Cum Laude Society Inducts New Members

Thirty-four members of the Class of 2023 were inducted into the MICDS Chapter of the Cum Laude Society during a ceremony on Monday, April 17, 2023.

Founded in 1906, the Cum Laude Society is dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools. The founders of the society modeled Cum Laude after Phi Beta Kappa, and in the years since its founding, Cum Laude has grown to 382 chapters.

The motto of the Society is Areté, Diké, Timé – Excellence, Justice, Honor. Areté includes the concept of excellence in the moral sense and is not limited to the ideal of superiority and scholarship, nor does it involve the endeavor of competing primarily for academic goals. Diké includes the concept of what is suitable and appropriate, as well as just. Timé includes the concept of dignity and truth, as well as honor.

The MICDS Chapter of the Cum Laude Society is comprised of the top 20% of the senior class. Each inductee must demonstrate that they have pursued academic rigor by completing three or more Advanced Placement® courses, have no grade lower than a C, and be free of disciplinary and honor infractions. As part of the induction process, each candidate shared one of their Common App essays for review by the Cum Laude faculty members. The faculty selected seven essays to be shared at a special luncheon held for the student candidates. The students selected Penny Chen ’23 and Ali Oak ’23 to share their essays with the Upper School student body during the ceremony.

The following members from the Class of 2023 who were selected for membership into the MICDS Chapter of the Cum Laude Society:

  • Nikitha Ada ’23
  • Mason Bedell ’23
  • Mason Boon ’23
  • Skye Brothers ’23
  • Phoebe Burgis ’23
  • Ella Chamberlain ’23
  • Penny Chen ’23
  • Jackson Chou ’23
  • Raina Compton ’23
  • Nicole Dai ’23
  • Dani Dessau ’23
  • Eliza Dorf ’23
  • Erica Engelhardt ’23
  • Binta Fall ’23
  • Jordan Gross ’23
  • Jason Klutho ’23
  • Marina Lea-Bernstein ’23
  • Evelyn Lui ’23
  • Nate Ly ’23
  • Noah Macam ’23
  • Grayson Marks ’23
  • Hannah Morey ’23
  • Chelsey Nwamu ’23
  • Ali Oak ’23
  • Prajay Pandiri ’23
  • Philip Ralph ’23
  • Nithya Reddy ’23
  • Nate Schuckman ’23
  • Kyle Sha ’23
  • Rowen Stansberry ’23
  • Holt Tipton ’23
  • Sanchi Vishwakarma ’23
  • Tina Yang ’23
  • Nathan Yao ’23

Congratulations to the newest members of the MICDS Chapter of the Cum Laude Society!

Click here to read the essay of Penny Chen ’23.

Click here to read the essay of Ali Oak ’23.