Theta Tau
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawai’i’s Theta Tau chapter of Sigma Delta Pi was founded nearly forty years ago. In the past five years under its faculty advisor, Dr. Lucía Aranda, it has increasingly flourished, with expansion of the variety and amount of academic and social activities, the induction of more than 100 new members, and the receipt of national honor awards.
With the strong support and collaboration of members of the Spanish faculty of the Department of Languages and Literature of Europe and the Americas, especially its past advisors Dr. Austin Dias and Melodee Metzger, Dr. Aranda has encouraged the members of Sigma Delta Pi in creative endeavors that have solidified the organization in the life of the department and the university.
The Theta Tau chapter is strongly committed to the needs of the undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Hawai’i by providing tutorial services in grammar and conversational skills. Other academic events organized by the chapter include yearly lecture series, international cultural events, and film series. Theta Tau has also sponsored workshops to foster Hispanic culture and knowledge, such as accent workshops, dance workshops, and visual-cultural workshops. The chapter also participates in the worldwide radio reading of El Quijote held every year on April 23rd (Día del Libro) organized by the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. In addition, Theta Tau provides a yearly summer student scholarship in a competition among highly qualified student applicants.
The University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s chapter has also established ties with the community. Chapter members have organized poetry, short-story, poster, and photo-literary contests, Hispanic cultural fairs, Christmas toy drives for children, book drives for Cuba and a mini Feria de Abril, among other academic and cultural activities.
Theta Tau recently founded the yearly “Semana Hispana,” dedicated to a different Hispanic country each year. Last year, members organized the first statewide High School Poetry Contest, fostering an interest in creative works in Spanish among many students throughout the state.
Partly because of the intensity and success of these activities, Theta Tau has been named a national Honor Chapter for the past three years. This current year it received the inaugural Octavio Paz Award and the Premio Ignacio y Sophie Galbis for its outstanding activities.