Omicron Delta Kappa history

The keys arrived shortly past the winter holiday, and each man first wore his key on the 15th of January in 1915.

By 1917—just three years after founding the Alpha Circle—Omicron Delta Kappa became a national leadership honor society.

A similar honorary society, for exceptionally outstanding women leaders, known as Mortar Board, had been established just a few years after ODK, in 1918, with many similar ideals and purposes.

William Moseley Brown* Washington and Lee University 1922-25

Frank R. Brown* Davidson College 1931-33

Frank L. Jackson* Davidson College 1937-39

Frank A. Rose* University of Kentucky 1968-70

Frank G. Dickey* University of Kentucky 1970-72

For more information, visit The University of Memphis Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance.

The first circle to be established at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) was at Morris Brown College in 1976.

Cheryl Hogle was elected as the first woman National President at the Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee on February 25, 1998.

Johnson Center for Leadership O∆K National Headquarters 224 McLaughlin Street Lexington, Virginia 24450-2002 1-877-ODK-NHDQ (635-6437) odknhdq@odk.org

On June 26, 2010, the ODK National Leadership Summit and Convention elected Doctor Betsy Holloway as the 34th National President, the second female to be elected.