; campus/community service, social/religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. Members may be chosen either annually or semi-annually depending on the traditions of the individual Circles. The number of students selected each year is limited to, at the most, less than 3% of the total undergraduate population, but most Circles limit membership to less than the top one quarter of one percent of students on their respective campuses.

Unlike most college honor societies that accept all potential members who meet the selection criteria and pay the required fees, ΟΔΚ only chooses a very select group from a pool of potential and qualified students through a process known as tapping. Once a Circle votes on the individuals to be tapped for membership, the selection is kept secret from all except for those who have been chosen for initiation. Once the chosen candidates are tapped, they must also keep their selection secret until such time when their selection is revealed to the campus and community in a public ceremony. Prior to this public revealing ceremony, the new members are initiated into the bonds of the society through the private ritual of the society. At some institutions where several elite societies are in place that tap new members, such as the University of Missouri, the public revealing ceremony is combined with those other highly selective or secret societies to become a large annual Tap Day ceremony on campus.

Circles

The practice of designating Circles with Greek letter names was abandoned in 1949. Members who have passed away are said to have entered the Eternal Circle.

#	Circle	Installation Date	College or University	Status
1.	Alpha	December 3, 1914	Washington and Lee University	active
2.	Beta	May 1, 1916	The Johns Hopkins University	active
3.	Gamma	June 9, 1916	University of Pittsburgh	active
4.	Delta	May 24, 1917	Davidson College	active
5.	Epsilon	March 12, 1921	University of Richmond	active
6.	Zeta	May 27, 1921	College of William and Mary	active
7.	Eta	May 28, 1921	Centre College	active
8.	Theta	April 29, 1922	University of Akron	active
9.	Iota	February 21, 1924	University of Alabama	active
10.	Kappa	March 22, 1924	Birmingham-Southern College	active
11.	Lambda	April 12, 1924	Hampden-Sydney College	active
12.	Mu	January 24, 1925	Emory University	active
13.	Nu	May 4, 1925	University of Kentucky	active
14.	Xi	May 24, 1925	Lehigh University	charter withdrawn
15.	Omicron	May 28, 1925	University of Virginia	active
16.	Pi	March 8, 1926	Millsaps College	active
17.	Rho	May 26, 1926	Duke University	charter withdrawn
18.	Sigma	February 2, 1927	University of Maryland	active
19.	Tau	May 15, 1927	Ohio Wesleyan University	active
20.	Upsilon	May 17, 1927	Dickinson College	active
21.	Phi	May 25, 1927	Rhodes College	active
22.	Chi	May 29, 1927	University of South Carolina	active
23.	Psi	February 17, 1928; Rechartered April 5, 1997	Allegheny College	active
24.	Omega	May 22, 1928	Auburn University	active
25.	Alpha Alpha	May 19, 1929	University of the South	active
26.	Alpha Delta	May 25, 1929	George Washington University	active
27.	Alpha Epsilon	March 22, 1930	Muhlenberg College	active
28.	Alpha Eta	May 28, 1930	Georgia Institute of Technology	active
29.	Alpha Zeta	May 28, 1930	Tulane University	active
30.	Alpha Theta	March 7, 1931	University of Cincinnati	active
31.	Alpha Iota	March 23, 1931	Rollins College	active
32.	Alpha Kappa	February 24, 1933	Washington University	active
33.	Alpha Lambda	March 4, 1933	Randolph-Macon College	active
34.	Alpha Mu	May 10, 1933	Denison University	active
35.	Alpha Beta	May 12, 1933	Drake University	active
36.	Alpha Nu	May 12, 1933	Louisiana State University	active
37.	Alpha Xi	May 12, 1933	University of Missouri	active
38.	Alpha Omicron	June 2, 1933	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	active
39.	Alpha Pi	March 5, 1934	University of Denver	active
40.	Alpha Rho	April 28, 1934	Vanderbilt University	active
41.	Alpha Sigma	May 31, 1934	Miami University	charter withdrawn
42.	Alpha Tau	April 9, 1935	Westminster College	active
43.	Alpha Upsilon	April 29, 1935	University of Georgia	active
44.	Alpha Phi	February 3, 1936	University of Mississippi	active
45.	Alpha Chi	May 22, 1937	Mississippi State University	active
46.	Alpha Psi	November 12, 1937	Washington College	active
47.	Alpha Omega	March 12, 1938	American University	charter withdrawn
48.	Beta Alpha	May 13, 1939	Wake Forest University	active
49.	Beta Beta	June 2, 1939	University of Arkansas	charter withdrawn
50.	Beta Gamma	February 15, 1942	Albion College	active
51.	Beta Delta	September 19, 1942	Carnegie-Mellon University	charter withdrawn
52.	Beta Epsilon	May 14, 1943	University of Louisville	active
53.	Beta Zeta	May 10, 1946	Bucknell University	active
54.	Beta Eta	June 9, 1946	Wayne State University	charter withdrawn
55.	Beta Theta	May 8, 1947	Case Western Reserve	charter withdrawn
56.	Beta Iota	May 10, 1947	University of Iowa	active
57.	Beta Kappa	May 11, 1947	University of Kansas	active
58.	Beta Lambda	May 23, 1947	Marshall University	active
59.	Beta Mu	June 3, 1947	Grove City College	active
60.	Beta Nu	November 16, 1947	University of Tennessee	active
61.	Beta Xi	May 23, 1948	Beloit College	charter withdrawn
62.	Beta Omicron	January 18, 1949	Louisiana Tech University	active
63.	Beta Pi	February 18, 1949	Centenary College	active
64.	Beta Rho	February 25, 1949	Hillsdale College	active
65.	Beta Sigma	March 9, 1949	University of Delaware	active
66.	Beta Tau	May 22, 1949	Bowling Green State University	active
67.	Beta Upsilon	June 2, 1949	University of Miami	active
68.		April 22, 1949	Bradley University	active
69.		May 6, 1950	New Jersey Institute of Technology	active
70.		May 13, 1950	Drury University	active
71.	Seminole	May 13, 1950	Florida State University	active
72.		May 20, 1950	University of Nebraska at Omaha	active
73.		November 16, 1950	Marietta College	active
74.		April 6, 1951	Samford University	active
75.		April 7, 1951	Florida Southern College	active
76.		November 10, 1951	Ohio University	active
77.		March 28, 1952	Baldwin-Wallace College	active
78.		June 4, 1952	Colorado State University	charter withdrawn
79.		May 14, 1953	Stetson University	active
80.		April 4, 1954	University of Redlands	active
81.	Sachem	May 8, 1954	Oklahoma State University	active
82.	Kalon-Kixioc	May 10, 1954	St. Lawrence University	active
83.		May 16, 1954	University of Wyoming	active
84.		May 26, 1954	The University of Southern Mississippi	active
85.	University Park	May 15, 1955	Pennsylvania State University	active
86.		May 21, 1955	University of Oklahoma	active
87.		May 22, 1955	University of Hawaii	charter withdrawn
88.		May 22, 1955	Willamette University	charter withdrawn
89.		December 9, 1956	University of Missouri-Kansas City	active
90.		March 24, 1957	University of South Dakota	active
91.		May 17, 1958	Western Michigan University	charter withdrawn
92.		December 12, 1959	Washington State University	charter withdrawn
93.		March 1, 1960	University of Louisiana at Monroe	active
94.		April 23, 1960	Central Methodist University	active
95.		April 24, 1960	University of Houston	active
96.		April 25, 1960	Mississippi College	active
97.		May 21, 1960	Westminster College	active
98.		May 21, 1960	Whittier College	active
99.		May 28, 1960	Wagner College	active
100.		April 29, 1961	University of Tulsa	active
101.		May 21, 1961	Purdue University	active
102.		April 14, 1962	Hiram College	active
103.		May 12, 1962	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	charter withdrawn
104.		May 13, 1962	Augustana College	active
105.		May 19, 1962	Baylor University	active
106.		April 21, 1963	Pittsburg State University	active
107.		May 17, 1963	University of Memphis	active
108.		May 19, 1963	Oklahoma Baptist University	active
109.		May 25, 1963	McDaniel College	active
110.		May 26, 1963	Michigan State University	charter withdrawn
111.		May 26, 1963	West Virginia Wesleyan College	active
112.		April 19, 1964	Erskine College	active
113.		October 22, 1965	Kent State University	active
114.		May 7, 1966	Illinois State University	charter withdrawn
115.		May 19, 1966	University of Texas at Austin	charter withdrawn
116.		May 12, 1967	Alma College	active
117.		April 5, 1968	Georgia State University	active
118.		May 17, 1968	University of Florida	active
119.		May 11, 1969	University of Colorado at Boulder	charter withdrawn
120.		January 22, 1970	Ohio Northern University	active
121.		February 15, 1970	Murray State University	active
122.		May 20, 1970	University of South Florida	active
123.		March 26, 1971	University of New Orleans	active
124.		April 18, 1971	Ferris State University	active
125.		April 24, 1971	Valdosta State University	active
126.		April 24, 1971	Western Kentucky University	active
127.		May 2, 1971	Wichita State University	active
128.		May 23, 1971	Delta State University	active
129.		December 10, 1971	Louisiana College	active
130.		January 29, 1972	Texas Tech University	active
131.		February 11, 1972	North Carolina Wesleyan College	active
132.		April 22, 1972	Houston Baptist University	active
133.		April 24, 1972	Westmont College	active
134.		May 20, 1972	University of Tampa	active
135.		May 21, 1972	Northern Illinois University	charter withdrawn
136.		May 26, 1973	Troy State University	active
137.		April 29, 1974	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	active
138.		May 6, 1974	Olivet College	active
139.		May 25, 1975	University of Central Florida	active
140.		May 9, 1975	William Carey College	active
141.		May 30, 1975	Tennessee Technological University	active
142.		October 26, 1975	The College of Charleston	charter withdrawn
143.		November 21, 1975	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	active
144.		November 22, 1975	University of Alabama at Birmingham	active
145.		December 15, 1975	Salisbury University	active
146.		February 8, 1976	Elmhurst College	active
147.		March 6, 1976	Rider University	active
148.		March 6, 1976	Wittenberg University	active

University of Maryland, Baltimore County - 1981
University of Alabama in Huntsville - 1982
Creighton University - 1988
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC - 1990
Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI - 1991
Carthage College, Kenosha, WI - 1992
SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, NY - 1992
Truman State University - 1994
Nova Southeastern University - 2006

Notable members

Tapped for student membership

Barry Chapman Bishop (Alpha Theta, 1953), geographer, researcher, and Executive Vice Chair of Research, National Geographic
Dan Carmichael (Mu, 1967)
Sheryl S. Crow (Alpha Xi, 1983), singer/songwriter, winner of 9 Grammy Awards
Harvey P. Eisen (Alpha Xi), chairman of Bedford Oak Advisors, chairman and CEO of National Patent Development Corporation
Gordon R. England (Sigma, 1963), current U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense
Donald Evans (University of Texas at Austin, 1971), 34th U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Martin Frost (Alpha Xi), Democratic representative to the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 24th congressional district from 1979 to 2005
John R. Gibson (Alpha Xi), Senior Federal Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Frank Hereford (Omicron), fifth president of the University of Virginia
Robert S. Jepson, Jr. (Epsilon, 1963), chairman of the board and CEO of three corporations and a California winery, director of four other companies, founder of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond
Richard D. Kinder (Alpha Xi), CEO of Kinder Morgan, former president of Enron, currently ranked #130 on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. Kinder's net worth is more than $2.9 billion.
Kenneth L. Lay (University of Houston, 1964), former chairman and CEO of Enron
Clay Foster Lee, Jr. (Pi, 1951), retired Bishop of the United Methodist Church
Peyton Manning (Beta Nu, 1997), NFL quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts
Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. (Alpha, 1928), former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Kenneth P. Ruscio (Alpha, 1975), 26th president of Washington and Lee University
Dean Rusk (Delta, 1930), 54th U.S. Secretary of State
William S. Thompson, Jr. (Alpha Xi), CEO and Managing Director of Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO)