The ANAK Society is the oldest known secret society and honor society at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1908, ANAK's purpose is "to honor outstanding juniors and seniors who have shown both exemplary leadership and a true love for Georgia Tech". The society is named after Anak, a biblical figure said to be the forefather of a race of giants.
Although not founded as a secret society, ANAK has kept its activities and membership rosters confidential since 1961. Membership is made public upon a student's graduation or a faculty member's retirement. The ANAK Society's membership comprises at least 1,100 Georgia Tech graduates, faculty members, and honorary members. Notable members include Jimmy Carter (honorary), Bobby Dodd (honorary), Ivan Allen Jr., Bobby Jones, and most of Georgia Tech's presidents. Membership in the ANAK Society has long been considered the highest honor a Georgia Tech student can receive, although the society's activities have been the object of suspicion and controversy in recent years.
The society has been influential in the history of Georgia Tech. ANAK played a major role in establishing several of Georgia Tech's most active student organizations – including Georgia Tech's yearbook, the Blueprint; Georgia Tech's student newspaper, the Technique; and Georgia Tech's Student Government Association – as well as several lasting Georgia Tech traditions. The society also claims involvement in a number of civil rights projects, most notably in peacefully integrating Georgia Tech's first African American students and preventing the Ku Klux Klan from setting up a student chapter at Georgia Tech. These claims have yet to be substantiated by independent sources.
A philanthropic organization, the ANAK Society annually awards two undergraduate student scholarships, the George Wingfield Semmes Memorial Scholarship and the Merri Gaye Hitt Memorial Scholarship. Additionally, the society annually recognizes distinguished Georgia Tech alumni with the Joseph M. Pettit Distinguished Service Award. The society's ANAK Award, granted annually to an outstanding Georgia Tech faculty member, is considered the most prestigious award of its kind. The society has also donated a number of gifts to Georgia Tech in honor of its members and notable alumni.
Read more about ANAK Society: Name and Symbology, Philanthropy, Controversy, Notable Members
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