National History
.jpg "Sigma Delta Pi")
Sigma Delta Pi was established in 1919 as the "Sociedad del Prado" at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1921, with Heriberto M. Stein as president of Alpha Chapter, the young society began to be extended to other institutions of higher learning.
In 1925, when there were five chapters, and under the presidency of Leavitt O. Wright and the support of the well-known Hispanists Elijah C. Hills, S. Griswold Morley and Rudolph Schevill, it became a national organization whose motto is "Spanías Didagéi Proágomen" (Prosigamos bajo la inspiración de España/We Carry on Under the Inspiration of Spain).
Since then there has been a continuous and energetic campaign to establish chapters in English-speaking universities and colleges where advanced Hispanic studies are offered and supported by the administrations.
The Society's colors are red and gold. Its flower is the carnation.
Sigma Delta, Pi, National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, is a not for profit organization incorporated in the State of California. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and affiliated with the Modern Language Association and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.
National Officers
National President: German Carillo, Marquette University
Regional Vice Presidents:
(NE) Marie-Lise Gazarian, St. John's University
(SE) Jhon C. Akers, Wofford College
(MW) Benjamin Smith, Minnesota State University Moorhead
(SW) Lucy Lee, Truman State University
(W) Domnita Dumitrescu, California State University-Los Ángeles
Executive Secretary-Treasurer: Mark P. Del Mastro
Xi Delta Chapter
Adviser: Dr. Leigh Simone, Assistant Professor of Modern Languages
Requirements for Membership
In order that a student may be inducted into the Honor Society, he or she must have:
- at least three years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent, including at least three semester hours of a third-year Hispanic literature or culture and civilization course. Current enrollment may be counted if necessary;
- a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale in all college-level Spanish courses taken;
- a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a four-point scale in all college-level work attempted;
- a class rank in the upper 30th percentile.
Students who are interested in petitioning for induction into the Society may e-mail Dr. Leigh Simone for a petition or may use the Electronic Petition Form. You will be notified of the date for the following induction.
Sigma Delta Pi Scholarships
Each summer Sigma Delta Pi awards two scholarships for study in Spain at the Estudio Nacional Sampere's centers in Madrid, Salamanca or El Puerto de Santa María and 18 scholarships at the Center for Bilingual Multicultural Studies of Cuernavaca, Mexico. Competition for these scholarships is open to undergraduate and graduate members of the Society.
Rules Governing the Scholarship Competition
Undergraduate Criteria: To be eligible to receive one of the awards listed above, an undergraduate student must meet certain minimal requirements. The candidate must:
- be a Spanish Major
- be of at least junior standing
- be an active (elected) member of Sigma Delta Pi
- have a superior academic record
- be enrolled at the time of application as a full-time student
- have earned grades in at least 12 semester or 18 quarter hours of Spanish courses
- be nominated in writing by the chapter adviser
- submit in quadruplicate a fully completed official application form and all required documentation
Graduate Criteria: To be eligible to receive one of the awards listed above, a graduate student must meet certain minimal requirements. The candidate must:
- be a Spanish Major
- be an active (elected) member of Sigma Delta Pi
- have a superior academic record
- be enrolled at the time of application as a full-time graduate student
- have earned grades in at least 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of graduate Spanish courses
- be nominated in writing by the chapter adviser
- submit in quadruplicate a fully completed official application form and all required documentation.
A student may apply for only one scholarship. Previous winners may not apply.
Deadline for Applications
All applications must be postmarked not later than Feb. 1. Those postmarked after this date will not be considered.
Announcement of Awards
Winners will be notified on or about April 1.
Use of Scholarships
Sigma Delta Pi Scholarships may be used soley for the purposes stated above, i.e., for study in Spain or Cuernavaca. They must be used during the summer for which they are awarded. Sigma Delta Pi Scholarships may not be used for research purposes only.
Responsibility of Winners
By Nov. 1, each scholarship winner must send a passport-size photograph and an essay of approximately 200 words in Spanish describing the experience of studying abroad to the executive secretary-treasurer.
Complete applications and rules are available by contacting Dr. Leigh Simone, Plassmann Hall 207-B.