University of Virginia room of Edgar Allan Poe

The Raven Society is an

honor society In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Sc ...

at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

, founded in 1904 by University student William McCully James, and named in honor of the famous poem by

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

, who attended UVa in 1826. According to its constitution, one of the Raven Society's main goals is "to bring together the best men in the various departments of the university for mutual acquaintance and for cooperation in their efforts to protect the honor and dignity of the university." In addition to presenting annual Raven Fellowships, the society recognizes students, professors, administrators, and alumni for their "scholarly pursuits and their dedication to University ideals" with the Raven Award; the Award presentation had its beginning in 1933. The Society is also responsible for the upkeep of Poe's living quarters on campus, at 13

West Range The West Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, Californi ...

. The Raven Society has been active in commemorating Poe's life, beginning with a celebration of his centenary in 1909. At this time, the Society first opened Poe's preserved room at 13 West Range, which they had furnished with "a settee from the Allan home in Richmond" as well as "a real raven, stuffed, hichlooked down from a coign of the room." The Raven Society also celebrated Poe's bicentenary in 2009 by laying three roses and a drink of cognac in 13 West Range. Notable members of the Raven Society have included founder and UVa Law professor Raleigh C. Minor, University president Frank Hereford,Dabney, 598. former Alumni Association directors J. Malcolm "Mack" LuckDabney, 122 and

Gilbert J. Sullivan Gilbert J. "Gilly" Sullivan (born July 5, 1928 in Fredericksburg, VA, died January 5, 2009 in Charlottesville, VA) was the longtime director of the University of Virginia Alumni Association for 35 years. Appointed to the position in 1958 after the r ...

, University professors Bascom S. Deaver and

Ernest Mead Ernest Campbell Mead Jr. (June 13, 1918 – February 13, 2014) was professor of music and former head of the McIntire Department of Music at the University of Virginia. Born at Richmond in 1918, Mead was interested in music as a child, studying wi ...

, and UVa and

Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...

football player

Gary Cuozzo Gary Samuel Cuozzo (born April 26, 1941) is a former professional American football player. High school career Cuozzo played high school football at Glen Ridge High School in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Football career An undrafted quarterback from ...

.Dabney, 557

Raven Award recipients

By year awarded

* 1933 - (premier award) John Lloyd Newcomb, President UVa * 1934 - Fenton Allen Gentry * 1935 - Harry Clemons, UVa librarian * 1936 - Carrington Harrison, M.D. (1912-1974), 1936 Class President UVa * 1937 - Mortimer M. Caplin * 1940 - Mr. Yuille Holt, Jr. * 1941 - William C. Battle * 1942 - Henry L. Kinnier * 1945 - FitzGerald Bemiss * 1977 - David Webb, SFW Capital Partners, Vice Chairman Merrill Lynch * 1979 - John Macfarlane III,

Tudor Investment Corporation Tudor Investment Corporation is an American investment firm based in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm invests in both Public equities, public and Private equity, private markets globally. Background In 1980, Paul Tudor Jones founded the Tudor ...

* 1979 - Peter Kiernan, Chairman/CEO Reeve Foundation * 1986 - Dean Patricia Lampkin * 1997 - Bill Crutchfield, Crutchfield Corporation * 2007 - Dr.

Nicole Hurd Nicole Hurd is an American academic who became the 18th president of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 2021. She is the founder and CEO of College Advising Corps (CAC), the largest college access program in the country which a ...

, CEO College Advising Corps; President Lafayette College * 2017 -

John Strangfeld John R. Strangfeld is an American businessman. He is the former chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Prudential Financial. Career Strangfeld has been with Prudential since July 1977, serving in various management positions, inclu ...

, Chairman/CEO Prudential Financial

Others

Edward L. Ayers Edward Lynn "Ed" Ayers (born January 22, 1953; Asheville, North Carolina) is an American historian, professor, administrator, and university president. In July 2013, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama at a W ...

, former Arts & Sciences dean at UVa, and University of Richmond president * R. David Banyard, CEO Myers Industries * David Carr, former President, Virginia Athletics Foundation, Thomas Jefferson Society, and UVa Alumni Association * Colgate Darden, UVa presidentDabney, 418. * Teresa Reynolds DiMarco, Chairman UVa Board of Trustees * William H. Fishback * Dr. Annette Gibbs * Dr. Howard Kutchai, Dept of Physiology * Paul M. Leggett, Managing Director, Mithril Capital Management LLC *Dr. Jeffrey Lenowitz, Brandeis University Professor * Dr. Stewart D. Roberson

References

External links

The Raven Society
{{authority control 1904 establishments in Virginia Honor societies University of Virginia Virginia culture