Cum Laude   

Membership in the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic honor students in a secondary school can receive. Modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, the Society encourages scholarship under the motto, “Excellence, Justice, Honor.” The Memphis University School Chapter was chartered on December 14, 1967.

Foreign Language Societies

Instructors in the Foreign Language Department recognize students who have excelled in the study of Latin, French, and Spanish through three national language honorary societies:  Latin Honor Society, Société Honoraire de Français, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. The Latin Honor Society bestows membership on students who qualify at each level of study. The modern language societies reserve membership for those who have completed a minimum of five semesters of study. The faculty considers academic achievement as well as a student’s enthusiasm for the subject and his classroom comportment in choosing honorees each year.

History Honor Society

Members of the MUS History Department may nominate students at the sophomore level or above for induction into the History Honor Society. A student must have a solid academic performance in history courses with an 85 average or better. He must demonstrate intellectual curiosity in the field, an understanding of interrelationships of historical processes, a love of the discipline, and a pursuit of historical understanding beyond that required by the MUS curriculum. Induction is based on majority vote of the members of the History Department faculty.

Mu Alpha Theta

The purpose of Mu Alpha Theta, an international honorary mathematics club, is to stimulate interest in mathematics by providing public recognition of superior mathematical scholarship and by promoting competitive activities. Membership is reserved for those who have maintained superior scholarship in mathematics over a minimum of five semesters and who have demonstrated an exceptional aptitude and enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge in the field of mathematics.

National Honor Society

Attaining membership in the National Honor Society is one of the highest honors which can come to a high school student. Juniors and seniors who have at least a 3.5 cumulative weighted GPA are reviewed by a selection committee for strong evidence of scholarship, character, service, and leadership while at MUS. The committee uses student activity forms and leadership/service questionnaires prepared by the candidates as well as faculty recommendations and evaluations.

Order of the Owl           

The Order of the Owl honors seventh graders with a 93 cumulative weighted average and eighth graders with a 90 cumulative weighted average at third quarter. However, any student who fails to uphold his academic average during fourth quarter or who collects excessive demerits, tardies, unexcused absences, discipline referrals, Honor Council violations or displays any character trait deemed non-exemplary will be excluded by the selection committee.

Quill and Scroll

Membership in Quill and Scroll, an international honorary society for high school journalists, is bestowed upon those students who satisfy the high academic requirements of the national organization and receive the recommendation of a faculty advisor for superior work in some phase of journalism or school publications.

Red and Blue Society

The purpose of the Red and Blue Society is to recognize senior students who, in their campus involvement, have demonstrated outstanding leadership and/or service. A faculty committee appointed by the administration receives nominations from the faculty, the student body, and the administration and recommends qualified students to the Headmaster for his approval.

Springfield Scholars

The Springfield Scholars are named in memory of the first Lower School principal, John Murry Springfield. Our most elite Lower School honor society requires an eighth-grade student to be in the top 10 percent of his class academically (based on a cumulative weighted average excluding Physical Education) and to have demonstrated character consistent with the high standards of the school’s Honor Code and Community Creed. Again, any student who fails to uphold his academic average during fourth quarter or who collects excessive demerits, tardies, unexcused absences, discipline referrals, Honor Council violations or displays any character trait deemed non-exemplary will be excluded by the selection committee.

Wilson Society

The Wilson Society was established to give seniors an opportunity to demonstrate their full grasp of the seven tenets of the MUS Community Creed — Truth and Honor, Scholarship, Service, Respect, Humility, Involvement, and Accountability. Celebrating the legacy of longtime MUS supporter and friend, the late Kemmons Wilson, the Wilson Society recognizes those seniors who have excelled in leadership and service, particularly during the second semester of their senior year.