Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News
'Tapping' into senior societies
Jody Pollock
Senior societies are all about big names - big-name leaders on campus and their own big names scrawled all over Locust Walk.
With three of the oldest senior societies at Penn - the Sphinx Senior Society, the Friar Senior Society and the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society - admitting their new classes this past week, each claims to have snatched up the best and brightest campus leaders around.
These Sphinges, Friars and Mortar Boards who cover our sidewalks with chalk every spring and fall are class presidents, chairs of performing arts groups and team captains. They are the powerhouses of the senior class, and they are making their mark on campus - literally.
Proctors and Presidents
Sphinx was founded in 1900 by a group of undergraduates with the purpose of upholding Penn traditions, said College senior and Chief of Sphinx Sarah Abroms. They served as unofficial advisors to the administration, proctoring tests, supervising class elections and orienting freshmen.
As official agencies assumed these duties, Sphinx became more of a social honor society for up-and-coming campus leaders. For example, the senior class president and the executive editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian have traditionally been Sphinges. This year's ranks also include the president of SPEC, the former Student Activities Council Chair and the former president of the InterFraternity Council.
Friars, formed to protest "caddishness and snobbery" at Penn, was first noted in the yearbook in 1901, the same year that Sphinx was first included, 1982 College graduate and friar Sally Katz said. Its membership traditionally includes leaders from the athletic, Greek and performing-arts communities. For example, the captains of the men's basketball team and the women's squash team are Friars, as are the former A capella Council chair and the chair of Bloomers.
Twenty years later, Mortar Board was formed initially as an all-female counterpart to Friars and Sphinx, which were originally all-male. Unlike its fellow senior societies, Mortar Board is part of a national organization that now has 223 chapters. Penn members include the chair of Strictly Funk, the executive vice president of Panhellenic Council and the captain of the baseball team.
With three of the oldest senior societies at Penn - the Sphinx Senior Society, the Friar Senior Society and the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society - admitting their new classes this past week, each claims to have snatched up the best and brightest campus leaders around.
These Sphinges, Friars and Mortar Boards who cover our sidewalks with chalk every spring and fall are class presidents, chairs of performing arts groups and team captains. They are the powerhouses of the senior class, and they are making their mark on campus - literally.
Proctors and Presidents
Sphinx was founded in 1900 by a group of undergraduates with the purpose of upholding Penn traditions, said College senior and Chief of Sphinx Sarah Abroms. They served as unofficial advisors to the administration, proctoring tests, supervising class elections and orienting freshmen.
As official agencies assumed these duties, Sphinx became more of a social honor society for up-and-coming campus leaders. For example, the senior class president and the executive editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian have traditionally been Sphinges. This year's ranks also include the president of SPEC, the former Student Activities Council Chair and the former president of the InterFraternity Council.
Friars, formed to protest "caddishness and snobbery" at Penn, was first noted in the yearbook in 1901, the same year that Sphinx was first included, 1982 College graduate and friar Sally Katz said. Its membership traditionally includes leaders from the athletic, Greek and performing-arts communities. For example, the captains of the men's basketball team and the women's squash team are Friars, as are the former A capella Council chair and the chair of Bloomers.
Twenty years later, Mortar Board was formed initially as an all-female counterpart to Friars and Sphinx, which were originally all-male. Unlike its fellow senior societies, Mortar Board is part of a national organization that now has 223 chapters. Penn members include the chair of Strictly Funk, the executive vice president of Panhellenic Council and the captain of the baseball team.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Prince Fielder
posted 4/15/08 @ 9:00 AM EST
this is a stupid article.
and before a black person comments about the fact that Onyx wasn't included in this article.....
no one cares about Onyx
withheld
posted 4/15/08 @ 9:38 AM EST
As a member of one of these, I can wholeheartedly assure you that all we do is pad our resumes and drink alot while looking down our considerable noses at the plebs that infilitrate this school. (Continued…)
@withheld
posted 4/15/08 @ 11:58 AM EST
You're not actually supposed to openly admit it...
friar identity crisis
posted 4/15/08 @ 12:25 PM EST
we're not elitist, we just like matching hoodies.
F-R-I-A-R-S FRIARS, ALL MY LIFE I LIVE AND DIE, JUST TO BE A FRIAR! (sing it with me, frethren)
Lame
posted 4/15/08 @ 3:14 PM EST
These societies are a joke. While yes, each society does have a select few outstanding members, the majority are losers who are simply there through connections. (Continued…)
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