January 16, 2026
The national office of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) has conferred the 2024—2025 Presidential Award of Excellence to the Lambda Circle, Hampden-Sydney’s chapter of the distinguished honor society. The award, one of the most prestigious ODK honors, recognizes the Lambda Circle’s consistency and commitment to service over an extended period. The award is given for sustained achievement as a Circle of Distinction and/or Superior Circle, both requiring rigorous standards.
Only five out of the nearly 300 active ODK circles nationwide received this honor, which is awarded for five consecutive years of exemplary performance and dedication to ODK’s five pillars of campus life: academics and research, athletics, service to campus and community, communications, and creative and performing arts. Along with Hampden-Sydney, this year’s recipients are Cumberland University, Fontbonne University, Morningside University, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
Founded in 1914 with the mission of advancing and promoting principles of leadership and sound character among collegiate students, ODK boasts a long list of notable members, including former presidents Biden, Nixon, Carter, and F.D. Roosevelt; entertainers such as Sheryl Crow and Bob Hope; and intellectuals and business leaders such as Cornel West and Richard DeVos.
Sue V. Carter, H-SC director of human resources and Lambda Circle resident member, believes many factors contributed to the Lambda Circle’s recognition. “First, we have strong student governance in our student leaders, President Marc Moroz ’26 and Vice President Thomas Nichols ’26,” she says. “Next, we initiate and recognize new members twice a year and emphasize our dedication to ODK’s pillars of campus life to ensure that initiates represent the best of the best.”
Marc appreciates the wide range of opportunities ODK offers for college and community involvement. “One of the nicest things about working with this honor society is its broad reach and high level of impact,” he says. “I want to be involved in serving whatever community I find myself in, and I feel the leadership skills we learn and the ways we help the general community provide a great foundation for that.”
The Lambda Circle is the 11th-oldest member circle of ODK and was founded in 1924. Activities that contributed to the group’s shining performance over the last half-decade include engaging in fundraisers and service projects such as Prince Edward Christmas Mother, Cares for Kids donations, and other projects in conjunction with local schools in support of community children. Last year, the Circle raised over twice the needed funds for Taking Flight, its signature service project, so it used the balance to organize approximately 120 students in packing more than 10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger.
Sandy Cooke, director of student affairs operations, orientation, and civic engagement, who leads Taking Flight, shared her thoughts on the honor. “Receiving the Presidential Award of Excellence from Omicron Delta Kappa is a tremendous honor for our circle and for Hampden-Sydney College. This award reflects sustained excellence in leadership, service, and engagement over many years, and it speaks to the deep commitment our students have in making a meaningful difference both on campus and in the surrounding community,” she says. “Earning this recognition through five consecutive years of Circle of Distinction and Superior Circle Awards is no small feat, and it is a testament to the consistency, dedication, and collaborative spirit of our ODK members.”
Earning this award serves as solid proof that the Lambda Circle is putting into practice its mission and principles in leading by example and enhancing student and campus life at the College and its surrounding communities.