¡Felicidades! Congratulations are in order for a select group of students here at North Carolina A&T State University.  On Thursday, April 15 the Upsilon Gamma Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi National Spanish Honor Society welcomed new members into the fold.

Taking place in Room 101 of the Memorial Student Union, the affair was very small and intimate.  Although the scale of the event wasn’t big and flashy, there was nothing taken away or lost in this momentous occasion.

Around 4 p.m. the program began with words from Dr. José Bravo de Rueda, Chairperson for the Department of Foreign Languages.

Continuing with the program, current members of Sigma Delta Pi began the induction of the new members.  Starting with a formal and traditional knocking at the door, the inductees soon followed as they walked in and took their places before the onlookers and repeated the words the speakers relayed to them.

The use of Spanish throughout the entire process made the ceremony truly unique.  The instructions may have perplexed those in the audience, but the new Sigma Delta Pi initiates had no trouble understanding what they had to do. 

Each student went up and grabbed a candle and then rotated around the table lighting it. 

After a few more verbal exchanges each inductee retrieved a red flower, pin, and certificate while signing their names to officially become members of the honorary organization. A unified quote brought the initiation to an end.

Dr. Nita M. Dewberry, of the College of Arts and Sciences, took to the podium afterwards offering praise and even letters of recommendation to the new honorees. 

Following her was the Director of International Programs, Minnie Mayes. 

She challenged the initiates, saying, “Take that language [Spanish] and put it to the test out there in the real world.”  Mayes attempted to encourage new initiates to study abroad.

The program concluded with minor certificates, recognition of graduating seniors and closing remarks by Dr. José Bravo and light refreshments followed.

Dia Clark and Ashlee Cohen both attended the affair in support of a friend.  Cohen, a sophomore industrial engineering major thought the program was, “nice and culturally diverse.”  She also agreed with Clark, who is a computer science major who said, “It [the program] could’ve used more English for us on the outside.”

The girls didn’t let the language barrier hinder in support of their colleague, Nikia D. Pinkney, who is one of the ten 2010 Sigma Delta Pi inductees. 

After the program the Junior Spanish major expressed her excitement saying, “It feels good. I’m feeling accomplished.”  To obtain her current status in the organization, Pinkney and all other Sigma Delta Pi initiates had to complete three Spanish courses beyond the intermediate level while maintaining a A or B grade average.   

• Charles Johnson