Der Hexenkreis

Der Hexenkreis is the second oldest non-academic honor society at Cornell University, founded in 1892 preceding Quill and Dagger (est. 1893) by one year and proceeding Sphinx Head (est. 1890) by two years. Being tapped for membership is "one of the highest honors bestowed on Cornell undergraduates." It is also the oldest chapter affiliated with Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society.
Founding
Literally meaning "the Witches Circle," Der Hexenkreis was founded as a secret society for Cornell's most accomplished and influential women students, and began tapping men in 1975. It is the second oldest non-academic honor society at Cornell University and it is the oldest chapter affiliated with Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society. Although it began as a secret society, membership secrecy shortly before it became involved with the national organization, though the rituals and traditions, particularly of initiation, remain a secret. Today, it is structurally a hybrid organization, maintaining the traditions and rituals of Der Hexenkreis that have existed since 1892, but also abiding by the commitment to service associated with Mortar Board.
Campus Activities
Der Hexenkreis engages in a number of activities to serve Cornell's campus. The most popular event that the society puts on each semester is the last lecture series. Recent speakers include former Cornell University president, Hunter Rawlings III and current President David Skorton. Each event routinely makes the front page of Cornell's most widely distributed student run paper, the Cornell Daily Sun.
Der Hexenkries also hosts a number of other events on campus, including the annual "Rock Paper Scissors" tournament during orientation week in which hundreds of new students are able to bond with one another and build community. The organization has also sponsored student lead debates, on hot topics such as media censorship.
Membership
Der Hexenkreis is one of the four founding chapters of Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society and is committed to selecting Cornell students based on the criteria of excellence in leadership, scholarship and service.
Members who are tapped in the society are leaders in nearly every major organization and activity on campus.
They have consistently been listed on the annual listing of "The 25 Most Influential Cornell Undergraduates" and our influential alumni occupy many spots on the list of "100 Most Notable Cornellians."
Notable Cornell Alumni
Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann is the current host of “The Countdown with Keith Olbermann” on MSNBC, a left leaning political broadcast and “Football Night in America” on NBC. He is the former co-anchor of ESPN Sportscenter and the founder of ESPN Sportcenter Radio. "He has written for dozens of publications, including The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated and Playboy, and authored a book with his 'tag-team partner' Dan Patrick entitled “The Big Show - A Tribute to ESPN’s SportsCenter”. He’s received numerous distinguished awards in radio and television broadcasting, including the Cable Ace Award for Best Sportscaster, 11 Golden Mike Awards for excellence in television and radio, and four Sports Emmy Awards. He also won an Edward R. Murrow Award for reporting from the site of the terrorist attacks of September 11th for 40 days for his ABC Radio show. He has won the Best Sportscaster award from the California Associated Press three times
Olbermann’s first of four books, “The Major League Coaches,” was published when he was 14. He began his career while still in high school as a play-by-play announcer for WHTR." He began college at age 16 and graduated with a Bachelors of science degree in communications arts from Cornell University at the age of 20, where he was a member of Der Hexenrkeis.
Mary Donlon Alger
Though typically associated with the popular North campus dorm that holds her name, Mary Donlon is a very important Cornell figure, and one of the university’s “Most Notable Cornellians.” "She was the first woman from New York State to be appointed to the federal bench and attended Cornell University Law School, where she was the first woman to serve as editor-in-chief of the law review, Cornell Law Quarterly. During this time she was a Mortar Board member.
In 1928, she began practicing law in New York City as a partner in the firm of Burke and Burke. In 1940, running on the Republican ticket, she was defeated in a race for the U.S. congressman-at-large from New York State. After that, she became active in national and state Republican campaigns. Ms. Donlon was the first woman to head a resolutions subcommittee at a Republican national convention. In 1955, she received a lifetime appointment as a U.S. Customs Court Judge. For 29 years she served as a trustee of Cornell University."

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