Der Hexenkreis

Der Hexenkreis is a senior honor society at Cornell University. Founded by a group of seven undergraduate women at Cornell University in 1892, Der Hexenkreis began as a female counterpart to the all-male secret societies that recently formed on campus. Der Hexenkreis affiliated with Mortar Board Senior Honor Society as one of its founding chapters in 1918. In 1929 New York Times held that election into Der Hexenkreis and similar societies constituted "the highest non-scholastic honor within reach of undergraduates." Der Hexenkreis retained an all-female membership policy for the first 84 years in its history, but eventually extended membership to men beginning in 1976. Still a thriving organization at Cornell, the Der Hexenkreis chapter of Mortar Board taps between 21 and 35 students in the Spring of their junior year. The Society selects individuals who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, scholarship and service during their time at Cornell University. Unlike the Quill and Dagger and Sphinx Head Senior Honor Society, Der Hexenkreis accepts applications for membership and does not exclude its members from joining other societies.