04/28/15 cu
FHSU's Rho Psi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, received several awards and distinctions at the recent international convention of Sigma Tau Delta in Albuquerque, N.M.

Eight students had scholarly and creative writing chosen for presentation by blind review: Alfredo Anaya, Liberal senior; Taylor Deutscher, Solomon senior; Kaci Ferguson, Glade senior; Brigid Markey, Olathe senior; Seon-jin Na, Gwangju, South Korea, senior; Kimberly Voeller, St. Francis senior; Patrick Vulgamore, Norwich senior; and Zach Walker, Garden City senior.

Markey and Walker also presented in roundtables, which are competitively selected like paper submissions.

Sigma Tau Delta has more than 800 active chapters internationally, with tens of thousands of active members. Only inducted members may submit work to present at the convention. To be inducted, members must have a GPA of at least 3.2 in their English coursework and 3.0 overall.

FHSU's "Lines from the Middle of Nowhere," 2014 edition, received third place in the outstanding literary arts journal competition. This competition is separate from the convention, but the delegation of 11 students and one faculty member were able to accept the award in person at the convention's awards ceremony.

The editorial board of the 2014 edition were editor Kat Goetting, Lawrence junior; Adaline Billinger, Ellinwood senior; Kristi Cash, Atchison senior; Ferguson, and Markey. The faculty advisor is Dr. Brett Weaver, associate professor of English.

"Lines" is an annual publication featuring student work from across campus.

Walker earned a $1,000 Regents' Scholarship, one of only 37 scholarships awarded nationally.

Taran Becker, Hays junior, was elected associate student representative for the High Plains Region, one of six regions that each elect a student representative and an associate student representative.

Becker will represent the region on the national student leadership board, will work throughout the year to encourage activity in the High Plains Region, and will help plan next year's convention in Minneapolis, Minn.

"I serve on the national Board as the High Plains Regent, and it is a great pleasure to have one of our own students serve in a leadership position there with me," said Dr. Lexey Bartlett, associate professor of English.


"In the best FHSU fashion, they exhibited every positive quality of citizenship at the convention" said Bartlett, "and were able to engage in a number of presentations and workshops on scholarly and creative writing, career, and leadership topics."

"The spirit of community involvement and service that permeates FHSU travels with us, and our students distinguish themselves by their community spirit everywhere they go, creating positive associations with our university's reputation nationwide," said Bartlett.

The chapter also celebrated its 25th anniversary with the presentation of a plaque that is on display near the English office. Kris Bair, former FHSU instructor of English, founded the chapter in 1989.