The College of Charleston is now the national headquarters of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. Mark P. Del Mastro, newly appointed chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies, has served as executive secretary-treasurer since 1997 and will continue to oversee operations and the organization’s historical archives.
“The College’s warm reception of the national headquarters is a clear indication that this is the beginning of a very long standing relationship between national Sigma Delta Pi and the College of Charleston,” Del Mastro says. “I am honored to be part of the Department of Hispanic Studies where its accomplished, committed and diverse faculty oversee comprehensive programs and outstanding students.”
“We are extremely proud of the long-standing commitment Dr. Del Mastro has made to advancing academic excellence both in his profession and as a new department chair at the College of Charleston,” says Provost George Hynd. “Hosting the national headquarters represents the College’s commitment to academic excellence and furthering academic rigor in all disciplines.”
Sigma Delta Pi is the largest foreign language honor society in the United States with 575 chapters and is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, the only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. The College’s chapter inducted 19 students last year and maintains a membership of 20-30 active members.
“Hosting the national headquarters of Sigma Delta Pi is an excellent opportunity for our students,” says Dean David Cohen, School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs. “The chapter will now be recognized on a national level and students will have more opportunities to get involved and earn national recognition.”
The archives of Sigma Delta Pi will also be housed in the College of Charleston’s Department of Hispanic Studies. The archives include all of the national publications, chapter correspondence and chapter records dating back to the 1950s.
For more information, contact Mark P. Del Mastro at delmastromp@cofc.edu.
