The Raven Society is the University of Virginia's oldest and most prestigious honorary society. Founded in 1904 by University student William McCully James, and named in honor of the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (who attended The University in 1826), the Raven Society seeks to promote academic excellence at the University of Virginia. According to its constitution, one of the society's main goals is "to bring together the best men in the various departments of the University for mutual acquaintance and for cooperation in their efforts to protect the honor and dignity of the University." - Source: Wikipedia