The Raven Society is an
honor society at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
, 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 wid ...
, 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 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,
hich
Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
looked 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" Luck
[Dabney, 122] and
Gilbert J. Sullivan, University professors
Bascom S. Deaver and
Ernest Mead,
and UVa and
Baltimore Colts football player
Gary Cuozzo.
[Dabney, 557]
Raven Award recipients
By year awarded
* 1933 - (premier award)
John Lloyd Newcomb
John Lloyd Newcomb (December 18, 1881 – February 22, 1954) was an American educator. He served as the second president of the University of Virginia, ascending to the position after the death of Edwin Alderman. Newcomb, a member of the engineeri ...
, 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
* 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 ...
, CEO College Advising Corps; President Lafayette College
* 2017 -
John Strangfeld, Chairman/CEO Prudential Financial
Others
*
Edward L. Ayers, 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
Colgate Whitehead Darden Jr. (February 11, 1897 – June 9, 1981) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician aligned with the Byrd Organization who served as U.S. Representative from Virginia (1933–37, 1939–41), the 54th Governor of ...
, UVa president
[Dabney, 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