The Quill and Dagger Society, founded at Cornell University in 1893, selects new undergraduate members in the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. A small number of honorary members have been selected since the society's founding, usually qualified individuals who were not eligible for membership as undergraduates, such as Janet Reno and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both of whom graduated before the society accepted women. Cornell Presidents Dale R. Corson, Frank H.T. Rhodes, Hunter R. Rawlings III, and Jeffrey Lehman all hold membership in the society as well.
Membership is published in The Cornell Daily Sun each semester. Other sources of membership lists include The New York Times during the 1920s and 1930s, The Cornell Alumni News from 1899 to 1961, and The Cornellian yearbook. This list contains notable individuals who were selected for membership as undergraduates. Class years are listed in parentheses.
James Kenneth Fraser[1] (1897) – advertising pioneer; developed "Spotless Town" advertising campaign for Sapolio soap, considered one of the "100 Greatest Advertisements" in history; president of the Blackman Company
Jay S. Fassett, Jr.[3] (1911) – Broadway and film actor; played Doc Gibbs in the original production of Our Town; son of Congressman Jacob Sloat Fassett
Charles H. Moore[18] (1951) – 1952 Summer Olympics gold medalist in track and field (400 m. hurdles) and silver medalist in track and field (4 × 100 m. relay); one of the first hurdlers to use 13 instead of 15 steps; Cornell University Director of Athletics (1994–1999); National Track & Field Hall of Fame
Meredith Gourdine[19] (1952) – 1952 Summer Olympics silver medalist in track and field (long jump); engineer and physicist with 70 patents; electrogasdynamics pioneer; Cornell University trustee
Albert W. Hall[20] (1956) – four-time Summer Olympics hammer throw participant (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968) with fourth-place finish in 1956
Donald Spero[22] (1961) – World Rowing Single Sculls Champion (1966); U.S. National Champion in Single Sculls (1963, 1964, 1966), Double Sculls (1963), and Quadruple Sculls (1965); sixth place in 1964 Summer Olympics; co-founder of National Rowing Foundation; National Rowing Hall of Fame; International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Kyle Dake (2013) – four-time NCAA Wrestling Champion (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013); only wrestler to ever win four NCAA titles in four different weight classes; 2020 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Olympics bronze medalist
Sanford Hunt (1904) – All-American football player; long-time national record holder for longest run with a recovered fumble (105 yards)
James Lynah[41] (1905) – principal founder of the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (now the ECAC); strong proponent of a firmer Ivy League for athletics; Cornell University Director of Athletics (1935–1944); namesake of Cornell University's Lynah Rink; namesake of the ECAC Distinguished Achievement Award
Clayton W. Chapman[6] (1957) – 1957 Henley Royal RegattaGrand Challenge Cup winner; ECAC Commissioner and Regatta Director; namesake of U.S. Rowing Administrator Award and ECAC Most Improved trophy; National Rowing Hall of Fame
George F. Ford, Jr.[6] (1957) – 1957 Henley Royal Regatta Grand Challenge Cup winner; National Rowing Hall of Fame
Philip T. Gravink[6] (1957) – 1957 Henley Royal Regatta Grand Challenge Cup winner; National Rowing Hall of Fame
William J. Schumacher[6] (1957) – 1957 Henley Royal Regatta Grand Challenge Cup winner; National Rowing Hall of Fame
Carl W. Schwarz[6] (1957) – 1957 Henley Royal Regatta Grand Challenge Cup winner; National Rowing Hall of Fame
Mario Lazo[51] (1915) – lawyer; expert on American policy in Cuban; fought for freedom of the Cuban press; author of Dagger in the Heart: American Policy Failures in Cuba
Gustave S. Lobrano[52] (1924) – Mmnaging editor of The New Yorker (1941–1956)
Hugh Troy[53] (1926) – world-renowned prankster and children's book author
Ross D. Wetzsteon[55] (1954) – theater editor (and briefly editor-in-chief) for The Village Voice; chairman, host, and driving force behind the Obie Awards
Ken Blanchard[22] (1961) – management and leadership consultant; author and developer of the One Minute Manager concept; Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year (1991); Cornell University trustee
Danny Schechter (1964) – the "News Dissector;" Emmy Award-winning television producer, filmmaker, blogger, and media critic
Alfred Gingold (1968) – freelance writer and humor author
Stanley Chess (1969) – legal commentator; founder of Legal America, Inc., which operates multiple law-related websites; editor-in-chief of The Cornell Daily Sun leading up to the controversial 1969 Willard Straight Hall takeover; organizer and president of The Cornell Daily Sun Alumni Association
Knight Kiplinger[31] (1969) – editor and executive of the Kiplinger publishing empire, including Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Dave Ross (1973) – nationally syndicated radio talk show host and news commentator on the CBS Radio Network
Gordon G. Chang[33] (1973) – author on international policy, specifically regarding China, Korea, and nuclear proliferation; Cornell University trustee
Joey Green[11] (1980) – the "Pantry Professor;" author of books including The Bubble Wrap Book, Marx & Lennon, and Clean It! Fix It! Eat It!; Clio Award winner
Stephen H. Weiss[61] (1957) – co-founder and CEO of Weiss, Peck & Greer (1970–2001); honorary police commissioner of New York City; Cornell University Board of Trustees Chairman (1989–1997); Cornell University presidential councilor
Thomas W. Jones[31] (1969) – chairman and CEO of Citigroup's Global Investment Management (1999–2004); President and COO of TIAA-CREF (1993–1997); created the James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial Understanding and Harmony at Cornell University; spokesman for students in the Willard Straight Hall takeover in 1969; Cornell University trustee
Ray R. Powers[62] (1907) – launched Coca-Cola expansion in Germany in 1929
Edwin T. Gibson[13] (1908) – Vice President of General Foods; Chairman of the Market Research Corporation of America; founding President of Birdseye Frosted Foods; acting U.S. Defense Production Administrator during the Korean War; Cornell University trustee
Richard B. Loynd[65] (1950) – President of Eltra Corp. (1971–1982); Chairman of Converse Sneakers (1982–1994); President (1989–1996), CEO (1989–1996), and Chairman (1990–1998) of Interco Inc. (later Furniture Brands International), owners of Thomasville Furniture Industries, Broyhill, and Lane
Josh Katzen (1970) – co-founder of the award-winning vegetarian Moosewood Restaurant
Drew Nieporent[44] (1977) – restaurateur; creator and owner of Myriad Restaurant Group, including Nobu, Montrachet, Tribeca Grill, and Rubicon; recognized with numerous awards and nominations from the James Beard Foundation
Andre Balazs (1979) – hotelier and businessman; owner of ten hotels in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, including the Chateau Marmont
R. Mark Woodworth (1977) – Senior Managing Director CBRE Hotels' Americas Research; founded PKF Hospitality Research with Cornell University's Dr. Jack Corgel in 1999
Manufacturing
Jasper R. Rand, Jr.[68] (1898) – President of the Rand Drill Company (1900–1905); Vice-president of Ingersoll Rand (1905–1909); namesake of Cornell University's Rand Hall
John Lyon Collyer[16] (1917) – President (1939–1954) and Chairman (1950–1960) of B.F. Goodrich Company; director of rubber for War Production Board; National Rowing Hall of Fame; namesake of Cornell University's Collyer Boathouse; Cornell University Board of Trustees Chairman (1953–1959); Cornell University presidential councilor; Automotive Hall of Fame
Morse G. Dial[69] (1919) – President and CEO (1952–1958) and Chairman (1958–1963) of Union Carbide
Birny Mason, Jr.[70] (1931) – President (1960–1966), CEO (1963–1971), and Chairman (1966–1971) of Union Carbide
Walter C. Teagle[2] (1900) – President (1917–1937) and Chairman (1937–1942) of Standard Oil; namesake and donor of Cornell University's Teagle Hall; Cornell University trustee
James J. Cosgrove[72] (1909) – General Counsel (1929–1948) and Chairman (1948–1952) of Continental Oil
H. Laurance Fuller[21] (1960) – President (1983–1995), CEO (1991–1998), and Chairman (1991–2000) of Amoco; Lincoln Center Humanitarian of the Year (1998); Cornell University trustee; Cornell University presidential councilor
Dick Brass (1973) – technology investor, executive, and pioneer; developed first electronic dictionary and thesaurus; responsible for development of ClearType and Open eBook
John H. Foote[34] (1974) – co-founder and Executive Vice-president of TransCore (1995–2005)
Scott Belsky (2002) – founder of Behance; author of best-selling book Making Ideas Happen, named one of the "100 Most Creative People in Business" by Fast Company
Paul A. Schoellkopf[12] (1906) – hydroelectric energy magnate; President (1919–1933) and Chairman (1942–1947) of Niagara Falls Power Company and later conglomerates; New York State Council of National Defense; Cornell University trustee (1939–1947); donor of Schoellkopf Field[37][38][39]
George P. McNear, Jr.[75] (1913) – President of the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway (1925–1947) during disputes with labor unions; victim of unsolved murder two weeks after testifying for the House Labor Committee in support of stronger labor restrictions
William E. Phillips[18] (1951) – President (1975–1981), Chairman (1981–1989), and CEO (1981–1989) of Ogilvy & Mather; spearheaded Big Apple campaign for New York City
Ray Handlan[5] (1953) – first president of Atlantic Philanthropic Service Co. (1983–1993), the original U.S. arm of secretive foundation Atlantic Philanthropies; responsible for funding that helped launch and expand City Year; founding member of the International Longevity Center; close associate of Chuck Feeney; Cornell University Director of Development
Mark A. Belnick (1968) – Chief Corporate Counsel and Executive Vice President of Tyco International (1998–2002); Deputy Chief Counsel of U.S. SenateIran-Contra Affair Committee; Founder and Director of Cornell Pre-Law Program
Charles H. Rammelkamp[77] (1896) – President of Illinois College (1905–1932); appointed at 31 years old, still one of the youngest college presidents ever in the country
Porter R. Lee[40] (1903) – social work pioneer and author; Director of the New York School of Social Work (1917–1938); founded the Association of Schools of Social Work
Warren E. Schutt[41] (1905) – first Rhodes Scholar from New York State and Cornell University; U.S. Consul throughout Europe
George W. Nasmyth[78] (1906) – sociologist and internationalist; president of the International Federation of Students; director of World Peace Foundation
Quintino J. Serenati[88] (1934) – Brigadier General; commander of the Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Center; command surgeon for USAF Headquarters Command; recipient of the Legion of Merit and Air Force and Army Commendation Medal
Joseph H. Holland[11] (1978) – New York State Commissioner of Housing & Community Renewal (1995–1996); Cornell University trustee; son of Jerome H. Holland
Jacques P. Lerner (1987) - D.C. Office of the Attorney General trial attorney (1994-2012); D.C. Department of For-Hire Vehicles general counsel (2012-2017) and senior policy advisor (2017-2019); Mobility Research Partners LLC founding partner (2019)
Peter T. Schurman[19] (1952) – holder of more than 50 patents in plastics machinery and packaging; inventor of the double-wall carrying case; founder of the Plastic Forming Co.; grandson of Jacob Gould Schurman, Cornell University's third president and U.S. Ambassador to China and Germany
Richard M. Ehrlich (1959) – professor of medicine and physician; president of the Society for Pediatric Urology and American Academy of Pediatrics-Urology Section; photographer
Tyrone D. Taborn (1981) – CEO of Career Communications Group; editor-in-chief and publisher of US Black Engineer & Information Technology; named one of the "50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology" (2002); founder of Black Family Technology Week, La Familia Technology Awareness Week, and the Native American Technology Awareness Project
Robert E. Treman[72] (1909) – Cornell University trustee (1931–1953); member of prominent family of Ithacans, Cornell trustees, and Quill and Dagger members, including father Robert H. Treman (honorary), uncle Charles E. Treman (honorary), brother Allan H. Treman (1921), cousins Arthur B. Treman (1923) and Charles E. Treman, Jr. (1930), nephew Barton Treman (1953), and others; second husband of famous actress Irene Castle
George M. Schurman[14] (1913) – son of Jacob Gould Schurman, Cornell University's third president and U.S. Ambassador to China and Germany
Jacob Gould Schurman, Jr.[16] (1917) – Chief Magistrate of New York City; Cornell University trustee; son of Jacob Gould Schurman, Cornell University's third president and U.S. Ambassador to China and Germany
Harrison Stackhouse Wilson[100] (1935) – son-in-law of Larry E. Gubb; class of 1916, President of Cornell Alumni Association, Cornell Trustee; descendant of James Wilson, creator of the Electoral College
Benjamin E. Dean[76] (1939) – claims to be the great-great-great-grandson of George Washington through illegitimate son Israel Dean; author of the Virginian in Yankeeland series of books