The Friars' Purpose Friars is one of three senior societies open to active Penn students. A self-perpetuating group, the majority of members are elected in the Spring prior to their senior year by current senior undergraduate members (only a handful are elected in the Fall of their senior year by current Friars). Friars is a way to bring together top leaders of the Penn community who might not have otherwise crossed paths to further the true spirit of it's founder, Daniel S. Keller Jr. of fraternity and helpfulness. It is a diverse group of scholars, artists, athletes, and other campus members who have contributed to the Penn community in some other way than just going to classes. The group meets, plans, and attends a variety of social and community gatherings which vary from group to group and in recent years have raised thousands of dollars for organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life. Founded in 1899 with its first class to graduate in1901, and first to admit women in 1971, Friars remains the strongest and most active undergraduate and graduate senior society on Penn's campus. The undergraduate group of Friars are governed by an ABBOT and SCRIBE who are elected by their fellow classmates in the Spring of their junior year. Membership in the group is approximately thirty-five seniors a year but membership does not end at graduation. Once a Friar, always a Friar is our motto, and as of 2010, there are over 1,910 proud members of the Friars Senior Society in the United States and abroad.