By Priscilla Ramirez

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS - The National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society has named UTRGV’s Alpha Alpha Iota Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi an “Honor Chapter” for its activities during the 2018-19 academic year.

“It was very special because we weren’t expecting it,” said Ana Peña-Oliva, the organization’s co-advisor, lecturer of Hispanic Linguistics, and Undergraduate Spanish Program degree specialist.

“We do these activities for the students and the Spanish program,” she said. “We didn’t even think of doing it for a national award, so we were very surprised.”

Sigma Delta Pi is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society for Spanish majors and minors. Membership in the organization defines a student as exemplary in the Spanish field of study.

Sigma Delta Pi hosts numerous events throughout the year, such as the Day of the Dead Calaveritas Contest held in November 2018 to increase cultural awareness among students by writing verse to express themselves.

UTRGV’s Alpha Alpha Iota Chapter was among 16 selected for the recognition across 625 chapters nationwide.

A National Executive Committee chooses the chapters based on the quality of projects that showcase the “mission of honoring excellence in the study of Spanish language.”

This is the first time UTRGV has been recognized for its Sigma Delta Pi chapter.

The application for the organization is available for undergraduate students who have completed at least three semesters of courses and at least 18 hours of college-level Spanish work. Graduate students may also apply as long as they have unconditional status and completed two graduate courses.

Other requirements and more information can be found here.