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. The November 17, 1977, member meeting voted on the SOPHS name for the group. The first initiation of SOPHS was held Thursday, September 8, 1978, presided over by Dean Burke and Roger Smith. Discussed at the February 9, 1978, member meeting: Laura Manthey designed a rough draft of a logo for SOPHS. “She used a tree, centered above the word SOPHS in block letters. The tree is placed between the S’s (in SOPHS) to represent that we’re in the middle, not just beginning but no nearing the end, either. She used ‘young’ styled lettering because we are a contemporary, new group and the tree is representative of Eau Claire. Everyone agreed that Laura did an excellent job on the log and Rhonda made a motion to accept the log as submitted and to pay the $20 fee for supplies and services. The motion passed unanimously. Following discussion on SOPHS colors, Mike made a motion to accept forest green and gold as our representative colors. The motion passed by a unanimous vote” (Feb. 9, 1978, Meeting minutes). The tree is an oak tree. The roots symbolize a search for knowledge and understanding the importance of involvement, the trunk a search for integrity and strength, and the branches a desire to reach out and lead others.

The SOPHS annual fundraising activity was a telethon broadcast on the TV 10 campus television station located in Towers Hall, during the spring semester around or during Honors Week, to raise money for a charity. Starting in 1979, they co-hosted with the President’s Council on April 19, 1979, a telethon for the United Cerebral Palsy of West Central Wisconsin. On April 17, 1980, they hosted their own telethon for the Association of Retarded Citizens. In 2010, the “Hill Hike” replaced the telethon for a fundraising activity.

SOPHS membership was 24-26 sophomores, male and female. 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.