Sigma Tau Delta

Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The Society strives to

• Confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies;
• Provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities;
• Foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language, and writing;
• Promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members;
• Exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and
• Serve society by fostering literacy.

With over 770 active chapters located in the United States and abroad, there are more than 1,400 Faculty Advisors, and approximately 7,500 members inducted annually.

Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers
who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.

Membership Benefits

Student membership in Sigma Tau Delta is only by invitation to undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at a college or university with an active Sigma Tau Delta chapter. It is an outward recognition of personal accomplishment and signifies that those invited to join Sigma Tau Delta have achieved the Society’s high standards of academic excellence. Benefits of membership include:

• Academic Recognition
  • Members receive a personalized Sigma Tau Delta membership certificate and the official Society pin to signify high achievement in English language, writing, and literature.
  • Members may wear Sigma Tau Delta regalia at graduation and other important ceremonies to celebrate their accomplishments.
• Scholarships
  • Members are eligible to apply for a variety of Sigma Tau Delta scholarships valued at up to $5,000 each.
  • Members are eligible to apply for a merit-based $1,000 scholarship to attend The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) Summer Institute or Capital Semester. This scholarship is available to one Sigma Tau Delta member per year through a partnership with TFAS and the Association of College Honor Societies.
• Writing Awards and Opportunities
  • Members may submit papers for publication in The Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle and The Sigma Tau Delta Review. Works selected for publication are also eligible for overall awards and monetary prizes.
  • Members may submit articles to Sigma Tau Delta’s online publications, The Sigma Tau Delta Newsletter and WORDY by Nature, the official Sigma Tau Delta blog.
  • Members may submit articles to Sigma Tau Delta’s regional publications, where available.
• Internships
  • Members may apply for Sigma Tau Delta co-sponsored internships with a major publisher and an online book store that funds worldwide literacy initiatives.
  • Members are eligible for a $500 merit-based scholarship to attend the Washington Internship (WII) internship program through a partnership with WII and the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).
  • Members are eligible to apply for a $1,000 housing scholarship to attend The Washington Center (TWC) internship program through a partnership with TWC and the Association of College Honor Societies. TWC has designated three scholarships per year for Sigma Tau Delta members (both undergraduates and recent college graduates).
• Annual Convention
  • Members may submit papers for presentation at the annual Sigma Tau Delta international convention. Works selected for presentation are also eligible for overall awards and monetary prizes.
  • Members who attend the annual convention have opportunities to hear students from throughout the U.S. and abroad present their creative and critical writing, to attend sessions on student leadership and chapter activities, and to listen to presentations by noted authors. Featured speakers at recent conventions include Neil Gaiman (2009), Azar Nafisi (2010), Poet Laureate Kay Ryan (2011), Natasha Trethewey (2012), Ursula L Guin (2013), Alison Bechdel (2014), Gary Soto (2015), Charles Baxter (2016), Jeff VanderMeer (2017), and Mary Norris (2018).
• Student Leadership and Community Service
  • Members may compete for officer positions and take part in community
    service projects at many campus chapters.
  • Members may compete for student leadership positions at the regional and Society levels. Student leaders serve on the Sigma Tau Delta Student Leadership Committee and represent student needs and concerns to the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors.
• Career Advancement
  • Members may use their honor society affiliation as a tangible sign of academic success to help advance their professional career.
  • Members meet one of the U.S. Civil Service Commission requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the Federal service, thus beginning employment at a higher level and higher salary. Visit USAJobs to search for positions listed with the United States Office of Personnel Management.
• Lifetime Affiliation and Fellowship
  • Members have many opportunities to network with other Sigma Tau Deltans through local chapter activities, regional events, the annual Sigma Tau Delta international convention and online sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and WORDY by Nature, the official Sigma Tau Delta blog.

Willamette University's Sigma Tau Delta Chapter, Alpha Omega Omicron, was founded in 2023. We are currently accepting applications for new members.

Membership requirements are as follows: Candidates for undergraduate membership must have completed a minimum of two college courses in English language or literature beyond the usual requirements in freshman English. For Willamette University, this includes ENGL courses and CCM courses that have been designated as W (writing-centered) courses. The candidate must have a minimum of a B or equivalent average in English, in general scholarship a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, and must have completed at least three semesters of college coursework. Candidates for undergraduate membership need not be majoring or minoring in the discipline of English.

Interested in Sigma Tau Delta Membership? Please complete the application and submit an unofficial copy of your transcript to WU's Sigma Tau Delta faculty advisor, Prof. Teresa Hernández, at thernandez@willamette.edu.