The Corda Fratres Association of Cosmopolitan Clubs was founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1904, out of an International Club that had formed in 1903. The Corda Fratres Association of Cosmopolitan Clubs began to expand to other Universities and started to hold national conventions of the Cosmopolitan Club chapters in 1907. The first convention was held at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. A Cosmopolitan Club member from the University of Wisconsin, Louis Luchner, wrote to President Bryan in October and November of 1907, inviting Indiana University to form an International or Cosmopolitan Club in order to attend the first convention.

This attempt was unsuccessful; however, an Indiana University chapter of the Cosmopolitan Club was founded nine years later, on November 19, 1916, by 12 international students. The original constitutional committee consisted of: T.V. Petranoff (Bulgaria), Heinman Blatt (Russia), Y. Kodera (Japan), and Club President, J.T. Hsi (China). The Indiana University Cosmopolitan Club adopted a constitution on December 9, 1916 and received a charter from the Corda Fratres Association of Cosmopolitan Clubs on January 1, 1918.

On December 26-29, 1923, Indiana University hosted the 17th annual National Convention with 77 delegates of 15 different nationalities registered in attendance. This same year, the Indiana University chapter was the executive chapter for all Cosmopolitan Clubs in the United States. In conjunction with this honor, I.U. history professor, Dr. James A. Woodburn, was elected national president of the Corda Fratres Association of Cosmopolitan Clubs. Additional Cosmopolitan Club faculty advisors of note at Indiana University include Leo R. Dowling in the 1940's and Walter E. Burnham in the 1950's and 1960's.

As illustrated by the club motto, "Above all nations is humanity," the Cosmopolitan Club was founded to foster understanding and fraternity between foreign and American students, in order to promote international cooperation and world peace. Throughout its existence at Indiana University, the Cosmopolitan Club strove to maintain a 50/50 balance of U.S. and international members. By 1965, the club membership roster for the Indiana University chapter documented a membership of 515 individuals, representing 54 different countries.

On March 25, 1922, the Indiana Daily Student reported on the first 'International Revue' (held March 24, 1922), marking the beginning of the Cosmopolitan Club's long tradition of presenting international dance, music and culture to the Indiana University community. The international performances and socials led to the development of an annual International Dinner, coinciding with a week of exhibitions and activities celebrating the United Nations. The first of these dinners was held in 1953 and they continued for 16 years. The International Dinner proved to be one of the most popular and widely attended activities of the club.

Through out the 1950's and early 1960's, interest in the Cosmopolitan Club remained high, as illustrated by events programming, newsletters, and membership rosters. By 1969, however, events and publications had waned and only 6 members were pictured in the Arbutus yearbook. 1969 was the last year the club was pictured in the Arbutus, but the collection contains an invitation to the 1970 International Dinner, indicating that the club remained active after ceasing to appear in the Arbutus. This document, dated February 12, 1970, is the last transaction of Cosmopolitan Club activity in the collection.