Omicron Delta Kappa

Omicron Delta Kappa, also known as The Circle and ODK, is a prestigious honor society located in the United States with chapters at more than 300 college campuses. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. The society recognizes achievement in five areas: scholarship; athletics; campus and community service, social or religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. Some circles of ΟΔΚ are quasi-secret, in that newly selected members remain undisclosed for some time. Membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa Society is regarded as a high honor in the tradition of Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi. To be selected as a member of ΟΔΚ, one must stand among the top 35 percent of all students at that particular institution and hold a leadership role in one of the society's five areas of recognition. History Founding On 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 introduced the idea of creating such a society to a close friend, Rupert Latture. The two soon included mutual friend William Brown in the discussion, and thus these three are referred to as the principal founders of the society. Together with three faculty members, including the president of the University and the dean of Engineering, they gradually selected nine others to join them. The complete list of the fifteen founders is as follows.