Sigma Kappa Delta () is an American collegiate honor society for students of English at two-year colleges. It was established in 1996 in Chicago, Illinois. The society sponsors the National English Honor Society, a program for high school students of English.
History William Johnson, executive director of the collegiate English honor society Sigma Tau Delta and a professor of English at Northern Illinois University, convened a meeting of community college professors in Chicago on April 21, 1996, to discuss creating an English honor society for students of two-year colleges. The result was Sigma Kappa Delta. Its first president was Susan LeJeune, an associate professor of English at Louisiana State University at Eunice.
Sigma Kappa Delta encourages an interest in and recognizes academic excellence in English language and literature in undergraduate students at two-year colleges. The society also honors professional writers who have made contributions to the fields of language and literature. It supports literacy and creative and technical writing.
The first chapter was established at Northern Illinois University.
On April 20, 2008, a Sigma Kappa Delta chapter erected a monument at the burial site of 19th-century humorist George Washington Harris. In 2014, the society had 118 chapters and a total of 23,093 initiates.
As of 2024, Sigma Kappa Delta has chartered more than 140 chapters in the United States. Its national headquarters are located at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama.
Symbols The Greek letters Sigma Kappa Delta were selected to represent sincerity, knowledge, and design. The society's motto is "Sincerity, Knowledge, Design".
Sigma Kappa Delta adopted its seal and key in 1996. The society's colors are green and gold. Graduating members may wear green and gold honor cords. Its plant is the English ivy. Its publication has the scientific name for English ivy, Hedera helix.
Activities Sigma Kappa Delta publishes an annual literary journal, Hedera helix. Chapters sponsor various literacy activities, such as hosting a writing workshop, offering continuing education credits for teachers, or collecting supplies for elementary school students.
Sigma Kappa Delta sponsors the National English Honor Society, a program for high school students of English. The organization partners with Sigma Tau Delta to plan and promote an annual convention where members can present and attend educational sessions. It also presents scholarships and awards to its members.
Membership Sigma Kappa Delta inducts some 2,500 members annually. Eligible members have completed one academic semester and at least one course in English language or literature, with at least a 3.0 GPA in English and overall.
Chapters Following are the chapters of Sigma Kappa Delta, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in italics.
ChapterCharter dateInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha1990Cottey CollegeNevada, MissouriActive1996Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, IllinoisInactiveLouisiana State University at EuniceBaton Rouge, LouisianaInactiveEpsilon Alpha1996Northeast Alabama Community CollegeRainsville, AlabamaActiveDelta Alpha1997Copiah–Lincoln Community CollegeWesson, MississippiActiveZeta Alpha1997Navarro CollegeCorsicana, TexasActiveTheta AlphaOwens Community CollegeToledo, OhioInactiveKappa Alpha1997Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, BainbridgeBainbridge, GeorgiaInactiveMu Alpha1997Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby, IllinoisActiveNu AlphaBladen Community CollegeDublin, North CarolinaActiveSigma AlphaAtlantic Cape Community CollegeCape May Court House, New JerseyActiveTau AlphaGrayson CollegeDenison, TexasActiveUpsilon AlphaSeminole State CollegeSeminole, OklahomaActivePhi AlphaBevill State Community College, Jasper CampusJasper, AlabamaActiveBeta BetaSpartanburg Methodist CollegeSpartanburg, South CarolinaActiveEpsilon BetaDel Mar CollegeCorpus Christi, TexasActiveEta BetaColumbia State Community CollegeColumbia, TennesseeActiveIota BetaBlinn CollegeBrenham, TexasActiveTheta BetaCalhoun Community CollegeDecatur, AlabamaActiveLambda BetaMcLennan Community CollegeWaco, TexasActivePi Beta2005Wallace Community CollegeDothan, AlabamaActiveRho Beta2002Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayetteville, North CarolinaActiveSigma Beta2002Bishop State Community CollegeMobile, AlabamaActiveTau Beta2002Central Texas CollegeKilleen, TexasActiveUpsilon Beta2002Laurel Ridge Community CollegeWarrenton, VirginiaActivePhi BetaAmarillo CollegeAmarillo, TexasActiveChi BetaLone Star College–MontgomeryConroe, TexasActivePsi BetaDallas College EastfieldMesquite, TexasActiveOmega BetaDaytona State CollegeDaytona Beach, FloridaActiveBeta GammaYork Technical CollegeRock Hill, South CarolinaInactiveGamma GammaNortheast Texas Community CollegeMount Pleasant, TexasActiveEpsilon GammaLuzerne County Community CollegeNanticoke, PennsylvaniaActiveZeta GammaDelta CollegeUniversity Center, MichiganInactiveTheta GammaBlinn College, Bryan CampusBryan, TexasInactiveLambda GammaNorthwest Arkansas Community CollegeBentonville, ArkansasActiveXi GammaBroward College, North CampusCoconut Creek, FloridaActiveRho GammaState College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota, Bradenton campusBradenton, FloridaInactiveSigma GammaBaton Rouge Community CollegeBaton Rouge, LouisianaActiveTau GammaAims Community College, Greeley CampusGreeley, ColoradoActiveChi Gamma2007Collin College, Preston Ridge CampusFrisco, TexasActivePsi GammaTyler Junior CollegeTyler, TexasActiveOmega Gamma2007Valley Forge Military CollegeWayne, PennsylvaniaActiveGamma Delta2007University of Wisconsin–Whitewater at Rock CountyJanesville, WisconsinActiveDelta Delta2007Carteret Community CollegeMorehead City, North CarolinaActiveEpsilon DeltaJones CollegeEllisville, MississippiActiveTheta Delta2007Wallace State Community CollegeHanceville, AlabamaActiveKappa DeltaIllinois Central CollegeEast Peoria, IllinoisActiveMu DeltaAshland Community and Technical CollegeAshland, KentuckyActivePi DeltaDarton State CollegeAlbany, GeorgiaInactivePi DeltaAlbany State University Albany, GeorgiaInactiveTau DeltaLakeland Community CollegeKirtland, OhioActiveUpsilon Delta2009Kilgore CollegeKilgore, TexasActivePhi Delta ?Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman CampusSelden, New YorkActiveSuffolk County Community College, Grant CampusBrentwood, New YorkChi DeltaPlaza CollegeForest Hills, New YorkActivePsi DeltaTarrant County College Trinity River CampusFort Worth, TexasActiveOmega DeltaTarrant County College Southeast CampusArlington, TexasActiveAlpha EpsilonPearl River Community College, Forrest County CenterHattiesburg, MississippiActiveDelta EpsilonBlack Hawk CollegeMoline, IllinoisActiveEpsilon EpsilonUniversity of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical CollegeNorth Little Rock, ArkansasActiveZeta EpsilonMidland CollegeMidland, TexasActiveEta EpsilonJefferson State Community CollegePell City, AlabamaActiveTheta EpsilonCollege of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, CaliforniaActiveIota Epsilon2012Snead State Community CollegeBoaz, AlabamaActiveKappa Epsilon2012River Parishes Community CollegeGonzales, LouisianaActiveLambda Epsilon2012Brookdale Community CollegeLincroft, New JerseyActiveXi EpsilonSouth Texas CollegeMcAllen, TexasActiveOmicron EpsilonHudson County Community CollegeJersey City, New JerseyActivePi EpsilonBroward College, Judson A. Samuels South CampusPembroke Pines, FloridaActiveRho Epsilon2012Louisburg CollegeLouisburg, North CarolinaActiveSigma EpsilonArkansas State University Mid-SouthWest Memphis, ArkansasActiveTau EpsilonBevill State Community College, Sumiton CampusSumiton, AlabamaActiveUpsilon EpsilonSuffolk County Community College, Michael J. Grant CampusBrentwood, New YorkInactivePhi EpsilonOrange Coast College, Garrison Honors CenterCosta Mesa, CaliforniaActiveChi EpsilonSouthwest Tennessee Community CollegeMemphis, TennesseeActiveOmega EpsilonHorry-Georgetown Technical CollegeConway, South CarolinaInactiveAlpha ZetaArizona Western CollegeYuma, ArizonaActiveBeta ZetaEastern Arizona CollegeThatcher, ArizonaActiveGamma ZetaBridgeValley Community and Technical CollegeSouth Charleston, West VirginiaActiveDelta ZetaWoodland Community CollegeWoodland, CaliforniaActiveEpsilon Zeta2016Volunteer State Community CollegeGallatin, TennesseeActiveZeta ZetaMoraine Valley Community CollegePalos Hills, IllinoisActiveEta Zeta2017Ventura CollegeVentura, CaliforniaActiveTheta Zeta2017Southern Union State Community CollegeOpelika, AlabamaActiveIota Zeta2017Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, CaliforniaActiveKappa Zeta2017State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota, Venice campusVenice, FloridaActiveLambda Zeta2017Miami Dade College, North CampusMiami, FloridaActiveMiami Dade College, Kendall CampusMiami, FloridaMu Zeta2017Pasco–Hernando State CollegeWesley Chapel, FloridaActiveNu ZetaTemple CollegeTemple, TexasActiveOmicron ZetaItawamba Community CollegeFulton, MississippiActivePi ZetaCerritos CollegeNorwalk, CaliforniaActiveRho Zeta2018Mid-Plains Community College, North Platte–North CampusNorth Platte, NebraskaActiveSigma ZetaMuskegon Community CollegeMuskegon, MichiganActivePhi ZetaAndrew CollegeCuthbert, GeorgiaActiveBeta EtaFullerton CollegeFullerton, CaliforniaActiveGamma EtaMiami Dade College, Eduardo J. Padrón CampusMiami, FloridaActive2022American Samoa Community CollegePago Pago, American SamoaActiveAustin Community CollegeAustin, TexasActiveBevill State Community College, Fayette CampusFayette, AlabamaActiveBossier Parish Community CollegeBossier City, LouisianaActiveCentral Alabama Community CollegeAlexander City, AlabamaActiveCoastline CollegeFountain Valley, CaliforniaActiveDallas College North LakeIrving, TexasActiveEast Mississippi Community CollegeScooba, MississippiActiveEl Paso Community CollegeEl Paso, TexasActiveHarold Washington CollegeChicago, IllinoisActiveHoward CollegeBig Spring, TexasActiveLamar State College–Port ArthurPort Arthur, TexasActiveMaysville Community and Technical CollegeMaysville, KentuckyActiveMiami Dade College, Homestead CampusHomestead, FloridaActiveMississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Harrison County CampusGulfport, MississippiActiveMott Community CollegeFlint, MichiganActiveNorthwest–Shoals Community CollegePhil Campbell, AlabamaActiveOcean County CollegeToms River, New JerseyActiveOdessa CollegeOdessa, TexasActiveOxnard CollegeOxnard, CaliforniaActiveRaritan Valley Community CollegeSomerville, New JerseyActiveSouthern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeLogan, West VirginiaActive2007Tarrant County College Northwest CampusFort Worth, TexasActiveTarrant County College South CampusFort Worth, TexasActive2022Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh, North CarolinaActiveUnion College, Cranford CampusCranford, New JerseyActive
See also Honor society
References
External links Sigma Kappa Delta homepage National English Honor Society (high school)