Join Us! (It's free!)

Why join Sigma Tau Delta?

Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, offers opportunities for Western students to join a community centered around English studies. Sigma Tau Delta members at WMU participate in professional, service, and social activities, and share their writing through conference presentations, publication opportunities, and workshops.

Members of Sigma Tau Delta are eligible to compete for national scholarships, awards, and internships. Many leadership, service, academic, and professional opportunities are available as well.

Sigma Tau Delta members are also recognized for their academic achievements. Upon graduation, members are recognized as honor students in the WMU commencement ceremony program and entitled to wear honor cords indicating their status as honor society members. (Your parents will love this!)

Who can join?

Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students at Western Michigan University. Students who meet the qualifications (see below) are invited to apply for membership in the Alpha Nu Pi chapter at WMU.

Membership requirements

Undergraduate students:

Candidates for undergraduate membership must have completed at least three semesters of college work and have at least second-semester sophomore status.

Undergraduate applicants must also have completed at least two college courses in English language, linguistics, creative or professional writing, English education, literature, or theory at the 2000 level or above.

They must also have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in English and overall.

Undergraduate members need not be English majors.

Graduate students:

Candidates for graduate membership must be enrolled in a graduate program in English, or one of its specializations, have completed six semester hours of graduate work, and have a minimum grade point average of 3.3.

How can it be free?

Lifetime membership in Sigma Tau Delta costs $50, including local chapter and national organization dues. In the past, unfortunately, a number of qualified students have not been able to join because they were not able to afford this fee. In response, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of English at WMU have opened the Sigma Tau Delta Membership Fund, which began offering free membership to every student who meets the academic standards, beginning with the 39 members of the Fall 2009 induction class and continuing for all new inductees hereafter. Continuing funding for free memberships comes from the generous donations of faculty, staff, alumni, and other friends of Sigma Tau Delta. (Click here to learn more about the fund or to donate.)

Contact us

For more information, or to join Sigma Tau Delta at Western Michigan University, click here to write to us.

You can also find us on Facebook and join our group, Sigma Tau Delta (Alpha Nu Pi Chapter).

To apply for membership, we will need your full name, WIN number, address, phone number, and expected date of graduation.

Alpha Nu Pi Chapter, Sigma Tau Delta
Department of English 5331
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5331

To learn more about Sigma Tau Delta, please visit the national organization's website.