Faculty Advisers Dr. Glen Brewster and Professor Elizabeth Starr in New Orleans, LA (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – Eighteen Westfield State University students will travel to Savannah, Georgia for the annual international Sigma Tau Delta convention. Fourteen of the 18 students will present their best scholarly and creative works.
At the convention, hundreds of members gather from around the world to share experiences and ideas, be recognized for their achievements, and to participate in the official side of the society. The convention gives students and faculty the opportunity to attend special workshops, hear presentations by renowned authors and scholars, and to participate in social activities such as Bad Poetry Night and the Dry T-Shirt Contest.
Sigma Tau Delta is a prestigious, international English Honor Society that was founded in 1924 and has over 850 active chapters in the United States and abroad. Sigma Tau Delta seeks: to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature, to promote interest in literature and the English language on local campuses and their surrounding communities, and to foster the discipline of English in all its aspects, including critical and creative writing. Active membership is available to students with a minimum of a B or equivalent average in English, who rank in the highest 35% of their class in general scholarship, and who have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college work.
Westfield State has a very active chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, led by faculty sponsors and advisors Dr. Glen Brewster (Eastern Regent) and Professor Elizabeth Starr, both of the Westfield State English department. In recent years, Westfield State students have traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana (2012) and Portland, Oregon (2013) to present their work at the convention.
This year’s presenters from Westfield State will present creative work and critical work, as well as conduct a roundtable discussion on Twitter. Students who will present creative work include Westfield State Chapter President Jessica Thelen, Eastern Region Student Representative Lyndon Seitz, Assistant Eastern Region Student Representative Kaila Cummings, Brad Avery, Jeanette Fleck, Sharon Sitler, Elizabeth Ulrich, and Billi Mactighe. Students who will present critical work include Westfield State chapter Vice President Nicole Godard, Kyle Johnston, Jim Madigan, Maddie Cicitto, Sarah Mascioli, and Tessa Newell. The roundtable will be conducted by Jessica Thelen, Brad Avery, Billi Mactighe, and Kyle Johnston, and will be moderated by Dr. Brewster.
This year’s convention will be held from February 26 through March 1 and celebrates Sigma Tau Delta’s 90th birthday. For more information on Sigma Tau Delta at Westfield State, visit www.westfield.ma.edu/prospective-students/academics/english/honors-societies-for-majors . For more information on Sigma Tau Delta itself, visit www.english.org/sigmatd. For more information about the 2014 convention, visit www.english.org/sigmatd/conv/index.shtml .
