03/23/16 sry
HAYS, Kan. -- Fourteen students of the Fort Hays State University Rho Psi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an International English Honor Society, were among the thousand registrants who attended the recent International Convention for Sigma Tau Delta in Minneapolis, Minn.

Scholarly and creative writing by FHSU students was selected for presentation and roundtable discussion. FHSU was the only chapter to have every member volunteer at the registration table.

Taran Becker, Hays senior, Adaline Billinger, Ellinwood senior, Jera Gales, Coldwater senior, and Kylie Herrington, Salina senior, were the four students whose work was selected for blind review. Two students, Herrington and Zach Walker, Garden City senior, presented in roundtables.

Only inducted members of Sigma Tau Delta 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.

"Needless to say, to have a submission accepted is a major accomplishment, as the competition is fierce," said Dr. Lexey Bartlett, associate professor of English.

"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.

In total, 14 students attended from FHSU. They presented research, attended panels and workshops, and volunteered. Co-sponsor Lisa Jones, instructor of English at FHSU, served as a panel moderator.

"These students exhibited every positive quality of citizenship at the convention and were able to engage in a number of presentations and workshops on scholarly and creative writing, career development, and leadership topics," said Bartlett.