Spanish Honors and Research

National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society

Sigma Delta Pi

WTAMU proudly hosts Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.

Sigma Delta Pi is the only collegiate honor society dedicated exclusively to students of Spanish at four-year colleges and universities and is the largest foreign language honor society in the world.

Membership recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement in the study of Spanish and a commitment to Hispanic language and culture.

Criteria for Active Student Membership (Article III, Section 3 of national by-laws)

Undergraduate students:

Completion of 3 years of study of college-level Spanish (18 semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof (elementary and intermediate Spanish language courses that are by-passed through placement count toward the 18 required hours), including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization (or a course whose content includes at least ⅓ of these) at the junior (third-year) level at the institution where they are currently enrolled and seeking membership.
A student may be admitted to active membership while still enrolled in the second junior-level course (post intermediate language level) if:
a) all other requirements have been met:
b) the course’s instructor certifies that the student’s work is of “B” or better;
c) the first junior-level course has already been completed with a grade of “B” or better at the current institution.
A minimal grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all Spanish courses completed at the current institution of the active Sigma Delta Pi chapter (grades from transferred courses do not count).
Ranking in the upper 35% of their class–sophomore, junior, or senior–and the completion of at least three semesters or five quarters of college work (a 2^nd-semester sophomore is the earliest a qualifying student may be inducted as a member).
In cases where an institution does not record class rank, the candidate must have a 3.20 cumulative GPA at the time of initiation. (The candidate MUST have earned grades in completed Spanish courses to qualify for membership.)

How to Apply

Applicants should submit:

A copy of their transcript highlighting completed Spanish coursework and overall GPA
Current contact information
A 200-word essay written in Spanish explaining why the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures are meaningful to them

Membership in Sigma Delta Pi recognizes academic excellence while connecting students to a distinguished international network of scholars dedicated to the study and appreciation of the Spanish language and the Hispanic world.

Preparing Future Scholars

McNair Scholars

Spanish majors at WTAMU have proudly participated in the prestigious McNair Scholars Program, a federally funded initiative through the U.S. Department of Education that prepares outstanding undergraduate students for doctoral studies through research and scholarly engagement.

Working closely with faculty mentors, our students conduct original research, present at conferences, and develop the academic skills necessary for graduate education and future careers.

McNair Research Projects

Daisy Pando (2024):

Voces de las perdidas: A Look at Femicide Along the U.S.-Mexican Border

Lizett Silva (2024):

Academic Challenges of First-Generation Students: A Comprehensive Study

Flor Chávez (2025):

Trauma Between the Pages: Inheritance, Repression, and Reimagining in Hispanic and Latine Literature

Celebrating Student Achievement

Spanish Colloquium

Each spring, the Spanish Program hosts the Spanish Colloquium, a celebration of student achievement, scholarship, and creativity. This event brings together the WT community, families, and friends to showcase outstanding student research, creative projects, and presentations developed in Spanish. The colloquium provides students with a professional forum to share their work, engage in meaningful discussion, and highlight the linguistic and cultural knowledge they have gained through their Spanish studies.