Eta Kappa Nu
Drexel UniversityElectrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society
History:
Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) is the result of the original thinking and vision of Maurice L. Carr, an electrical engineering student at the University of Illinois. He shared that vision with 9 other students, who became the founders of this rewarding organization, established on 28 October 1904. The original perspective regarding qualifications for membership was that scholarship was important but that the selection of students with the character and attitude that would make them probable leaders in the profession was even more important. This whole matter of required qualifications for membership was debated in the early years, with the conclusion that HKN would be an Electrical Engineering Honor Society, and that scholarship should be the primary requirement, with character and other personal attributes as secondary. Finally, in the late 1930's the national officers recommended that all colleges set the scholastic qualifications for membership to be the upper one-fourth of the junior EE class and the upper one-third of the senior EE class. In 1947 that qualification was made mandatory for all chapters by its incorporation in the national Constitution.
Maurice Carr later acknowledged that one of the reasons for the founding of Eta Kappa Nu was to get jobs for its members, but he also saw the organization as an incentive and inspiration for the individual, not just members but all engineering students, which might even be more important! He was also visionary enough to recognize that the prestige and reputation of the society rested on the character of its members after graduation, and that the great leaders that have a college education usually have also had reading and exposure in the cultural subjects. Significantly, in 1939 Carr wrote that: "Eta Kappa Nu grew because there have always been many members who have been willing and eager to serve it loyally and unselfishly." That was true in 1939, and that is true today!
The Wheatstone Bridge symbol was selected as the emblem of HKN by the founding group, even though Maurice Carr preferred the Caduceus. In later years Carr acknowledged that he had not realized that the medical profession had already selected it. The HKN Coat of Arms (or Shield as it is often called) that is discussed in the Induction Ritual arrived on the scene in 1927.
The Induction Ceremony was secret from the start of HKN until the 1959 Convention when the chapters voted to make secrecy optional to the chapter, giving them the option of conducting it openly with parents and friends in attendance. Secrecy is no longer an option; Eta Kappa Nu is no longer a secret society in any respect.
In similar regard, in the early years of its existence HKN members were almost exclusively of the male gender because there were no female EE students, so it was natural in the governing documents, the Induction Ceremony, etc., to make reference to members as being of male gender. That of course is no longer true, and HKN has made a concerted effort to purge even the hint of any gender, race, religion, or nationality references from all of HKN's documents. HKN has no membership limitations whatsoever regarding gender, race, religion, or nationality!!
Eta Kappa Nu's first publication was a small 4-page leaflet entitled "The Electrical Field", issued in the spring of 1906. It was devoted almost entirely to the subject of employment, included commentary about four companies that employed electrical engineers, and it included the list of names of the members graduating from both the University of Illinois and the Purdue chapters. It was published annually until 1909 when it began publishing semi-annually. In 1913 "The Electrical Field" was renamed "The Bridge", and publication cut back to annual. Financial difficulties have plagued the Electrical Field and the Bridge publication throughout history, and continue today.
As an industry and a profession, electrical engineering grew relatively slowly as the electrical power and telecommunications infrastructure was accepted and developed in our nation in the early decades of the 20th century. Then came World War II, and the world of electrical engineering changed for many reasons. It was a bonanza for electrical engineering: 1) Huge demands for power infrastructure to support the massive manufacturing burden created by the War. 2) Overwhelming electrical, electronic, and radio communication equipment design, development, and production requirements for ground, sea, and air-vehicles created by the War. 3) And the famous and wonderful World War II GI Bill, offering college education opportunities to millions of returning young service men and women. America and Americans suddenly realized and appreciated the wonderful benefits of electricity and electronics. Eta Kappa Nu no longer needed to sell consumers on our industry and our profession - we were now recognized and in huge demand!!
Maurice Carr later acknowledged that one of the reasons for the founding of Eta Kappa Nu was to get jobs for its members, but he also saw the organization as an incentive and inspiration for the individual, not just members but all engineering students, which might even be more important! He was also visionary enough to recognize that the prestige and reputation of the society rested on the character of its members after graduation, and that the great leaders that have a college education usually have also had reading and exposure in the cultural subjects. Significantly, in 1939 Carr wrote that: "Eta Kappa Nu grew because there have always been many members who have been willing and eager to serve it loyally and unselfishly." That was true in 1939, and that is true today!
The Wheatstone Bridge symbol was selected as the emblem of HKN by the founding group, even though Maurice Carr preferred the Caduceus. In later years Carr acknowledged that he had not realized that the medical profession had already selected it. The HKN Coat of Arms (or Shield as it is often called) that is discussed in the Induction Ritual arrived on the scene in 1927.
The Induction Ceremony was secret from the start of HKN until the 1959 Convention when the chapters voted to make secrecy optional to the chapter, giving them the option of conducting it openly with parents and friends in attendance. Secrecy is no longer an option; Eta Kappa Nu is no longer a secret society in any respect.
In similar regard, in the early years of its existence HKN members were almost exclusively of the male gender because there were no female EE students, so it was natural in the governing documents, the Induction Ceremony, etc., to make reference to members as being of male gender. That of course is no longer true, and HKN has made a concerted effort to purge even the hint of any gender, race, religion, or nationality references from all of HKN's documents. HKN has no membership limitations whatsoever regarding gender, race, religion, or nationality!!
Eta Kappa Nu's first publication was a small 4-page leaflet entitled "The Electrical Field", issued in the spring of 1906. It was devoted almost entirely to the subject of employment, included commentary about four companies that employed electrical engineers, and it included the list of names of the members graduating from both the University of Illinois and the Purdue chapters. It was published annually until 1909 when it began publishing semi-annually. In 1913 "The Electrical Field" was renamed "The Bridge", and publication cut back to annual. Financial difficulties have plagued the Electrical Field and the Bridge publication throughout history, and continue today.
As an industry and a profession, electrical engineering grew relatively slowly as the electrical power and telecommunications infrastructure was accepted and developed in our nation in the early decades of the 20th century. Then came World War II, and the world of electrical engineering changed for many reasons. It was a bonanza for electrical engineering: 1) Huge demands for power infrastructure to support the massive manufacturing burden created by the War. 2) Overwhelming electrical, electronic, and radio communication equipment design, development, and production requirements for ground, sea, and air-vehicles created by the War. 3) And the famous and wonderful World War II GI Bill, offering college education opportunities to millions of returning young service men and women. America and Americans suddenly realized and appreciated the wonderful benefits of electricity and electronics. Eta Kappa Nu no longer needed to sell consumers on our industry and our profession - we were now recognized and in huge demand!!
Organization:
The Eta Kappa Nu Association is incorporated in the State of Delaware. Its Governing Documents are: Its Delaware Certificate of Incorporation (Articles of Incorporation), its National Constitution, its National Bylaws, and its Chapter Bylaws. The Association is exclusively for literary, educational, scientific, and charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts to Eta Kappa Nu are tax deductible by the donor.
The Eta Kappa Nu organization consists of two primary parts: A national activity and chapters.
The Eta Kappa Nu organization consists of two primary parts: A national activity and chapters.
The National Activity:
This activity has three parts: A Board of Governors, a Headquarters, and a group of 20 Standing Committees. The Headquarters and the Standing Committees each report directly to the Board.
1. The National Board of Governors is an all-volunteer organization of competent and experienced HKN members that are elected by the Chapters. The Board comprises a President, Vice President, and Past President, each of who serve 1-year terms; and six Directors, 4 Regional representing each of HKN's 4 geographic regions, and 2 At-large, each of which serve 3-year terms.
2. The National Headquarters comprises the Executive Director, who is the Chief Operating Executive of HKN, and is employed by the Board. The Executive Director, in turn, employs staff members to operate the office efficiently.
3. The Chair of each Standing Committee is appointed by the President. The members of the committees are normally members of HKN with a particular interest or talent related to the Committee's purpose, selected and appointed by each Chair. The twenty committees are defined in the HKN National Bylaws, Title II, Section 6.E, available on the http://www.hkn.org/ Website.
1. The National Board of Governors is an all-volunteer organization of competent and experienced HKN members that are elected by the Chapters. The Board comprises a President, Vice President, and Past President, each of who serve 1-year terms; and six Directors, 4 Regional representing each of HKN's 4 geographic regions, and 2 At-large, each of which serve 3-year terms.
2. The National Headquarters comprises the Executive Director, who is the Chief Operating Executive of HKN, and is employed by the Board. The Executive Director, in turn, employs staff members to operate the office efficiently.
3. The Chair of each Standing Committee is appointed by the President. The members of the committees are normally members of HKN with a particular interest or talent related to the Committee's purpose, selected and appointed by each Chair. The twenty committees are defined in the HKN National Bylaws, Title II, Section 6.E, available on the http://www.hkn.org/ Website.
The College Chapters:
They are the primary purpose for which HKN exists. Chapters are established upon petition request from the institution, which must have an ABET accreditation for their Electrical Engineering and/or Computer Engineering curricula. The Chapters each report directly to the National Activity, normally through the Executive Director's office, but also to their Regional Director.
The typical mission of a college chapter is the following: HKN college chapters are often asked to help their department, college, or community, or do so without invitation by virtue of the HKN guiding principles. A comprehensive list of candidate chapter activities can be found in Section VI of the "Faculty Advisors Reference Guideline" that may be downloaded from the HKN national Website, http://www.hkn.org/.
Other than their number, the college chapters are unchanged in their operation over the years. From the beginning college chapters have been governed by the national Constitution and Bylaws, and College Chapter Bylaws.
The typical mission of a college chapter is the following: HKN college chapters are often asked to help their department, college, or community, or do so without invitation by virtue of the HKN guiding principles. A comprehensive list of candidate chapter activities can be found in Section VI of the "Faculty Advisors Reference Guideline" that may be downloaded from the HKN national Website, http://www.hkn.org/.
Other than their number, the college chapters are unchanged in their operation over the years. From the beginning college chapters have been governed by the national Constitution and Bylaws, and College Chapter Bylaws.