The Sphinx Senior Society is one of the oldest senior honor societies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The organization, founded in 1900, is self-perpetuating and consists of a maximum of 30 members selected annually. Its members are a diverse and varied group, coming from all areas of achievement, community, activities, and backgrounds. Each member is chosen because of the singular achievements from his or her committed leadership to the university, community and public. The Sphinx Senior Society, Inc. is a recognized nonprofit organization with 501 status.
Membership
The undergraduate society consists of 30 members, with 23 being inducted each spring and an additional 7 being inducted each fall. Members, officially called "Sphinges," represent student leaders that have served the university community in some form or manner and are selected based on their character, involvement, leadership, and vision. This membership perpetuates through a "tapping" process every spring, during which current members personally nominate deserving juniors to attend a smoker. This informal smoker provides an opportunity for the taps to pick up an application as well as for the current members to meet and screen nominees before starting the selection process. This process is repeated each fall to tap, select, and induct an additional 7 seniors as members of the given class.
The Sphinx Senior Society Board of Governors guides, plans and coordinates all activities of the Society, especially expanding alumni outreach and supporting the undergraduate membership. The 17-member Board consists of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, President-Emeritus, and Chief, Pharisee, or Scribe Emeritus from the most recent graduating Sphinx class, as well as eight alumni Members-at-Large elected by the entire Sphinx alumni membership. These alumni members cover as wide a range of Penn alumni classes as possible. The three officers from the current class of the undergraduate membership also serve on the Board in an ex officio capacity. 2018-19 Board of Governors Gregory Suss, Esq., PhD., C’75, President Elizabeth Katz Miller, W’87, Vice President Louis Hornick III, C’02, Treasurer Anita Saggurti, C’12, Secretary Stephen H. Klitzman, Esq., C’66, President-Emeritus Dhruv Agarwal, E’18, Chief-Emeritus Eric Apple Joshua Chilcote Luis Ernesto Del Valle John Fiorillo Urja Mittal Jeremy Pincus Kiera Reilly David Scollan Jay Shah, Undergraduate Chief
Selected notable members
Mitchell J. Blutt - Executive Partner, J.P. Morgan Chase and CEO of Consonance Capital - 1978
