Guide to the SOPHS Records, 1977–2010

Overview of the Collection

Repository: 
Special Collections & Archives
McIntyre Library
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
P.O. Box 4004
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715)-836-2739
http://www.uwec.edu/Library/archives/info.htm

Reference Code: USGZE AS388

Accession Number: 89-054; 06-034; 22-015

Collection Number: Archives Series 388

Creator: Society of Participating Honors Students (University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire)

Title: SOPHS Records

Dates: 1977–2010

Quantity: 1 linear foot (3 archives boxes), 126 files (1.6 GB)

Location of Collection: Shelf D10/2h (Box 1-2), B5/5f (Box 3), Digital Asset Preservation Storage: “AS388_Sophs”

Languages: Collection materials are in English.

Summary: Records of the Society of Participating Honors Students (SOPHS), formed in 1977 by Dean Valena H. Burke. SOPHS was officially inactivated after 2010. Includes history, initiation programs, membership lists, meeting minutes, telethon materials, photographs and artifacts.

Biographical/Historical Note

SOPHS was formed in 1977 by UW-EC Associated Dean of Students, Valena H. Burke. The first meeting of the UW-EC Sophomore Honorary Group was held October 13, 1977. Twenty-four members were selected by the faculty committee. Members were in the upper 35% of last year’s freshman class, and the GPA cut off was 2.93 or higher. A student needed to observe the upper 35% to participate in Honors Week activities. SOPHS membership was 24-26 sophomores, male and female. Their emblem was an oak tree, centered above the word “SOPHS” in block letters. Forest green and gold were their representative colors. Their annual fundraising activity was a telethon broadcast on the TV 10 campus television station located in Towers Hall. The group’s purpose was to acknowledge and encourage outstanding scholarship and significant service to the university. SOPHS was not affiliated with any existing national sophomore honorary. SOPHS was officially inactivated after 2010.Content Description

This collection contains records of the Society of Participating Honors Students (SOPHS), from its formation in 1977 through 2010. SOPHS was officially inactivated after 2010. Records detail the founding, history, activities, and membership of SOPHS. Included are a history and constitution, letterhead, member initiation programs and membership lists, a treasurer’s account book, meeting minutes (missing 1981 Fall semester), telethon planning materials and reports, 2010 Hill Hike planning materials, and initiation and telethon photographs. Also included are artifacts: a tablecloth, banner, 1997 and 1998 videotapes of the SOPHS telethon recorded on TV 10 campus television station in Towers Hall, and 126 image files of the 2005 SOPHS Telethon.

Related Collections

• AS115: University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire University Centers Activities and Programs programming files, 1917–2015
• AS344: University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Honors Week Records, 1949–2015
• AS358: University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire University Centers Activities and Programs student organizations files, 1960–2015 (SOPHS: Box 3, Folder 41)
• AS374: University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire University Centers Activities and Programs campus organizations guidebook, 1986–1994
• AS371: Phi Kappa Phi (University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire) Records, 1955–2010

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information: Transferred to the University Archives by University Activities and Programs in 1988, 2006, and 2017.

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.

Use Restrictions: Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. Copyright owned by the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.

Processing Note: Finding aid created and additions added by Julie Hatfield in 2022.

Arrangement: Flat arrangement.

OCLC #: 21087013

Subjects

Personal Names:
Burke, Valena H.

Subject Terms:
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire — Societies, etc.
Universities and colleges — Honors Courses — Wisconsin
Society of Participating Honors Students (University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire)
SOPHS
Minutes
Telethon
TV10

Geographical Terms:

Eau Claire, Wis.

Detailed List of Contents

Container

Contents

Dates 

Box/Folder

1/1

History and constitution, revised March 1995

1995

1/2

SOPHS letterhead (blank) and tree emblem

ca. 1980–2000s

1/3

Selection process for SOPHS members

1978–1979

1/4

Initiation presentation and programs

1982–2000, 2005–2010

1/5

Initiation signature lists

1978–2010

1/6

Membership Book

1977–2005

1/7

Treasurer’s account book

1992–2008

1/8

Meeting Minutes

Oct. 1977–April 1983

1/9

Meeting Minutes

Sept. 1983–April 1988

1/10

Meeting Minutes

Dec. 1986–April 1993

1/11

Telethon planning materials and reports

1979, 1983–1988

1/12

Telethon planning materials and reports

1989–1998

1/13

Telethon planning materials and reports

1999–2010

1/14

SOPHS Hill Hike for Muscular Dystrophy Association

May 15, 2010

1/15

Photographs — Initiation; Telethon

ca. 1978–1986; 1993, 2000

2/ Videotape, 2 hrs.

SOPHS Telethon, to raise money for United Cerebral Palsy, recorded on TV 10 campus television station in Towers Hall, challenges to raise money and musical and talent performers

4/17/1997

2/ Videotape, 6 hrs.

SOPHS Telethon, to raise money for Eau Claire Coalition for Youth, recorded on TV 10 campus television station in Towers Hall, challenges to raise money and musical and talent performers, an informational video about the Eau Claire Coalition for Youth

April 1998

3

Banner — 42 x 31.5 inches, light green base, white stitched SOPHS emblem (oak tree with “SOPHS” written underneath)

3

Tablecloth — Top: 72 x 30 inches, Skirt: 29 inches long, forest green base, golden yellow iron on transfer design (yellow square outline; inside square written “Society of Participating Honors Students” with emblem underneath - oak tree with “SOPHS” written underneath)

Folder, “SOPHS_

Telethon_

2005”

SOPHS Telethon — 126 image files behind the scenes of TV 10 production and the challenges that are being filmed

2005