Frank Dickey receives leadership society's highest honor

Former UK President and dean of the College of Education Frank Dickey received the Laurel Crowned Circle Award from Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) during its national convention in Lexington March 1, 2002. The Laurel Crowned Circle Award is the highest honor ODK, the national collegiate leadership honor society, confers upon its distinguished members. Dickey is only the seventh member to receive the award in the society's 87-year history.

Dickey, who served as president of ODK from 1970-1972, went into the national conference unaware that he was to receive the award. "It was a complete surprise for both of us," said Betty Dickey, his wife, after the ceremony. "We arrived at the convention and found our family waiting on us. They knew he was going to get the award several weeks ahead of time and kept the secret from us until that night," Betty Dickey said.

The Laurel Crowned Circle Award is presented to an American who has achieved the highest level of distinction in service to ODK and to higher education. President Dickey's distinguished career, his service as president of both ODK and the University of Kentucky, more than met the stringent criteria set for recipients of the award, said John Herbst, national secretary of ODK. "Frank Dickey has led a particularly distinguished career. He has earned this kind of recognition," Herbst said.

ODK was established in 1914 at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia as a leadership society of college students, faculty, alumni, staff and administrators that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character.

ODK was the first college honor society of a national scope to give recognition and honor for meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities and to encourage development of general campus citizenship. There are now nearly 300 national ODK circles throughout the United States representing hundreds of colleges and universities. The University of Kentucky houses the national headquarters of ODK.