University of Pennsylvania senior societies

Senior societies are an important part of student life at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). These societies can be categorized as activity-based, identity-based, school-based, or traditional. Most of these societies are independent organizations that are unique to Penn, although a few have national affiliations. Senior societies recruit juniors and senior who are outstanding student leaders.

Penn's traditional societies include the first senior societies to be created at the university: Philomathean Society, Friars Senior Society, Sphinx Senior Society, and Mortar Board. The oldest school-based society is Hexagon Senior Society, founded in 1910 at the School of Engineering. The oldest identity-based society at the university is The Onyx Senior Society, founded in 1974 for African American students. Groups such as Carriage Senior Society, Cipactli Latino Honor Society, Oracle Senior Honor Society, and Shamash Senior Society were all formed after 2000 to support an LGBTQ+, Latino, Asian, or Jewish focus. Penn's activity-based societies connect students with common academic or career interests; although the Order of Omega and The Order Senior Society recognize leadership in campus fraternities and sororities.

Penn's senior societies differ from the campus's Greek letter fraternities and sororities by having a more diverse membership and a less-format recruitment process. Members are recruited through a process known as tapping. Most societies recruit or tap up to thirty members a year, thus limiting the size of the society. In addition to on-campus interactions with other members, the student societies connect students to the group's alumni.