Six students were inducted into Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society and ACU’s first collegiate honor society for students of Spanish.
Sigma Delta Pi is the largest foreign language honor society and has chapters across the country, said Dr. Beatriz Walker, associate professor of Spanish and adviser of Omega Gamma, ACU’s Sigma Delta Pi chapter.
“It is very important for our students to belong to an honor society that represents what you are studying,” Walker said. “That means you are top in your field. For students taking a foreign language as a minor or major, I would assume if they have that pride in their studies, they want to belong to an association that recognizes their academic ability.”
During the ceremony students read excerpts from Spanish poetry and literature, and Dan Mitchell, instructor of guitar, played Spanish guitar songs.
“Nothing is more Spanish than the guitar,” Walker said.
Four of the six inductees were also appointed officers of the new honor society.
President of Sigma Delta Pi Lawson Soward, senior electronic media major from Colleyville, said he was honored when Walker asked him to be president.
“Walker is an absolutely amazing Spanish teacher,”Soward said. “Because she has been so instrumental to my learning, it was something I wanted to rise to, regardless of how much my other time commitments might pile up.”
Soward studied abroad in Montevideo during the spring semester of his sophomore year. He said he wanted to be a part of Sigma Delta Pi because of the love for Spanish he picked up while abroad.
“Ever since I studied abroad I’ve really loved everything about the language,” Soward said. “Being able to be in a society that extenuates everything I’ve been a part of in my minor sounded like a good idea.”
Students must complete two advanced Spanish courses, have a 3.5 GPA and complete the appropriate forms to be evaluated for entrance, Walker said.
Communications officer Aaron Shaver, senior vocational missions major from Tyler, said he is in the Department of Biblical Studies but doesn’t see himself working on church staff. He said his Spanish background would help in future job searches.
“In a lot of ways, my membership in Sigma Delta Pi might get me more job opportunities than my Bible degree,” Shaver said.
Walker said belonging to Sigma Delta Pi is a benefit to any job that requires a different language.
“This is an honor that is with you for life,” Walker said. “When you go to apply for a job, maybe you can say you speak another language, but if your transcript can say that you are qualified to use that different language, and if you belong to an honor society within that field of the second language, of course you are a shoe in, I would imagine.”
Inductees:
Lawson Soward, president, senior electronic media major from Colleyville
Emily Miller, vice president, junior management major from Grapevine
Leslie Record, secretary, senior communication sciences and disorders major from College Station
Aaron Shaver, communications officer, senior vocational missions major from Tyler
Amanda McAdams, senior social work major from Henderson
Abby Allison, senior vocational missions major from Amarillo
