The Friar Society is the oldest honor society at the University of Texas at Austin.
The Friar Society was founded in 1911 by Curtice Rosser and Marion Levy. Eight members were initially selected in the charter group. Originally, four men were chosen from the junior and senior classes every year on the basis of a significant contribution to The University of Texas.
Twenty five years later, the Friars decided to start taking larger classes to accommodate the growing size of the university. Women were first admitted to the Friar Society on March 25, 1973.
In April 2011, the Friar Society celebrated the 100 year anniversary of its founding.
The Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship is an annual award given to a UT professor who has demonstrated excellence at the undergraduate teaching level. With a prize of $25,000, the award is the largest monetary award annually given to a UT professor.
In 1982, the Friars decided to create a teaching fellowship in honor of the upcoming centennial celebration for The University of Texas. Friar alumni raised $100,000 for this purpose, and this amount was matched by the Board of Regents to create an endowment.
In 2006, the Friar Society also created the Tany Norwood Award to honor one staff member or administrator a year.
Beauford H. Jester, 36th Governor of TexasAllan Shivers, 37th Governor of TexasJohn Connally, 38th Governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the TreasuryDolph Briscoe, 41st Governor of Texas, largest single landowner in TexasLloyd Doggett, current United States RepresentativeFrank Ikard, former United States RepresentativeJ.J. Pickle, former United States RepresentativeEd Gossett, former United States RepresentativeJohn J. Bell, former United States RepresentativeJack B. Brooks, former United States Representative serving for more than 40 yearsDiane Wood, current Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh CircuitJoe Greenhill, former Texas Supreme Court JusticeJohn Hill, former Texas Attorney General and former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme CourtHarry Lee Hudspeth, current United States Federal JudgeGeorge P. Kazen, current Senior United States Federal JudgeBen Connally, former United States Federal JudgeHarold Barefoot Sanders, former United States Federal JudgeGeorge Prescott Bush, Texas Land Commissioner and nephew of George W. BushRay Farabee, former Texas State Senator and President President Pro Tempore of the Texas State SenateCyndi Taylor Krier, former Texas State SenatorTim Von Dohlen, former Texas State House RepresentativeRoberto R. Alonzo, current Texas State House RepresentativeStanley Louis McLelland, former United States Ambassador to JamaicaPeter Coneway, former United States Ambassador to SwitzerlandWilson Homer Elkins, President of the University of Maryland, 1954–1978Benno C. Schmidt, Sr., American lawyer and venture capitalistRobert Keeton, lawyer, jurist, and legal scholarBarr McClellan, former lawyer and authorRicardo Romo, President of the University of Texas at San AntonioRoy Spence, founder and CEO of GSD&M Idea CitySteve Poizner, California State Insurance Commissioner, billionaire entrepreneurEarl Campbell, Hall of Fame NFL running backMark McKinnon, Republican political advisorBryan Garner, current editor of Black’s Law DictionaryDarren Walker, President of the [Ford Foundation]Paul Begala, political consultant and commentatorMajor Applewhite, current Texas football coach and former quarterbackCat Osterman, American softball player.Doug Dawson, former National Football League offensive linemanRoosevelt Leaks, Jr, former National Football League running backPatrick Rose, youngest member of the Texas House of RepresentativesMary Walsh, National Security Producer at CBS NewsBob Armstrong, Former Under Secretary of Interior, Former Texas Land CommissionerSam Acho. American football linebacker for the Arizona CardinalsLindsey Carmichael, Paralympic Bronze MedalistLinda Addison (lawyer), Lawyer, business executive and authorMichael L Gillette, Historian, nonprofit executiveWillie Morris, the youngest Editor-in-Chief of Harper's MagazineRobert Schenkkan, Pulitzer Prize for Theater, Tony Award for Best Play, two-time Emmy Award nominee