By Alyssa Cuevas

Florida State University’s Rho Epsilon chapter of Sigma Tau Delta is moving forward in the Fall 2021 semester with its current members and is always open to new members.

Sigma Tau Delta, founded in 1924, is an international English Honor Society for English majors or students who have taken at least six hours of English courses. FSU’s chapter held its first general meeting of the semester Sept. 2, with the second one planned for Oct. 7. Chapter President Kristy Cherry-Randle explained over email some of Rho Epsilon’s plans for upcoming events and programming.

“Right now, we are working on recruitment, and we are setting up mentorship partnerships for our mentorship program that pairs undergraduate with graduate students of the same track or interests or undergraduate senior members with new freshman or sophomore members,” says Cherry-Randle, who is a doctoral candidate in English-Literature.

Comprising chapters from across the globe, Sigma Tau Delta brings students together over a shared appreciation for literary pursuits. The university chapter allows members to connect within the writing and literary community and provides opportunities for students to apply for various grants, scholarships, and publishing internships. Sigma Tau Delta gives out roughly $25,000 annually at different award levels. The organization also provides students the opportunity to get their work published in The Sigma Tau Delta Newsletter and the WORDY by Nature blog page.

The current members also are currently planning service events, poetry writing events, and readings for this semester. Previously, authors such as Karen Auvinen and FSU English department alumna Tanya Grae, have met with the group to speak about their work. Currently at about 70 members, Cherry-Randle aims to improve Rho Epsilon’s numbers and continue to grow the organization here at FSU.

“I would love for our membership to show a presence at the Sigma Tau Delta international convention and regional conventions,” she says. The 2022 International Convention is scheduled for March 30 through April 2 in Atlanta.

After almost a year and a half of conducting its business completely virtual, the Rho Epsilon chapter has a presence on campus again, although meetings and events are still hosted online. Cherry-Randle hopes the chapter can host an in-person induction ceremony at the end of the Fall 2020 semester.

To apply for membership, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.0 in English courses. Along with the application, students must submit a transcript and a $45 application fee.

Membership also includes lifetime affiliation, which allows for professional networking opportunities for students after graduation. The application to join can be found on their Instagram @sigmataufsu, Facebook @sigmataudeltaatfsu, and in the English department’s undergraduate virtual handbook.

Alyssa Cuevas is a junior major in English on the Editing, Writing, and Media track, with a second major in Communication.

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