Midland College English department celebrates student achievementsMay 25, 2022

This spring, the Midland College (MC) English department hosted several events that highlighted student achievements and excellence in writing.  

On Friday, April 22, the English Honor Society Sigma Kappa Delta inducted a record number of students (70) into MC’s chapter.  This included 39 students from the Pi Class (fall 2021) and 31 students from the Rho Class (spring 2022).  The students received certificates and pins and conferred their membership into Sigma Kappa Delta.  To be eligible students must have a high school diploma, a grade of B or higher in MC English classes, 3.0 or higher overall GPA and must have taken 12 hours of credit-level college coursework.  

During the ceremony, MC Sigma Kappa Delta officers also took their formal oaths.  Chapter officers are Ali Gothan, president; Willow Bee Weldon, vice president; Camille Flores, secretary; Kylie Beavers, historian; and Brycie Bowles, Student Government Association representative.

“We are very proud of these students who served the campus this year with projects such as reading to children enrolled in MC’s Pre-K Academy and leading weekly book club discussions,” Stacy Egan, MC associate professor of English and Sigma Kappa Delta chapter advisor, said.  “Additionally, three of our students were recognized at the Sigma Tau Delta international conference in Atlanta earlier this year.  We are beyond proud of our students and the ways they’ve enriched our campus and community this school year.”

On Wednesday, May 4, the MC English department announced the winners of the 2022 Nonfiction Writing Contest.  First place winners are Rylee Diaz for her Features article “Managing Responsibility with Cindy Lopez,” Serenity Soliz for her Narrative Nonfiction piece “Taking a Chance,” and Morgan Sellman in the Research Essay/Report category “Claiming What Is Mine.”  

On Thursday, May 5, MC hosted the annual Hilda Simmons Levitt Poetry Contest Awards Celebration. Winners of the 2022 contest are Ayishat Badimus, 1st place for “Voices of Our Past;” Robert Arsiaga, 2nd place for “Tree;” Hailey Salinas, 3rd place for “But He Loves Me;” and Breanna Thomas, 4th place for “Black, White, Other.”

The poetry contest—with more than $1,000 in prize money going to the winning student poets—has been called one of the most prestigious in the state.  It was established in 1988 by the late Stanley Levitt to honor the memory of his wife Hilda.  Mrs. Levitt took creative writing classes at MC from 1979 until her death in 1986.  The contest is now underwritten by the Levitt’s daughter Carol Schwartz of Washington, DC.

This year’s judge of the Hilda Simmons Levitt Poetry Contest was J. Bruce Fuller.  Originally from Southern Louisiana, Mr. Fuller is a poet, Sam Houston State University professor and director of Texas Review Press.  Mr. Fuller’s poems have appeared at The Southern Review, Crab Orchard Review, McNeese Review, Birmingham Poetry Review and Louisiana Literature, among others.

“We are very grateful to Mr. Fuller for judging this year’s entries, which included poems from 40 Midland College English students,” Dr. William Feeler, MC dean of Fine Arts & Communications, said.  “I also want to thank all the students who entered works in the contests.  Being an author myself, I know the time and effort involved in composing articles and poems.  It takes courage to share works, which sometimes are very personal, with others.  In addition, I am proud of all of our English faculty who go the extra mile to mentor and encourage Midland College students to explore their writing talents and skills.  Congratulations to students in Sigma Kappa Delta and to the winners of our writing contests!”  

Photo:  Midland College Sigma Kappa Delta English Honor Society Inductees