MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —
MTSU’s Omicron Delta Kappa chapter recently was recognized with the
national honor society’s 2016-17
Presidential Circle of Excellence. It is the first award of this caliber
for the campus chapter.
ODK is comprised of more than 300 chapters nationally and
the MTSU circle was one of only a handful to be selected for the special honor
by the ODK board of directors.
ODK, the National Leadership Honor Society,
recognizes and encourages superior leadership and exemplary character. ODK
encourages collaboration among members across the five phases celebrated by the
organization: scholarship, athletics, service, communications and arts.
Founded in 1914 at Washington and Lee University
in Lexington, Virginia, ODK honors and develops leaders through scholarships,
workshops, career opportunities, leadership resources and a lifelong connection
to other members.
To learn more about the MTSU chapter, which is
housed in the University Honors College,
visit http://odk.org/circle/mtsu/.
The certificate sent to MTSU reads: “By virtue of
exceptional performance in accordance with the national standards of Omicron
Delta Kappa, the circle at Middle Tennessee State University is recognized as a
2016-17 Presidential Circle recipient.”
“This is the top level of award that is given to
a circle by ODK,” said Matthew Hibdon,
a member who helped establish MTSU’s chapter in 2010 and national headquarters
liaison.
Hibdon (MTSU Classes of 2012 and ’14), whose last
day working at MTSU will be Friday (Sept. 1), is taking a director of
leadership programs position at ODK’s national headquarters. He begins his new
job Tuesday, Sept. 5.
The McMinnville, Tennessee, native has been on
the ODK Membership and Circle Standards Committee since 2012 and served on the
National Advisory Council from 2012-14.
The MTSU circle has initiated 182 members since
it’s chartering in 2010. Two initiations per year are held, one in November and
one in April. MTSU ODK members actively participate in service projects
throughout the year and attend meetings.
One project is an annual ODK True Blue Leadership Day, usually held
in the spring.
ODK at MTSU is open to qualified juniors,
seniors, graduate students, faculty and alumni. MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, Provost Mark Byrnes and Deb Sells, vice president of Student Affairs, are ODK members as is
alumnus Bart Gordon, a former member
of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In addition to student officers, Honors College
Dean John Vile is faculty adviser,
associate dean Philip Phillips is
circle coordinator and honors events coordinator Susan Lyons is membership coordinator.
MTSU, Austin Peay State University and Belmont
and Vanderbilt universities will collaborate to co-host the 2018 ODK biennial
convention and leadership conference at Belmont — the 50th national
convention of the organization, Hibdon said.
To learn more, call 615-898-5645 or email Susan.Lyons@mtsu.edu.
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