With a knock at the door, Kathleen McDonald, assistant professor of English, announced that she had “business” for Jennifer Ratasket, president of Sigma Tau Delta, the honor society for English majors and minors. What business was it? McDonald, who also serves as advisor to Sigma Tau Delta, was about to usher eight Norwich students into a ceremony near the end of last semester in Kreitzberg Library where they would become the newest members of the Tau Omicron Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta.
When Jonathan Pride, secretary of the honor society, confirmed that the candidates had met the academic requirements, Retasket, in turn, delivered the oath of obligations. The inductees pledged, in part, to advance the study of “chief literary masterpieces, encourage worthwhile reading, and promote the mastery of written expression.”
Retasket then congratulated the students for their “superior character, excellent scholarship and commendable zeal.” Faculty in the Department of English and proud parents served as witnesses to the induction ceremony where an additional eight senior students received honor medallions. The gold Sigma Tau Delta emblem that hangs from a red ribbon was worn over the cap and gown on Commencement Day, marking the fact that the students graduated with academic honors—they have maintained at least a “B” average in their English classes and are within the top 35th percentile of their graduating class.
Ryan Behan, Timothy Grey, Michael Kendrick, Brian Nickerson, Lynz Parker, Kelly Pope, Mackenzie Robertson, and Liesl Wulff were the new inductees. Jessielynn Bagnas, Emily Bittner, Benjamin Brewster, Zacharia Eastman, Timothy Grey, Brian Nickerson, Adam Omand, and Mackenzie Robertson received honor medallions.
