Sigma Delta Pi, the national Spanish honor society, is a student organization in which Spanish majors and minors who maintain a high scholastic standing are eligible for membership. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, as well as the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

About

Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica), was established on November 14, 1919, at the University of California Berkeley. The USD chapter of Sigma Delta Pi is named Eta Zeta.

The Society's insignia is the royal seal of Fernando and Isabel, representing Castille, León and Aragón. Sigma Delta Pi's colors are red and gold, its flower is the red carnation, and its motto is the Greek phrase "Spanías Didagéi Proágomen" meaning "Let's go forth/continue forth under the teaching/guidance of the Spanish language." The national headquarters is located at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

The Society has expanded its activities and now has over 590 chapters in 49 states with the guidance of notable Hispanists such as S. Griswold Morley, Elijah C. Hills, Rudolph Schevill, Leavitt O. Wright, William Berrien, John D. Fitz-Gerald, Tomás Navarro Tomás, José Martel, Archer M. Huntington, John T. Reid, Stuart M. Gross, James O. Swain, F. Dewey Amner, Carl A. Tyre, T. Earle Hamilton, Dolores Brown, Richard E. Chandler, Ignacio R.M. Galbis, John H. LaPrade, Mark P. Del Mastro and Germán D. Carrillo.

Goals and Purposes

The purposes of this society are:

To honor those who attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking people
To encourage university students to acquire a greater interest in and a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture
To foster friendly relations and mutual respect between the nations of Hispanic speech and those of English speech
To serve its membership in ways which will contribute to the attainment of the goals and ideals of the society

Eligibility

Completion of at least three years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent (SPAN 301 or 300), including a minimum of three credit hours of a third-year Hispanic literature or culture and civilization course (one or more of the following can be counted: SPAN 303, 304, and 302)
Attainment of at least a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale in all college-level Spanish courses taken
Attainment of at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a four-point scale in all college-level work attempted
Rank in the upper 35% of his/her class–sophomore, junior, or senior–and must have completed at least three semesters college work

Sigma Delta Pi does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability.

Benefits

Exclusive access to undergraduate study abroad awards for study in Spanish-speaking countries
Access to scholarships, including a $500 merit-based scholarship from the Washington Internship Institute (WII) for the ACHS/WII Internship Program.
Eligibility for research grants for graduate students
Distinctive student honors such as the Gabriela Mistral Award, available to one outstanding member per chapter annually, and the Mario Vargas Llosa Award, a joint Sigma Delta Pi-AATSP recognition granted yearly to one outstanding, undergraduate student major or minor of Spanish
Leadership opportunities through election to chapter offices and the direction of various chapter projects (see handbook for ideas) that may result in such national distinctions as the Honor Chapter award, the Premio Ignacio y Sophie Galbis, the Premio Fï¿½nix, and the Premio Frida Kahlo
Opportunities to participate and/or present in Sigma Delta Pi's annual sessions, held in conjunction with the AATSP and the Kentucky Foreign Language Conference, and the triennial convention, held during the meeting of the AATSP
Active and ambitious student members may apply as a chapter for Chapter Project Grants to help finance their group's activities that complement the mission of Sigma Delta Pi
Available awards for outstanding faculty of Hispanic Studies or members of one's local community who have made exceptional efforts in furthering Sigma Delta Pi's mission
Bolstered credentials for any professional field, including business. For example, see the Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions at the website of the U. S. Office of Personnel Management
An enhanced résumé afforded by serving as an active chapter officer: organizational leadership and initiative are attractive qualities to prospective employers
Supportive network of regional and national officers to provide guidance for chapter activities and Society-related issues
Closer association with students of similar interests and out-of-class interaction with members of faculty
Special rates on insurance through Geico

Organization Contact

Sigma Delta Pi

Amanda Petersen, PhD
Club Adviser
apetersen@sandiego.edu