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Engineering Honor Societies

Honor societies are organizations that recognize excellence among peers. Many honor societies invite students to become members based on criteria such as scholastic rank or GPA. Membership may also require completion of a particular ceremony or training program. Some honor societies admit members by invitation only, while others allow unsolicited applications.

Tau Beta Pi is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity.

Chi Epsilon (XE) is a civil engineering honor society. By recognizing outstanding students and graduates for their scholarship, character, practicality and sociability, Chi Epsilon seeks to foster excellence, connectivity and engagement among those in the civil engineering community to improve our world.

Omega Chi Epsilon (ΩXE or OXE) is the National Honor Society for Chemical Engineering. The Society promotes high scholarship, encourages original investigation in chemical engineering and recognizes the valuable traits of character, integrity and leadership. It serves both undergraduate and graduate students and fosters meaningful student-faculty dialogue.

Pi Tau Sigma (ΠΤΣ) is the International Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers. Pi Tau Sigma members are chosen on a basis of sound engineering ability, scholarship service, leadership, and integrity. 

IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN), the honor society of IEEE, promotes excellence in the profession and in education with ideals of scholarship, character and attitude. It was founded on 28 October 1904 for students of electrical engineering.  Today, IEEE-HKN promotes professional accomplishment, service, and development for students and professionals in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and other IEEE fields of interest.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.