SIGMA DELTA MU, the National Hispanic Honor Society, had its foundation in Sigma Delta Pi, the nation’s largest honor society in the field of foreign language. It was established in 1979. Induction into Sigma Delta Mu acknowledges a four-fold purpose:
- to honor men and women who strive for and attain excellence in the study of Spanish and in the knowledge of the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking people.
- to honor those who work to make known to English-speaking people, the Hispanic contributions to world cultures.
- to encourage a greater interest in and a deeper understanding among college students of Hispanic cultures.
- to foster friendly relations and mutual respect between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking people.
The Epsilon chapter of SIGMA DELTA MU was initiated at Hostos Community College in 2005 by the Modern Language Unit of the Humanities Department. In order to be eligible for induction, which takes place annually, students must meet the following criteria:
- Must be enrolled at Hostos Community College at the time of induction.
- Must have studied at least two semesters of Spanish with a minimal grade point average of 3.50 on a scale where “A” is assigned a value of 4.00, “B” a value of 3.00, etc.
- Must have obtained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 on the same above scale.
- Must have attained academic excellence and exhibited good moral character, as judged by the faculty.
Students are required to pay a one-time initiation fee to The National Hispanic Honor Society and to submit a letter of recommendation from a chapter sponsor.