The Sigma Delta Pi Honor Society recognizes students that excel in the study of the language, literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking world who foster an understanding, appreciation and respect for the peoples, cultures and societies of the Spanish-speaking world; and honors those who have promoted and reinforced a better understanding of the contributions of the Spanish-speaking world.

The honor society’s motto – Spanías Didagéi Proágomen – means to “continue under the inspiration of the Spanish language.”

The ceremony was led by Lecturer in Spanish Ricardo Mendoza and ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students Alexandra Borda ’23 and Mahogany Madden-Roberts ’22. The induction ceremony included words of encouragement from Cameron Wilson ’20, who lived and worked in Argentina and Spain and is now located in Atlanta, Georgia, as he shared how he is using Spanish in his life to make a difference. There was live music from Professor Jorge Mendoza who is from Colombia.

Finally, faculty members Elena Schoonmaker-Gates, Mayte de Lama, Ketevan Kupatadze, Mina García, Nina Namaste, Federico Pous, Pablo Celis-Castillo and Ricardo Mendoza participated during the ceremony and shared final words of advice.

Congratulation to the newest inductees of Sigma Delta Pi:

• Emily Alps
• Lucy Anne Hewitt
• Olivia Christina Holtsclaw
• Julia Lapporte
• Matthew Thomas Newberry
• Eliana Olivier
• Elissa Marie Rizzo
• Sonali Elena Schroder
• Leah Marie Schwarz
• Anna Sophia Maria Teresa Steinki

To join Sigma Delta Pi, students must have completed three years of college-level Spanish (18 semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization at the junior (third-year) level.

During the week of Oct. 31, more than 200 Spanish students from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and 51 eighth-graders from Western Middle School attended an interactive presentation about Day of the Dead – Día de los Muertos – in Carlton Commons.

Originating in contemporary Mexico, Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, as it’s said that the gates of heaven open on midnight of Oct. 31 to allow the spirits of children to rejoin their families for 24 hours, followed by the spirits of adults the next 24 hours.

Students had the opportunity to eat delicious pan de muerto (Day of the Dead bread) from Panadería el Dorado on West Front Street in Burlington, decorate Day of the Dead cookies, make flowers for the altar, work on a Día de los Muertos puzzle, and, most importantly, remember and speak about their loved ones who have passed away.

The middle school guests also learned all about the language learning opportunities that the Department of World Languages and Cultures has to offer from speaking with Spanish Education major Casey Paulhus.

To prepare for this event, members of the Day of the Dead committee, including April Post, Mayte de Lama, Maria Jose Larrazabal, Elizabeth Trexler, Ronnie LoCash, and Ricardo Mendoza, collaborated with student staff from World Languages and Cultures and El Centro to prepare materials for classes, including videos and slideshows, and set up a beautiful, interactive altar in Carlton Commons.

This opportunity was supported by the Department of World Languages and Cultures and El Centro.