President Leo M. Lambert spoke to inductees about the importance of appreciating beauty and complexity during the Oct. 30 ceremony.
President Leo M. Lambert delivered the keynote address as 24 new members were inducted into the Elon University Xi Omicron chapter of the International English Honor Society of Sigma Tau Delta in the Isabella Cannon Room at the Center for the Arts on Oct. 30.
It was the 38th annual induction ceremony for the chapter. To be eligible for membership, students must meet be English majors or minors, have junior or senior standing, take four English courses beyond ENG 110, have a 3.0 overall GPA, and at least a 3.25 GPA in English.
Prudence Layne, associate professor of English and co-faculty advisor, introduced chapter president Annaliese Jaffe ’18 and her fellow officers David Patterson ’18 (vice president), Henry (Hank) Nooney ’18 (secretary) and Alexis Williams ’18 (historian). The officers then led all new initiates through the induction ritual.
Prior to the induction ritual, Lambert spoke about the importance of higher education in the United States, saying that there was more to a college education than just what was learned in classes. He reminded the audience that "a university education is also about preparation for citizenship, the encouragement of the love of knowledge for its own sake, and an appreciation of what is beautiful, wonderfully complex or true.”
The speech was brought to a close with words of encouragement and pride. “I am convinced that the future belongs to the creative, to the courageous, to the communicator, to those who are immersed in the world of ideas," Lambert said.
Video of Lambert's address is available here: http://blogs.elon.edu/ondemand/the-english-major-in-a-changing-higher-education-landscape-leo-m-lambert
After the keynote address and induction ritual, there was a short presentation of gifts. Kathy Lyday, professor of English and previous faculty advisor for the Xi Omicron chapter, was given an award for 18 years of loyal service to the organization. Kevin Bourque, assistant professor, and Jennifer Zinchuk, assistant professor, were presented with gifts of appreciation for serving the organization during Lyday’s time abroad last year.
Finally, Sigma Tau Delta and the Elon English Department thanked Lambert for his support and promotion of the liberal arts and the Department of English with the Sigma Tau Delta medallion, a plaque, and a collection of books written by past graduates and current faculty.
Students
Elizabeth Ainger
Ashley Andrews
Brittany Barker
Kendall Brewer
Lucy Chamberlain
Peter Connelly
Natalia Conte
Laura Dunbar
Nicole Galante
Ana Garcia
Madeline Gross
Emma Hill
Jennifer Kane
Elizabeth Kirkhorn
Chrysoula Kosti
Minnie Lane
Amanda McMahon
Sawyer Parker
Katherine Sieber
Carey Spence
Leah Vail
Mikki Warszawski
Meara Waxman
Faculty
Margaret Chapman (Chapter Co-Advisor)
Heather Lindenman
Erin Pearson
Jeff Stein