Hillsdale’s Xi Beta chapter of Sigma Delta Pi is awarded the title of “Honors Chapter” and given the prestigious Phoenix Award. Courtesy | Montclair State University

Hillsdale’s chapter of the National Hispanic Honors Society received the title of “Honors Chapter” for the first time in its 44-year existence. 

The Xi Beta chapter of Sigma Delta Pi (SDP) is one of 13 schools nationwide to receive the title. It joins colleges such as Illinois State University, Ohio University, and Southern Virginia University.

“People seemed very pleased and proud that their hard work paid off,” Amanda Stechschulte, faculty advisor for Hillsdale’s SDP chapter said. “I feel honored and thrilled that I get to keep working with this great group of students.”

Qualification for the title is based on “the quality of chapter activities in relation to the society’s mission, the number of chapter activities as related to the number of chapter members, the role of chapter officers, the number of initiates, and holding an induction ceremony,” according to Mark del Mastro, Sigma Delta Pi’s national executive director.

Hillsdale’s SDP chapter also received the Phoenix Award, a prestigious award given to exemplary chapters whose activity has dwarfed previous years, according to del Mastro.

With 13 members last year, SDP put on numerous cultural events, including dancing, trivia, poetry, cooking, and education according to Stechschulte.

Senior Emma Turner said the recognition of the chapter’s work was many years in the making.

“We are a small school, so I think it’s hard to stand out,” Turner said. “I’m really proud that we’re being recognized for our achievements, especially since Hillsdale isn’t really known for its Spanish, but we have such great professors and curriculum here.”

Stechschulte said the work of the club wouldn’t be possible without the support of faculty members.

“We’ve been able to have fantastic events because we have fantastic faculty members who are willing to commit and work with us, Student Fed, and the Spanish department who have been very generous with us,” Stechschulte said.

Turner said faculty members promote events in class, which helps draw more students.

“We do get a wide variety of students who attend,” Turner said. “Everyone from athletes to Spanish majors, to people in Greek life, people from all different places on campus. It’s a really beautiful thing to see because the Spanish language is unifying in that way.”

Spanish department chair Todd Mack said Hillsdale’s SDP chapter has brought vitality into the Spanish department with its numerous activities. 

“It gives students an opportunity outside the class to engage with Iberian and Latin American culture in its movies, dance, food, etc.,” Mack said. “All these opportunities to engage with it outside a typical classroom setting are important because there’s a way better chance that it’ll stick with them.”