Omicron Delta Kappa
“Guiding you on your journey as a campus leader today and a community leader tomorrow”
Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society for college students, recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character. Membership is a mark of highest distinction and honor, and it is well recognized by leaders in both the academic and business worlds. It develops the leadership potential in college students by offering more than 20 scholarships each year to those pursuing graduate or professional studies. In addition, OΔK provides training and education workshops, other grants to support students, partnerships with career mentoring organizations and online leadership resources. Click here to read more about the national organization.
Purdue rechartered its Omicron Delta Kappa chapter in the spring of 2016, welcoming 34 new members. In spring of 2017, Purdue added 12 new initiates, including Cathy Russell as the alumna initiate and Roger Stewart as an honorary, or honoris causa, initiate. In all, the university has 1,600 OΔK alums. It founded its original Omicron Delta Kappa chapter in 1961. Purdue OΔK members meet once a month. They are expected to demonstrate exemplary character, responsible leadership and service, superior scholarship, genuine fellowship and a dedication to democratic ideals.
OΔK is unique because its members include:
- Undergraduate junior and senior students
- Graduate and professional students
- Faculty
- Administration
- Alumni
- Local, national and international leaders who qualify for honorary membership
Selection Criteria:
Collegiate members must rank in the upper 35 percent of their class and must show leadership in at least one of the five areas of collegiate leadership and campus life celebrated by OΔK.
- Scholarship
- Athletics
- Campus/community service, social/religious activities and campus government
- Journalism, speech and mass media
- Creative and performing arts
Think all honor societies are the same? Think again. Omicron Delta Kappa has notable members including George H.W. Bush, Jim Caldwell, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sheryl Crow, Peyton Manning and Cornell West. It is a proud member of the Honor Society Caucus, a consortium of the most prestigious honor societies in the country. The caucus has four members:
- Omicron Delta Kappa
- Phi Beta Kappa- The oldest honor society in the liberal arts and sciences
- Sigma Xi- The scientific research society
- Phi Kappa Phi- The nation’s oldest multidisciplinary collegiate honor society
The Purdue University Circle welcomed 19 new initiates in 2023!
- Galit Beraja
- Avery Biggs
- Joshua Boone
- Reilly Catherine Bresnahan
- Jessica M Frazer
- Molly Gard
- Katie Grace Gold
- Owen Robert Hayden
- Johanna M Hicks
- Christina M Joslin
- Haseung Jun
- Megan Elizabeth Parsons
- Gabrielle A. Pitruzzello
- Madison Pontious
- Carissa S. Ray
- Audrey Kent Russell
- Chelsea J Sanders (Advisor)
- Maya Vogdes
