ODK
Posted by Philip Poole on 2015-03-04

By Bailey Fuqua

Fifty-seven student leaders representing 12 campuses across the southeast gathered Feb. 28 at Samford University for the 2015 Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Regional Drive-In Workshop. 

The event featured two keynote speakers, Stephen Black, founder of Impact Alabama and director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa; and Khadijah Abdullah, executive director of Teach for America, Alabama.   

“The regional gathering fosters comradery and understanding across different circles," said Betsy Holloway, Samford ODK faculty adviser and former ODK national president. “It’s our opportunity to share best practices, discuss what works for ODK circles around the country and enhance understanding.” 

During the workshop, attendees participated in a StrengthsQuest Program training which evaluated their personal strengths and how they can be utilized in leadership positions. The ODK members also engaged in conversation about leadership development, ODK circle standards and ways to enhance their own circles.

“It was great to see students bounce ideas off one another and share how ODK has impacted their campus, said Samford’s ODK president John Hunsicker. “After this conference, Samford's circle has been equipped with great ideas for the future.” Hunsicker is a senior biology major from St. Louis, Missouri. 

ODK is the nation’s oldest leadership honor society and has initiated more than 300,000 members in its rich 100-year history. Leaders in ODK are recognized for their academic achievements as well as their leadership across five aspects of campus life including scholarship, athletics, campus or community service, social or religious activities, and campus government, journalism, speech and the mass media, and creative and performing arts. 

The national leadership honor society is active on more than 285 campuses across the United States. 

Samford’s circle of ODK was established April 6, 1951. The organization currently has 93 members. 

Bailey Fuqua is a journalism and mass communication major and a news and feature writer in the Office of Marketing and Communication.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.