Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
| Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Academic, Leadership and Service Achievement for College/University Students |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Randall-Reilly Publishing |
| First awarded | 1934 |
| Website | whoswhoamongstudents |
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, also known as Who’s Who Among Students, is a national college student recognition program in the United States of America. It has been compiling its list since 1934. Participants include 2,842 tertiary institutions across 50 states and the District of Columbia. It produces an annual "Who's Who" list which is an academic publication that compiles a list of outstanding students in the United States. Students are honored based on outstanding campus leadership, scholastic ability (includes a GPA requirement), leadership on and off campus, and community service. The program was designed to ensure academic recognition regardless of a student's financial ability to participate.
The organization does not solicit individuals for inclusion on the list. Institutions are allocated a number of nominee slots. Criteria for membership includes grade point average, participation and leadership within school organizations and extracurricular activities, community involvement, and future leadership ability and/or potential. Colleges may also have other requirements that are taken into consideration. Faculty, administration and student body committees in each institution nominate a select number of undergraduate and graduate students for this honor annually. Names of nominated students are often published in the newspapers of the students' hometowns. There are no financial obligations in terms of initiation cost, service charge, or membership fee to the nominated student.
Selected students in Who's Who Among Students also have a chance to win an academic scholarship that is offered by the organization.
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges is an independent publication founded by Henry Pettus Randall Jr (August 23, 1911–April 25, 1976), founder of Randall-Reilly Publishing in 1934. It is not affiliated with the bankrupt Who's Who Among American High School Students that went out of business in 2007, Who’s Who Registry of Academic Excellence: Middle School Edition, National Dean's List, or Marquis Who's Who from other publishers.
In 1934, as an undergraduate student at The University of Alabama soon to be entering law school, Henry Pettus Randall Jr. was tapped into various campus honor societies. Having been an outstanding student in every area of campus endeavors, he valued these honors bestowed upon him by his alma mater. However, with a poor farming community background hard hit by the Great Depression, he was unable to accept these honors as membership dues and initiation fees would have imposed further financial burden on his family. He discussed this financial drawback of these honors programs with the university president at that time, Dr. George Denny. As a result of such conversations, Henry conceived an honors program whereby outstanding students are recognized and accepted for their accomplishments without required dues or fees. While still a student on campus, he created Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, a distinguished biographical volume honoring the nation's most noteworthy students of higher learning institutes. As a law student, Henry struggled to gain acceptance of this new concept in university recognition programs. He and his wife, Ettie Beeland (Rogers), comprised the entire staff of the publication for several years at its outset.
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