Student Maya Novák-Cogdell Selected to Present in Sigma Delta Pi’s 5th Annual “Best Practices” Session

Maya Novák-Cogdell, student president of the College of Charleston’s Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, has been selected to present in Sigma Delta Pi’s national “Best Practices Session” to be held during the 99th Conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese from July 6-9, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

Finalists for Sigma Delta Pi’s 12th Annual S.C. Spanish Teacher of the Year Program

The College of Charleston’s and The Citadel’s chapters of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, are proud to announce the finalists for their 12th annual South Carolina Spanish Teacher of the Year Award for 2016:

Loyda McClellan of Fort Dorchester High School
Stephanie Schenck of Clover High School
Kathleen Stafford of Irmo High School

All three finalists will receive award plaques courtesy of the College of Charleston’s and The Citadel’s chapters of Sigma Delta Pi, and each finalist and their guests (one guest per finalist) will enjoy complimentary lodging the evening of November 10, 2016 and breakfast on November 11 courtesy of the Francis Marion Hotel in historic downtown Charleston.

All questions regarding the contest should be forwarded to Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro, Founding Director of Sigma Delta Pi’s South Carolina Spanish Teacher of the Year Award, College of Charlestondelmastromp@cofc.edu.

The 2016 S.C. Spanish Teacher of the Year will receive a $500 cash award courtesy of D. Virgil Alfaro, III, M.D. ’84.
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CofC’s Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi Receives Nat’l Awards

The Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, received two national awards during the Society’s Triennial Convention on July 8, 2016 in Miami, Florida.  Nu Zeta was among 13 of the 611 chapters of Sigma Delta Pi nationwide to receive the Honor Chapter award for outstanding activities executed during the 2015-16 academic year.  This was the 6th consecutive year that the College of Charleston received this prestigious recognition.  In addition, CofC’s chapter was granted the Octavio Paz Award for maintaining Honor Chapter status each year  during the 2013-16 triennium.  Drs. Carmen Grace and Susan Divine of Hispanic Studies are Nu Zeta’s chapter advisers, and along with past student chapter president Olivia Ghiz, they are greatly responsible for these national awards.

20th Anniversary Commemoration of CofC’s Study Abroad Program in Trujillo, Spain

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, the College of Charleston and the Xavier de Salas Foundation commemorated 20 years of collaboration with CofC’s study abroad program in Trujillo, Spain. Participating in this memorable event was a five-member, College of Charleston delegation that included Dr. Michael Auerbach, Dean of the School of Sciences and Mathematics; Dr. Jerry Hale, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro, Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies; Dr. Andrew Sobiesuo, Associate Provost of International Education; and Dr. Antonio Tillis, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.   Representing Trujillo were Mr. Alberto Casero, Mayor of the city; Dr. Jaime de Salas, Director of the Xavier de Salas Foundation, and Dr. Segundo Píriz, President of the University of Extremadura. Also participating in the ceremony were Jessica Barras, a graduate of the College of Charleston who studied in Trujillo in 2014, and currently resides in the same city.  Following remarks by numerous dignitaries, Dr. Del Mastro, who is also Executive Director of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, inducted Drs. Jaime de Salas and Segundo Píriz into the Order of the Discoverers, one of Sigma Delta Pi’s most prestigious international recognitions.

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From left to right: Drs. Del Mastro, Hale, Auerbach, de Salas, Píriz, Sobiesuo and Tillis, following the induction of de Salas and Píriz into Sigma Delta Pi’s Order of the Discoverers.

CofC’s Nu Zeta Chapter of Nat’l Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society Inducts 12 New Members

The College of Charleston’s national award-winning Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, initiated the following 9 students during a ceremony held at 5:00pm in the Alumni Center of the School of Education:

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Torrie R. Buchanan
Manuela Chaverra Zapata
Alexandra E. Comey
Courtney R. Eker
Eileen C. Flock
Devon A. Gaffey
Ashton E. Getchell
Joanna L. Grabert
Maya Novák-Cogdell

Also initiated as honorary members were Professors Mary Ann Blitt, Lauren N. Hetrovicz and Martha A. Maus.

Dr. Del Mastro Collaborates in Annual Council Meeting of the Association of College Honor Societies

On February 11-13, Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro participated in the 2016 Annual Council Meeting of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) in Savannah, GA, where he also chaired and led the Saturday morning roundtable discussion “Engaging Chapter Members in Your Society.”  Professor Del Mastro represents the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi, as Council Member of the ACHS since 2004.  The ACHS is the only certifying agency in the U.S. for collegiate honor societies with chapters at accredited institutions.

CofC’s and The Citadel’s Chapters of Nat’l Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society Name 2015 S.C. Spanish Teacher of the Year

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The College of Charleston’s and The Citadel’s chapters of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, are proud to announce the winner of their 11th annual South Carolina Spanish Teacher of the Year Award for 2015:

Elizabeth Carter of Meadow Glen Middle School (Lexington)

Congratulations also to the runners-up:

Gicela Mondragon of Montesorri School of Anderson
Amanda Langsdorf Reilly of S.C. Whitmore School (Chapin)

The awards ceremony took place on Thursday, November 12 at 7:00pm at the College of Charleston.

All three finalists received award plaques courtesy of the College of Charleston’s and The Citadel’s chapters of Sigma Delta Pi, and each finalist and their guests (one guest per finalist) enjoyed complimentary lodging the evening of November 12, 2015 and breakfast on November 13 courtesy of the Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston.

The 2015 S.C. Spanish Teacher of the Year also received a $500 cash award courtesy of D. Virgil Alfaro, III, M.D. ’84.

All questions regarding the contest should be forwarded to Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro, Founding Director of Sigma Delta Pi’s South Carolina Spanish Teacher of the Year Award, College of Charleston: delmastromp@cofc.edu.  Details for the 2016 contest will be available in March.

CofC’s Nu Zeta Chapter of National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society Earns 5th Consecutive National Award

The College of Charleston’s Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, was selected as an “Honor Chapter” for  the 5th consecutive year.  Only 12 of the 607  chapters nationwide were selected for this prestigious honor for outstanding activities realized during the 2014-15 academic year. In 2014-15, Nu Zeta was led by student officers Adriana Bonasorte, President; Lisa Dealmeida and Olivia Ghiz, Vice-Presidents.  Drs. Carmen Grace and Mark Del Mastro served as co-chapter advisers.

CofC’s Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi Receives National “Honor Chapter” Award

For the first time in its history, The Nu Zeta Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, received the prestigious “Honor Chapter” Award for its outstanding activities realized during the 2010-11 academic year.  Of the 581 chapters nationwide, The CofC’s chapter was one of only 11 chapters to receive this honor.  This achievement was due in large part to the direction of the chapter adviser, Dr. Marianne Verlinden, as well as the fine leadership of Nu Zeta’s student officers: Dylan Kornegay, chapter president; Sharmaine Edwards, chapter vice-president; chapter president, Katie Williamson. http://news.cofc.edu/2011/07/26/hispanic-honor-society-chapter-earns-top-marks/