The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is one of nine colonial colleges and was chartered prior to the U.S. Declaration of Independence when Benjamin Franklin, the university's founder and first president, advocated for an educational institution that trained leaders in academia, commerce, and public service. Penn identifies as the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, though this representation is challenged by Princeton and Columbia since the College of Philadelphia was not chartered or commence classes until 1755 and the first board of trustees was not convened until 1749, arguably making it the sixth or fifth-oldest.
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior-class society at the university, Skull and Bones has become a cultural institution known for its powerful alumni and conspiracy theories.
Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, when its schools were confederated and the institution was renamed Yale University.
Cap and Skull is a co-educational senior honor society at Rutgers University in New Jersey. It was founded on January 18, 1900. Admission to Cap and Skull is dependent on excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, and public service. The organization considers leadership and character as factors for membership. Eighteen members are selected each year.
Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University, founded in 1883. In 1929, The New York Times stated that election into Quill and Dagger and similar societies constituted "the highest non-scholastic honor within reach of undergraduates."
Alpha Chi National College Honor Society is an American collegiate honor society recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was formed in 1922 by nineteen schools in Texas; however, the first official meeting to discuss the founding of an intercollegiate honor society, held on February 22, 1922, only saw five schools represented. Since then it has expanded to 300 active chapters in the United States. It is an open society that invites university juniors, seniors, and graduate students who are in the top ten percent of their class.
Phi Sigma Iota (ΦΣΙ) is an international honor society for students of modern and classical foreign languages and literatures. Its primary objectives are the recognition of ability and attainments in languages and literature and the promotion of a sentiment of amity between cultures with differing languages.
There are many collegiate secret societies in North America. They vary greatly in their level of secrecy and the degree of independence from their universities. A collegiate secret society makes a significant effort to keep affairs, membership rolls, signs of recognition, initiation, or other aspects secret from the public.
Thomas Truxtun Hare was an American Olympic medalist who competed in track and field and the hammer throw. He also played football with the University of Pennsylvania and was selected first-team All-American all four years. Sports Illustrated wrote, "Few early 20th Century players were as revered as Hare, who played every minute of every game." He was selected as a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.
Senior societies at University of Pennsylvania are an important part of student life.
Casque and Gauntlet is the second-oldest senior society at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The mission statement of the organization is: "to unite in fellowship men and women of strong character and high ideals; to promote their mutual welfare and happiness; to render loyal service to Dartmouth College, and to aid and encourage one another in performing their duties to God and their fellow man."
The Philodemic Society is a student debating society at Georgetown University founded in 1830 by Father James Ryder, S.J. The Philodemic is among the oldest such societies in the United States, and is the oldest secular student organization at Georgetown. The society's motto, "Eloquentiam Libertati Devinctam" reminds its members that they are pursuing Eloquence in Defense of Liberty.
The D.V.S. Senior Honor Society is an honor society at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 1900 and is the oldest and most exclusive student-selected honor society on campus.
The Red Dragon Society is a secret society based at New York University, in New York, New York. The Red Dragon has long held the title to the most selective society at NYU, and has been known for its secrecy since its founding in 1898.
The Sphinx Head Society is the oldest senior honor society at Cornell University. Sphinx Head recognizes Cornell senior men and women who have demonstrated respectable strength of character on top of dedication to leadership and service at Cornell University. In 1929 The New York Times held that election into Sphinx Head and similar societies constituted "the highest non-scholastic honor within reach of undergraduates."
Blue Key Honor Society is an American national honor society for college upperclassmen. Blue Key has over 50 chartered collegiate chapters within the United States. It was established in 1924 at the University of Florida.
Established in 1910, the Aurelian Honor Society ("Aurelian") is the fifth oldest landed secret society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. It is a member of the Ancient Eight, which also includes Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key, and Wolf's Head. In addition, Aurelian is part of a four-society "Consortium" with Manuscript Society, Book and Snake, and Berzelius.
Aleph Samach (אס) was a junior honor society at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York that existed from 1893 until 1981.
The Friars Senior Society of the University of Pennsylvania, commonly nicknamed Friars, is the oldest undergraduate secret society at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1899, it recognizes student leaders who have made a significant contribution to the university in all areas of campus life. The organization remains the most active secret senior society at the university with over 2,000 alumni in the United States and 24 countries throughout the world.
