Awards
At Omicron Delta Kappa, we believe in recognizing individuals that demonstrate exceptional leadership across the five pillars of campus life and beyond. We also look to highlight our rising leaders to showcase their innovative ideas and growth in leadership.
The awards process varies for each award. The ODK Leader of the Year is voted on by the current members of ODK each spring semester. The ODK Sophomore Leader of the Year and ODK Top Ten Freshmen award processes open in February. All individuals are celebrated at the annual University Student Leadership Awards Program.
COL. J. LOGAN SCHUTZ OMICRON DELTA KAPPA LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society honors a member of the Circle who has demonstrated a peak standard of leadership within the Circle and on the campus. The leader is nominated and elected by the current undergraduates, graduates and faculty of Omicron Delta Kappa. The Leader of the Year Award was renamed in 2004-2005 as the Col. J. Logan Schutz Omicron Delta Kappa Leader of the Year Award in honor of Col. J. Logan Schutz, who served as President of the Sigma Circle in 1937-38 and continued as an active member and significant supporter of the programs of the Circle in addition to his many other contributions to the University of Maryland.
In 2022-2023, ODK National changed the award process to allow for additional members to apply for pillar and national leader of the year awards, changing the previous requirement that only the Circle Leader of the Year was eligible to apply Nationally.
OMICRON DELTA KAPPA SOPHOMORE LEADER OF THE YEAR
The University of Maryland Sophomore Leader of the Year is recognized by the Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society as the second year student who has demonstrated a diverse and high level of achievement in leadership and campus involvement. The recipient of this award best exemplifies the leadership qualities of the sophomore class.
OMICRON DELTA KAPPA TOP TEN FRESHMEN
The Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society recognizes the Top Ten Freshmen of the University of Maryland. These individuals have demonstrated a high level of achievement in leadership and campus involvement in their first year at College Park. The award is given in anticipation of the recipients’ continued involvement with the University in years to come.