Sigma Tau Delta Returns to USJ

By: Kira Dunphy

After a few years of inactivity, Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, is returning to USJ. The organization will give students interested in English, literature, writing and related fields a new opportunity to engage academically and creatively outside the classroom.

Founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University, Sigma Tau Delta recognizes academic excellence in English language, literature and related disciplines. Its mission extends beyond academic achievement, emphasizing fellowship, leadership, literacy and engagement with the broader community. The organization’s vision, “Transforming the World with Words,” reflects its belief in the power of language to inform, connect and create change. 

Today, Sigma Tau Delta has more than 770 active chapters in the United States and abroad, with more than 1,400 faculty advisors. Approximately 7,500 students are inducted into the society each year.

Membership is offered by invitation through an active campus chapter. Undergraduate students do not necessarily have to major or minor in English, but they must meet the society’s academic requirements, including completing a minimum of two college English courses beyond the freshman English requirements, maintaining at least a B average in English and general scholarship, and ranking in the top 35 percent of their class after completing at least three semesters of college coursework. Where class rank is unavailable, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

For inducted students, the organization offers opportunities that extend well beyond receiving an honor. Members can apply for scholarships, internships and awards; submit creative and scholarly work for publication; attend the annual Sigma Tau Delta convention; pursue student leadership positions; and participate in community service projects through their local chapters.

Bringing Sigma Tau Delta back to USJ represents more than the addition of another student organization. It gives students an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments in the humanities while developing their voices as writers, readers and communicators.

“I’m really excited to see the Honor Society coming back to campus and giving us English majors a chance to be part of a bigger English community,” said Zoё Sepa, a senior English major. “We have such a strong passion for what we study, and I’m excited that this gives us another way to connect with our peers.”

USJ English professors Dr. Kaitlin Mondello and Dr. Aiden Levy will serve as the chapter advisors, working with current students to determine what they want the chapter to become as it is reestablished. “We are thrilled to bring the English Honor Society back to USJ to recognize the hard work of our students in their literary education,” said Mondello. The chapter will also provide an opportunity for students and faculty to strengthen the humanities community around a shared interest in the English language and the many ways words can shape how people understand themselves and the world around them.

To learn more about Sigma Tau Delta, visit its website at www.english.org.