Sigma Delta Pi inducts new members

The National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society inducted 17 new members at a ceremony on May 5th.

​The National Hispanic Collegiate Honor Society of Sigma Delta Pi at Elon University welcomed its new members at a special ceremony on May 5.

To qualify for acceptance, students must have second-semester sophomore standing, have completed three years of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent) including a 300-level Hispanic literature or culture/civilization course, have a minimum of B in all Spanish courses, have an overall GPA of 3.2, have attended at least three meetings, and attend the initiation ceremony.

Special music was presented by Oscar Oviedo and Prof. Ricardo Mendoza read poetry. Student leaders Julie Hart, Lily Siegal, Helen Wright, and Sarah Yglesias inducted the new members and Spanish faculty Dr. Mayte de Lama, Dr. Nina Namaste, Dr. Elena Schoonmaker-Gates and Dr. Donna Van Bodegraven presented the seniors with their cords.

Initiates in alphabetical order are: Ashley Abrams, Natalie Beach, Samantha Bellany, Alex Cantone, Anna DeDufour, Emily Drago, William Fraunfelder, Simone Jasper, Kenzie Mann, Ciera Martinez, LeeAnna Matarazzo, Shelly Maxell, Nick Rourke, Sophie Rupp, Kate Shafer, Nicholas Sprout, and Elaina Vermeulen.

Senior Spanish major Lily Siegal was also honored at the ceremony for receiving this year’s Senior Spanish Award, which recognizes the senior major who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and a love of Spanish language and culture. Lily studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a semester and her study abroad experience informed her senior research project on the impact of censorship during the Dirty War.  Lily has been an active member and officer of Sigma Delta Pi and was selected for the CIEE Teach Abroad program.  Next year, she will teach English in a public school in central Spain.

Please contact Lecturer in Spanish and SDP advisor Ricardo Mendoza with questions.