History of Alpha Alpha Upsilon
The Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta was
established at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1994. The founding sponsor of
was Dr. Keith Newlin, who saw Sigma Tau Delta as a platform to “bring
outstanding English students together, to give them a sense of common endeavor,
and to offer an opportunity to explore literature and writing outside the
classroom.”
Dr. Barbara Waxman, another early organizer, recognized Sigma Tau Delta
as “a wonderful way to build collegiality among English majors and to
recognize achievement in English studies.”
In 2000, chapter officers reaffirmed their goal to become a more active
organization with a good reputation on campus. One way to accomplish this goal
was to become a sister-organization with Chapter
One: The English Club. Since the two groups shared a similar purposes, such
as educating students and fostering a love of the English language, the merger
seemed natural. The two groups then began co-sponsoring events, and both began
enjoying flourishing memberships.
English majors have enthusiastically embraced Sigma Tau Delta since that time,
actively taking advantage of the opportunities offered. Members of the Alpha
Alpha Upsilon chapter have been published in Sigma Tau Delta’s publication, The
Rectangle, attended national conferences and received fellowships.
Alpha Alpha Upsilon continues to prosper under excellent student and faculty leadership. There are currently 29 active members.