Welcome!

The University of Arizona has an active chapter of the National Spanish Honorary Society, Sigma Delta Pi. Sigma Delta Pi was founded November 14, 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley. The organization recognizes excellence in the study of the Spanish language, civilization and literature. There are over 500 chapters of Sigma Delta Pi in colleges and universities throughout the country.

Contact

If you have any questions please feel free to contact:

Faculty Advisor: Professor Abraham Acosta
Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Modern Languages Room 524 Tucson, Arizona 85721
520-621-5521
acostaa@email.arizona.edu

Mission

• To honor those who seek and attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and the culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples.
• To honor those who have made Hispanic contributions to modern culture better known in the English-speaking world.
• To encourage college and 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.

Members

Most members of the UA faculty as well as graduate students in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese are members of Sigma Delta Pi. Membership is for life. Undergraduate membership is based on the following:

• The student must have completed two years of study of college-level Spanish or the equivalent thereof, including at least one course in Hispanic literature or culture and civilization. The equivalent can be met in a variety of ways.
• The student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in all Spanish courses taken.
• The student must have a cumulative overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all college and university work.
• May be elected to membership while enrolled in the required Hispanic literature course if the instructor will certify that the student is doing A or B quality work.
• Graduate students may be admitted to active membership if they fulfill the above requirements.

A student member becomes an alumnus member after s/he is no longer enrolled at the college or university. Alumni members are always welcome in chapter activities.

Sigma Delta Pi grants several awards, such as El Premio José MartÍ, El Premio Gabriela Mistral, El Premio Capítulo de Honor y Mérito, and offers students scholarships for summer study in Spain or South America. Interested students should contact their Faculty Chapter Advisor for more information on scholarships.

History

The Pi Chapter was installed on 30 June 1930. The installing officers, acting under the direction of Alpha Chapter, were Professor John D. Fitz-Gerald and Miss Martha E. Woundy. The persons who were installed as charter members were chosen by the installing members and the professor and associate professors of the Spanish Department of the University of Arizona, as follows:

Honorary Members:

Brooks, John
Eberling, Frances
Thomas C.
Nichols, George R.
Nicholson, Helen S.
Post, Anita C.
De Kalb, Mr. Courtney
De Kalb, Frances Douglas
Fitz-Gerald, John D.
Woundy, Martha E.

Graduate Members:

Brazelton, Florence
Celaya, Ida
Hunnicutt, Frances

Undergraduate Members:

Abercrombie, Harriet
Boulton, Elizabeth
Kalil, Victoria
Nixon, Mildred
Oliver, Rose
Ungerer, Mrs. Leslie
Carnighan, Margaret
Castañeda, Margarita
Fishback, Jane

1930-1931 Officers:

President: Harriet Abercrombie
Vice-President: Jane Fishback
Secretary: Margarita Castañeda
Treasurer: Margaret Carnighan

Events

Spring 2009 Ceremony and Reception

• Date & Time: Friday, April 10th at 6 pm
• Location: Modern Languages Bldg. Room 411
• Speaker: Prof. Bonnie Gasior
• Title of talk: "The Condition of Women in Emilia Pardo Bazan’s ‘Las medias rojas’"