Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania

Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania

Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania (Penn) began with the founding of Sphinx in 1900. Friars was established in 1901, Hexagon in 1910 and Onyx was founded in 1974. Since 2000, students have founded ten additional senior societies. Each of these societies seeks to recognize excellence in its chosen sphere of the Penn community.

Traditional societies

These were the first senior societies to be created at the University of Pennsylvania. The three traditional societies are Sphinx, Friars, and Mortarboard. Sphinx and Friars explicitly seek campus leaders while Mortarboard seeks to recognize "achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service." Friars and Sphinx are exclusive to the University of Pennsylvania whereas Mortarboard is a national honor society.

Sphinx Senior Society

The Sphinx Senior Society, founded in 1900, is the oldest senior society at Penn and recognizes seniors who have made significant contributions to the university as leaders of the campus. Continuing in this tradition, the society has come to represent all facets of university life and has reflected the changing face of Penn’s student body. Members today include leaders in student government, performing arts, media, service groups, cultural organizations, Greek life, athletics, and other realms of student affairs. Sphinx was the first senior society at Penn to admit African-Americans (1952) and in February 1971, became the first co-ed senior society.

Friars Senior Society

The Friars Senior Society is the second oldest undergraduate society at Penn, with over 2,000 alumni in the United States and 23 other Founded in 1901, Friars was formed to establish uncompromising democracy in University activities. Each class is composed of 1/3 athletic captains, 1/3 performing arts leaders, and 1/3 leaders from student government, Greek sororities and fraternities, publications, and community service. Friars promotes interaction between people from all walks of life who have given their time and energies to making the University what it is. Hence, the name Friars, for those who sacrifice their time during college to meaningful activities. Its members have contributed to many aspects of Penn life, such as the addition of straw hats to Hey Day in 1949 and the creation of Spring Fling in 1975.

Mortar Board Senior Society

Mortar Board is a chapter of the national Mortar Board Senior Honor Society. It was the first and only senior society open to women until 1971 when Sphinx and Friars became co-ed. Mortar Board recognizes juniors and seniors for their achievements.

Atlas Senior Society

The Atlas Society was founded in 2016, by five international students. Atlas strives to create an ethnically and culturally diverse community of international students who have demonstrated leadership and an interest in intercultural learning and global experiences. The founding class includes 21 members from 18 countries and territories.

Onyx Senior Society

The Onyx Senior Society was founded in 1974 by seven university students: Claudette Christian, Craig Inge, Sharon Moorer, Linda Walker, Charles Wardlaw, Joseph Watkins and Robert Wilson. These students, with the aid of administrators Provost Elliot, Alice E. Emerson (Dean of Students), and Harold Haskins (Dean of Students), formed the honor society to encourage high academic achievement and community service at the university. The society recognizes outstanding performance within, and outside of, the classroom. The organization plays a significant role in promoting the academic success of minority students who operate in a competitive environment.

One of the goals of Onyx was to re-establish the Society for African-American Students at the University of Pennsylvania. The society provided an all-expenses-paid program for black students in the summer before their first year. The program lasted from 1969–72, and concentrated on preparing its participants for the academic mainstream by providing books, room and board, a stipend, and two credited courses. This program later birthed the Pre-Freshman Program. In response to such changes, the goals of Onyx have also changed and developed over time. In the past, Onyx has focused on forums as a means to inform the campus community about black issues. Forum topics have included the organization and promotion of networking within the black community and mentoring, both on campus and in the surrounding Philadelphia community. Onyx hopes to create a positive social experience for blacks at the university, and to recognize black achievement, past and present. Notable members of Onyx include Grammy Award winning-singer, John "Legend" Stephens, former U.S. Congressman, Harold Ford Jr., and former mayor of New Orleans and current National Urban League President and CEO, Marc Morial.

Oracle Senior Honor Society

The Oracle Senior Honor Society was founded in the fall of 2002 by five students: Sandeep Acharya, Earl Lee, Julia Lee, Eugena Oh, and Sylvia Srisinthorn, and recognizes outstanding members of each senior class who demonstrate passion, leadership, commitment and achievement as an Asian Pacific student or for the Asian Pacific community at the University of Pennsylvania. Since its founding in 2002, Oracle has represented leadership from organizations that span all facets of university life, from academics and service organizations to cultural and performing arts groups to Greek life and student government.

As a self-perpetuating senior society, each current member personally invites outstanding members of Asian descent from the junior class to apply for membership every spring. These potential members, all of whom have served the University in some leadership capacity, have an opportunity to learn more about the society and to meet the current members at an informal smoker; after the smoker, each prospective must submit a written application detailing their qualifications. The current senior class then selects the new class of Oracle members, representative of the diverse student population, by selecting from the applicant pool based on their fit to Oracle’s purpose of demonstrating passion, leadership, commitment, and achievement at the University of Pennsylvania. There is also an opportunity for individuals to be inducted in the fall of their senior year through a similar process, as long as the total membership of the Society does not exceed twenty five.

Cipactli Latino Honor Society

The Cipactli Latino Honor Society was founded in 2001, by four students: Nancy Calderón, Randy Quezada, Sabrina Harvey, and Shaun Gonzales. The mission and purpose of the Cipactli is to acknowledge individual academic achievement, leadership, and distinguished service to the Latino community. Cipactli is the only Latino Honor Society in the Ivy League.

The members of Cipactli are chosen anytime between their Sophomore Spring semester and Senior Fall semester, and go through a rigorous application process. They are chosen for their outstanding work both in and outside the academic sphere, as well as their deep commitment to helping their communities develop in a sustainable and meaningful way. Cipactli's philosophy is known as "The three pillars of Cipactli" which are Leadership, Academic Achievement, and Community Service.

Lantern Senior Society

The Lantern Society was founded in 1993. It is a senior society that is devoted to recognizing leaders of The Wharton School who have demonstrated academic excellence.

Hexagon Senior Society

Hexagon is a senior society that is devoted to recognizing leaders of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The society was founded in 1910 to promote fraternization across different engineering majors. Members often lead tours of the Engineering School buildings.

Nightingales Senior Society

The Nightingales Senior Society was founded in 2011. It is a society dedicated to senior nurses who have demonstrated leadership in the nursing school.

Omega Honor Society

The Zeta Xi Chapter of the Order of Omega was rechartered at Penn in 2014. Unlike its "Omega" counterpart below, the chapter has both a university affiliation with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and a national affiliation. Omega is composed of juniors and seniors who best represent the positive aspects of Greek life: character, scholarship, service, and leadership.

Omega Senior Society

The Omega Senior Society, or The O.R.D.E.R., exists to recognize leadership in the Greek community. It is composed of influential members of Greek organizations and other similar student groups (colloquially known as "off-campus fraternities/sororities").

Bell Senior Society

The Bell Senior Society was founded in 2014. The organization brings together leaders of innovation and technology around Penn's campus, from all four colleges. New members are selected by the previous class based on potential, and passion for technology and entrepreneurship.

Osiris Senior Society

Osiris, founded in the spring of 2013 by Lainie Huston and Jackson Foster, brings together senior leaders and outstanding members of the performing arts community. The society draws its name from the god Osiris, who was believed by some in ancient Greco-Egyptian times to have been the god who brought together the nine muses. Similarly, the society provides a forum for students of different art forms, including vocal, dance, theatrical, instrumental, photographic, and tech among others, to strengthen ties across the performing arts community. Throughout the year, members attend social events and support each other at shows, and each May members perform a senior showcase highlighting the talents of these students and fostering collaborative performance.

Kinoki Senior Society

Kinoki was founded in the spring of 2014. It is an organization that brings together students who are passionate about film and plan on pursuing careers in the entertainment industry.

Carriage Senior Society

Carriage, founded in the spring of 2013, is a senior society of leaders from around campus who are members of the LGBT community or allies. Their symbol is the a carriage wheel and members refer to themselves as "Spokes."