The ‘honor’ in Ivy Honorary

National society inspires involvement

By ALEX BINZ, Guest Writer

Published: February 13, 2008

I was rather disquieted by Bekah Grim's article featured in last week's issue of The Falcon. She was apparently offended that she had been nominated to join the SPU honor society, Ivy Honorary.

How does that work?

Anyway, Grim exacted her revenge in the article by dismissing Ivy Honorary as a meaningless resume-enhancer, criticizing the officers for such frivolous titles as "secretary," and calling the members a "herd" of shameless self-promoters with good grades.

I concede that they have good grades. But, Ms. Grim, we need to talk.

Ivy Honorary is not a sanctuary for snobs, nor is membership an empty distinction. For one, Ivy Honorary is not an honor society, but an honorary--that is, a service-oriented institution. Each of its members has committed himself or herself to a year of academic service.

The philosophy of Ivy Honorary is to take the best and brightest juniors on campus, put them in a room together, and tell them to be public servants during their senior year. As an officer, I know that many of Ivy Honorary's members are extraordinarily involved on campus, not just through Ivy Honorary. Certainly, there are some who are not so engaged, but the rate of service activity is remarkable.

Within the last few months, Ivy Honorary has worked with Student Academic Services (SAS) to provide registration information at its annual Curriculum Fair, which is contracted with the Center for Learning. The fair seeks to provide academic counseling on a more ongoing basis, and individually greet new members of the SPU faculty to campus with a visit over coffee.

Last week, the alumni chair hosted the first reunion of Ivy Honorary alumni and began the process of fundraising for an annual scholarship. This week, Ivy Honorary launched a book-drive to benefit libraries in rural Kenya.

There is a twofold value of an honorary. First, Ivy Honorary provide members with institutional support and structure to become productive members of campus. Second, it enables collaboration between currently active students, so that they can get the most out of their involvement in service. Speaking for myself, I've been more productive and engaged through Ivy Honorary than I would have been acting individually.

Even if Ivy Honorary were a "typical" honor society without the service component, I would still have become a member, though the experience would be less rewarding. I disagree with Grim's argument that collective recognition is somehow degrading to individual accomplishment. Extraordinary students are routinely lumped together on the "Dean's List," but that recognition is hardly demeaning.

Grim raises deeper questions than merely whether Ivy Honorary is a blessing or blight to humanity. Her editorial forces us to confront the place of individual within society. She argues that honor societies detract from the pursuit of individual excellence, "our own honor."

I have long considered myself a rugged individualist, though I admit my distressing lack of facial hair. Unfortunately, this philosophy has been discarded by most of the world; public opinion in America and here at SPU has shifted towards collectivism.

Hardly a letter goes out from President Phil W. Eaton that does not exhort us to be global citizens espousing globalism in a globalizing age of global ideals. Such exhortations don't undermine the call to excel as unique individuals. However, they have certainly drowned it out.

In this context, Grim's editorial should have been a welcome relief, for she at least recognized individual action. Sadly, she went to the opposite extreme. Her editorial was inspired by Ayn Rand, who tried to divorce individuals from any kind of collective activity (i.e., most social interaction). Darn.

I find collectivism and the cloistered life equally distasteful. Yes, God created the individual, not society, in his own image. Yet, from Aristotle to John Locke, philosophers have recognized that this "imago dei"--the defining characteristic of man--was his reliance on others. Aristotle defined him to be a "political animal" (politics encompassing both rationality and sociability). Locke more famously explained that man is a "social creature."

The purpose of man lies in communion with others--that is the underlying truth of collectivism. Forgive the cheesy music swelling in the background, but it must be said. Ivy Honorary reflects that divine dichotomy, by bringing extraordinary individuals together for the sake of joint action.

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