Notre Dame of Maryland University Delta Epsilon Sigma records

Delta Epsilon Sigma (DES) is the national scholastic honor society for colleges and universities with a Catholic tradition. It was founded on April 13, 1939, at Lorus College in Dubuque, Iowa. Notre Dame established its Alpha Delta chapter in 1940. To be considered for membership undergraduate students must be ranked in the top 20% of their class, and graduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5. In addition, candidates must have a record of dedication to intellectual activity and community service. In its constitution, revised in 1960, provision was made for the additional election of alumnae and faculty who had graduated cum laude, earned a graduate degree, or “have fulfilled general requirements for membership in some other manner.”

The Alpha Delta chapter of DES states its purpose as “to recognize academic accomplishments, to foster scholarly activities, and to encourage a sense of intellectual community among its members.” The main activity of DES was the holding of annual or semiannual meetings to discuss business matters, elect new members, and hear a guest speaker. The other principal activity of DES was the establishment of the Graduate Loan Fund for graduate study, following a panel discussion on Catholic students in graduate research in 1947.

Notre Dame’s Alpha Delta chapter is listed as active on the website of the Association of College Honor Societies, but Notre Dame’s website does not list it among the university’s honor societies (both accessed March 11, 2019).