Friars Senior Society brings Penn student leaders together

Though you may not know it, you've probably passed a few of Penn's Friars on Locust Walk this semester. They weren't wearing the brown-hooded capes of the Dominican Order or spouting theological wisdom. Instead, they more than likely on their way to rehearsal or to swim practice. Founded in 1901 as a protest against cliques and snobbery, the Friars Senior Society is a co-ed association of campus leaders from every sphere of Penn life. It is one of four senior societies, along with the Sphinx Senior Society, the Mortar Board Senior Society and the Onyx Senior Society. The 30 Friars include club presidents, directors of performing arts groups and captains of sports teams. "It's great because these are people who are so active in different things that they never would have bumped into one another," said Sally Katz, a member of the Friars Graduate Board, which oversees the organization. Joe Carlon, the current Friars president, or "abbot," said the mix of students provides camaraderie across traditional social lines. "One of the big things that makes Friars different from other groups is that we focus on supporting each other," said the College senior, who is also captain of the Penn baseball team. "I think that's the strongest part of our society. It fosters friendship, rather than just being part of a club." Once a week, Carlon and the other members gather to support their fellow Friars in their individual activities, such as a musical performance or a track meet. The Friars also perform community service activities and hold social events with graduate Friars throughout the year. These gatherings include a celebration at Homecoming, the annual "Friarside Chat" and a spring dinner. Katz, who acts as a liaison between undergraduate Friars and the 1,500 Friar alumni, said graduates and current seniors alike enjoy mingling with one another at these events. Friars are chosen for membership in the spring semester of their junior year in a process called "tapping." About 40 prospective members are invited to a "smoker," which serves as an opportunity for the outgoing senior Friars to meet and select about 20 new members -- all of whom are leaders in the University community. The following fall, the new Friars choose, or "tap," 10 more members. "Tapping" usually entails visiting the future member's dorm to announce his or her selection as a Friar. Some well-known graduate Friars include Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell and his wife Marjorie, who is a University Trustee and a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, University Trustee Emeritus and philanthropist Walter Annenberg and Philadelphia Phillies President Dave Montgomery. With such a small membership and subjective process of selection, it may seem that Friars perpetuates the very cliquishness it was founded to combat. But Carlon suggested that the society is an open window, not a closed door. "At Penn, people get locked into groups of people they hang out with, through sports or fraternities or whatever," he said. But as a Friar, "you're able to meet a lot of diverse people. It opens your eyes to things you would never see if you weren't a part of it," Carlon said. The society took its name from the Roman Catholic orders of friars who lived by the creed: "It's not what you're going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life."