Cum Laude Society Welcomes New Members

The Latin phrase “cum laude”— meaning “with praise” or “with honor”— carries a lot of connotations for an individual and the community they represent. On Sept. 24, 16 Northfield Mount Hermon seniors experienced the full meaning of the term when they were formally recognized as inductees into the Cum Laude Society during the morning meeting at the Memorial Chapel. 

Cum Laude is the independent school national honor society, the secondary school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa, explained Joe Latimer, director of college counseling for Northfield Mount Hermon and president of the NMH Cum Laude chapter. “Each year, seniors with outstanding academic records for their junior and senior years are elected to membership in the society,” he said.

At Monday’s meeting, Soren Anderson-Flynn, Keona Burch, Yu Hei (Kelvin) Cheung, Fiona Cutchins, Xi (Esther) He, Katalin Mazansky, Claire Melican, Jasper Neff, Ariana Peterson-Ismail, Magdalene (Maggie) Provencal, Leyi (Julie) Su, Hezhen (Skylar) Tian, Henry Titterton, Amida (Amy) Vongvasin, Weicheng (Max) Wang, and Xiao Xuan (Rose) Wu stood up to raucous applause from their fellow classmates as Latimer announced them as the newest members of Cum Laude.

A committee of NMH faculty awards Cum Laude honors to students whose academic achievements and integrity demonstrate the society's commitment to the principles of moral excellence (areté), justice (diké), and honor (timé) throughout their academic career.

Those honored this fall represent the top 10% of returning seniors, based on their final 11th-year cumulative GPA. These students will be formally inducted into the society during the spring awards ceremony, provided they maintain their stellar academic record through the school year.

Vongvasin, who said academic achievement was routinely emphasized in her family growing up, initially didn’t realize the importance of being selected for the Cum Laude Society until she saw the reaction of her classmates.

“It feels really good to be representing my country,” added Vongvasin, who hails from Thailand. “For me, it proves that southeast Asian women of color, like myself, matter in the world.”

Faculty may elect additional students for Cum Laude in late spring, based upon their fall final grades and spring midterms. The final inductees represent the top 20% of their graduating class. Students bestowed with the honors of Cum Laude receive a certificate and pin during the May induction ceremony and add their name to a membership list stretching back to 1929, when the NMH chapter of the Cum Laude society was established.

Vongvasin, who plans to study environmental science in college, said that the passionate teachers and discussion-based atmosphere of classrooms at NMH play a huge role in her academic success, by challenging her to develop and express an informed perspective. “It’s an environment where you’re encouraged to learn and voice your opinion,” she added. “So I want to make sure my argument is good.”

For fellow Cum Laude inductee Anderson-Flynn, the recognition comes with the added responsibility to acknowledge and honor the work that all NMH students put into making this school an exceptional institution, beyond one’s GPA.

“I’m proud to have received this honor, as everyone on that stage should be,” said Anderson-Flynn. “However, I also want to acknowledge the hard work of those in the school who may have felt unrepresented by us. Everyone, especially those who get it the least often, deserves recognition.”

— By Max Hunt

Photo: The 16 newest members of the Cum Laude Society with chapter President Joe Latimer and Head of School Brian Hargrove.