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"Mensa exposed me to intellectual discourse in an accessible manner through resources like Mensa Colloquium and Mensa Magazine. These opportunities reinforced my values of thinking outside of the box and happily pursuing my own academic interests outside of school."
Maxwell Sternlicht
Maryland Area Mensa
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"I grew up in Mensa. My parents, Henry and Beverly Miller, joined when I was 4. They were founding members of Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa and friends with Victor Serebriakoff and Margot Seitelman. I joined at 15. Mensa was my psychological lifeline. Kids at school treated me as different; teachers told me to “dumb down.” Mensans supported me, encouraging me to be myself. My nephew Jacob was the smartest kid in a small town and seen as a freak. It wasn’t until he arrived at the World Gathering in Orlando, meeting people his own age and intelligence, that he realized he was not alone."
Laura Miller
Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
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"What does Mensa mean to me? Mensa gave me a sense of validation and self-esteem that maybe I was a bit more special than I thought, since not everyone can qualify to be a member. This was my first experience being part of an international group. With the Isolated M magazine, I was introduced to Feghoots. The Mensa Bulletin makes me exercise my mind with its featured puzzles and brain twisters. But in my experience, Mensa gatherings mostly involve food and drinks. For Mensans, a waist is a terrible thing to mind."
Naomi Betts, Life Member
Mensa of Wisconsin
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"The Mensa Honor Society has served as a reminder that all that I do matters and has served as encouragement as I have pursued new endeavors. Additionally, of course, the Mensa Honor Society has helped me achieve my goals professionally. Mensa is an old organization with a distinguished reputation. Being able to place on my college applications and on my Curriculum Vitae that I have earned a place in an honor society for such an organization has no doubt impressed those with whom I aim to work."
Meagan Warren
Columbus Area Mensa
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"My sons were honor students, have master’s degrees, and are very successful. My wife and I have only high school diplomas. During Covid, my niece asked, where did they get their smarts? I remember taking a military pretest in 1969. I scored very high, so I checked into that. I found it was so high I qualified for something called Mensa. Mensa, genius society, me?! I called. They said, yes, you. So I joined. What a thrill and amazing surprise to find out at age 70 I’m a Mensan! I haven’t been to any meetings yet, but I look forward to it."
Larry Brown
St. Louis Area Mensa
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"When I was growing up, I felt that there was something really different about me. I wasn't thinking in terms of being superior, even though I did have an uncanny knack for having all of the right answers most of the time. Instead, however, the world was intent on telling me that there was something wrong with me — and I was stupid enough to believe it, at least for a while. Only when I tested for Mensa did I discover that I was in fact different from 98 percent of the population, from in fact a vast majority. When I tested in, I was dumbfounded that I passed!"
And so my journey of self-discovery began. Immediately after joining Mensa, I was awakened to what I knew all along — I had superior intellectual and problem-solving skills. Moreover, being around my own kind allowed me to just be myself, something I had never been able to do in society. Mensa made me feel accepted for who I really was. Being in Mensa has been one of ( if not the) the high points of my life."
Steve Toth
Tidewater Mensa
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"I was your typical nerd. In 1972 I was single and looking to improve my life and meet someone compatible. I joined Mensa with great hope. In 1973, through Mensa, I met my first wife (46-plus years), who passed away. I had let my membership lapse, but with optimism from past experience, I rejoined Mensa hoping to restart my life. Lo and behold, in 2021, I met my current wonderful wife, Eileen, through Mensa and couldn't be happier. I consider Mensa stupendous! It has helped keep me sane and found me love. What more could you ask of an organization?"
Charles R. Patton, Life Member
San Diego Mensa
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"The Mensa Honors Society pushed me to pursue volunteering positions early on in my academic career. Looking back, those experiences grew me into a more altruistic and ambitious person; not to mention, balancing volunteering with schoolwork developed valuable time management skills that have greatly impacted my performance in college and at internships. "
Ryan Alimento
Greater Los Angeles Mensa
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"In Mensa, I have found reasoned discourse, passionate opposition, arguments, not fights, appreciation of excellence, profound silliness, community, companionship, elegance, clear communication, striving to excel, unusual and clever excuses, and the love of my life, Charlie. In Mensa, I am home."
Eileen Patton, Life Member
Oregon Mensa
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"Mensa has been an integral part of my life for more than half of my days on this globe. It has given me contact with others from New Zealand to the Maldives and even Portland, Ore.! It also has provided me with a bit of time to regain sanity or at a gathering to just leave this crazy world at the front door of the venue. Friends I have gained are like family; even you, Richard! I tell those close to me to keep smiling. Everyone appreciates it, and it keeps your enemies guessing."
Larry Fosgate, Life Member
Southern Nevada Mensa
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"When I was notified that I’d been accepted into Mensa, my mother reacted, “You need this. I don’t!” Mother was right. She never needed confirmation of my intelligence. My nickname as a child was The Walking Encyclopedia. Unfortunately, my “smarts” set me apart from others. Teachers often regarded me as a “challenge” to their authority. Many classmates avoided or bullied me. Mensa represented for me an opportunity to finally belong. At my first Annual Gathering, I won the trivia contest. Instead of boos or sarcastic remarks, I received the applause of fellow competitors. Yes, I’m a proud Mensan."
Howard Gross
Greater New York Mensa
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"The Mensa Honor Society helped me achieve my goals by providing a supportive community of intellectually driven individuals who were an inspiration to me. It empowered me to push my own boundaries of what I thought possible for myself, making my goals a little higher and my dreams a little more in the clouds."
Caragan Olles
Mensa of Wisconsin
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"Once upon a time, or as they say in Korea, “When tigers smoked tobacco,” I lived in Montebello. When I told my Hispanic friends I wanted to join a group called Mensa, they laughed. Anyway, I took the test despite being hungover and late. I joined and doors opened. Now I have interesting conversations with people here, there, and everywhere. Especially everywhere, including France, the East Coast of the U.S., and Ireland. I`m very lucky to be a member."
Timothy Bentley
Orange County Mensa
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"When two Mensans meet and marry, it creates another M&M. What’s new? Well, add a third M, acting as a matchmaker. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! My old college beau, a friend to the end, introduced us. She lost touch with him, our mutual friend, soon to leave this earthly realm. I was her touchstone. I joined Mensa in 1991, married in 1995, and landed in Savannah. He died on St. Patrick’s Day 1997. A 20-year friendship led to far-away places and home again. The adventure continues, but there’s no place like home in Mensa."
Kimberly A. Taylor
Savannah Area Mensa of Georgia
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