An international honor society, Sigma Tau Delta, recognized six creative writers from St. Edward’s University at a convention in St. Louis, Mo., over spring break.

These six students submitted works of creative non-fiction, poetry, short fiction and critical essays to the honor society early this fall in the hopes of reading their works at the honor society’s national convention.

The students selected were junior Jake McCoy for his creative non-fiction and poetry, senior Alyssa DeCaulp for short fiction, senior Allanah Jackson for poetry, sophomore Ellie Douglass for poetry, sophomore Nicole Wolt for poetry and senior Gloria Adams-Hanley for poetry.

The honor society these six writers are a part of is the St. Edward’s Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter of the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society. Sigma Tau Delta was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The society inducts 8,500 members annually and has over 700 active chapters throughout the world.

The Sigma Tau Delta national convention includes many events, such as workshops for writers to enhance their craft, readings by student presenters, and book signings and presentations by published authors. The 2010 convention also hosted a dance, a skit, a “Bad Poetry” contest and an open mic night.

“I was really excited since this [year’s convention] is the largest convention ever,” Douglass said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a really encouraging environment. It was really cool to be surrounded by 900 people who are also as passionate about writing as I am.”

Douglass is the current events coordinator of St. Edward’s Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter and the future Chief Editor for Sigma Tau Delta’s Southwestern Region’s Literary Arts Journal.

McCoy, Alpha Nu Lambda’s chapter president for the upcoming fall semester, joined Sigma Tau Delta to become more involved in the campus community.

“I figured since it was an organization of English majors, and I’m an English major, that it would be really interesting,” McCoy said. “Sigma Tau Delta also has a lot of really great opportunities to get your writing exposed, and sending it to certain conventions is just a really great way to meet other people who are interested in doing the same things are you are.”

Out of the Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter, 10 members submitted their original works, and eight students’ works were accepted to the convention.

Participating students must be members of the Sigma Tau Delta society in order to submit to the national convention. Students’ submissions had to be 2,000 words or less, and students also had to submit a personal statement explaining their works’ overall themes.

“I was really proud of the work our group had, and I felt we were recognized with a lot of positive feedback,” Douglass said.

McCoy especially enjoyed the exchange of ideas that took place.

“Going to the convention is a really great experience in meeting other people around the country, or in some cases outside the country, who are English majors and really talented writers,” McCoy said.

Sigma Tau Delta’s Alpha Nu Lambda Chapter also hosts the Penniless Poetry Readings at Meadows Coffeehouse on campus and encourages students to attend and share their own poetry.

 

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