Apply for the 2020-2021 Initiate Class

Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) was the first college honor society of a national scope to give recognition and honor for meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities and to encourage development of general campus citizenship. Through membership in ODK, you enter the ranks of over 300,000 women and men whose peers recognize them as scholars and leaders.

ODK, the National Leadership Society, is one of four members of the Honor Society Caucus, a consortium of the most prestigious honor societies in the country. ODK recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character. Omicron Delta Kappa was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia by fifteen students and faculty leaders. The society recognizes achievement in:

• Scholarship
• Athletics
• Campus or community service, social and religious activities, and campus government
• Journalism, speech and mass media
• Creative and performing arts

To qualify for membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, students must meet the following requirements:

• Undergraduate students must have completed at least five semesters as a full-time student by January 17th (three semesters for transfer students) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
• Senior or Graduate Student standing during the 2020-2021 school year.
• A cumulative grade point average must be in the top 35% of class within applicant’s respective college.
• An achievement of distinction in one of the five areas of leadership listed on this application.

To apply for membership to ODK you must:

• Fill out the first part of the application here. Search for "University of Nebraska - Lincoln" in "College/University Name," and then select "Junior". You are required to enter your NUID as the student ID number. This will be used to match your application on the ODK website to the other pieces of your application.
• Fill out the second part of the application here. Fill out the entirety of the application. Please complete five essays (250 words maximum). There are three required prompts and three optional questions. From the optional essays, pick two. Your application will not be considered if you fail to complete five essays.
• You are required to submit a letter of recommendation. Please ask your letter writer to submit the letter here by January 17th, 2020. If your letter writer is not an affiliate of UNL, please have them e-mail the letter to unlincoln.odk@gmail.com.
• If you are applying to the Innocents Society and/or Mortar Board as well, you will need to download this form and submit it to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs in the Canfield Administration building.

To prevent bias from influencing our selection of new members, ODK uses a blind evaluation process. It is essential that none of your application materials contain your name. Only provide your name when it is specifically requested.