WKCTC's Tamera Lott of Paducah Inducted into New Hispanic Honor Society

2018 May 2

Tamera Lott of Paducah was one of eight West Kentucky Community and Technical College students recently inducted into the college's newly formed National Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi's Sociedad Honoraria de la Lengua Espanola (SHLE). The induction ceremony was held April 26 in the Student Government Association lounge, located in the college's Student Center.

Sigma Delta Pi recognizes students in two-year colleges that excel in the study of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. Students are encouraged to acquire a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture and to advocate friendship between nations of Hispanic and English speech. WKCTC is the seventh chapter in the United States to join the respected honor society.

WKCTC Spanish Professor Carolyn Perry, who is the new chapter's advisor, said she initiated the chapter application to honor the growing number of students who are excelling in the classroom and in all of their academic endeavors. Student inductees must have completed the minimum of one Spanish course with a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and must have a cumulative 3.2 GPA with the college. Many of the students who qualify for this honor society also pursue Spanish beyond the classroom, such as with part-time jobs requiring Spanish or with service learning efforts.

"Today we celebrate student excellence in the study of the Spanish language and culture," Perry said. "The students we are honoring here today all have high-grade point averages but they also have that extra curiosity, discipline and desire to experience beyond the familiar and contribute to society."

Executive Director of Sigma Delta Pi, Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro, professor of Spanish at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, conducted WKCTC's new charter installation via YouTube during the April 26th ceremony. The Department of Hispanic Studies at the College of Charleston is the national headquarters of Sigma Delta Pi.

"It's my distinct pleasure this afternoon... to welcome West Kentucky Community and Technical College to our circle of SLHE chapters," said Mastro. "This is a very special occasion for all of you, especially the new members of your new chapter because it emphasizes your performance in your Spanish coursework at your community college."

As a Sigma Delta Pi inductee, Jesus Lara said it's amazing his community college now has a chapter and he's proud to be among his fellow inductees who are interested in Spanish.

"This is a great opportunity...and I can't wait to see what this honor society achieves in the future," said the 17-year-old Lara, who is a Commonwealth Middle College student at WKCTC and a senior at Marshall County High School. He plans to transfer to Murray State University to study elementary education.

Sigma Delta Pi inductees were presented with a membership certificate and pin that represents their initiation into the honorary society. The pin was presented by special guest Genie Drossos, who studied Spanish at Kentucky's Centre College and lived in Spanish speaking countries with her husband for more than 20 years. Each new member then signed their name on the honorary society registry and joined Perry to state the society's motto in unison, "Espanol para Siempre" - Spanish forever.

In his closing remarks, WKCTC President Anton Reece garnered applause as he greeted the students in Spanish, something he said he practiced a great deal for the day's ceremony. "On behalf of the entire WKCTC family...we are very encouraged and heart-warmed to see outstanding students such as yourselves embarking and serving as strong ambassadors for this new society at this college," said Reece.