Students earn awards at literary convention

Eight University of North Georgia (UNG) students and three alumni attended the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society Convention in New Orleans in late March. They are part of the Alpha Upsilon Phi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

This year's convention theme was "Second Lines and New Beginnings," picked for the resilience and inclusivity embodied in the area's Second Line funeral parades.

Seven chapter members presented critical essays, creative works, roundtable discussions, and/or research in the round topics: Lauren Bachman '25, Abby D'Antoni, Tiffany Nolde '20, Theodore Lopata, Sydney Michaud, Rebecca Payne, Vanessa Reyes, and Anna Rundbaken.

Several of these UNG students received recognition at this event. Creative works by Abby D'Antoni ("Daisies") and Vanessa Reyes ("Conchas and Café") were published in the 2026 edition of the Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle, becoming the chapter's first two students to be published in this long-running peer-reviewed journal.

D'Antoni also received an Honorable Mention accolade in American and Multicultural Literature for "American Rememory: Individual versus Communal Memory in 'Beloved.'" Lopata received an Honorable Mention in the Stemmler/Dennis LGBT& Award for Non-Fiction and Critical Work for his piece, "Joshua Whitehead's 'Johnny Appleseed' and the Culturally Informed Trauma Response." The chapter closed the awards ceremony with first-place honors for its chapter display - a collective effort led by Payne, who served as chapter president.

"The Sigma Tau Delta Convention has been such a great opportunity," said D'Antoni, a senior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a degree in English with a literature concentration. She also served as chapter treasurer. "Both years that I've had the pleasure of going, I've been surrounded by friends, fellow academics and like-minded people, incredible authors, and so much fun."

Payne also noted the importance of the experience students gained.

"I'm so thankful to have been a part of this year's group of presenters and attendees," said Payne, a Watkinsville, Georgia, resident who is pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching and earned a bachelor's degree in English with a literature concentration in December 2024. "This is my third convention, and each one is truly a memorable experience. The camaraderie from not only our own students, but from that of the other universities, always reinforces our society's dedication to inclusivity. Multiple students have already discussed what they want to submit for next year, myself included."

Dr. Leigh Dillard and Dr. Macklin Cowart, the chapter's co-advisors, also attended the convention.

For further information on joining the chapter, please contact Dillard at [email protected] or Cowart at [email protected].