Five Shepherd University English students present work during Sigma Tau Delta International Convention

ISSUED: 14 April 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - Shepherd University's Alpha Gamma Kappa chapter of the Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society made waves during its annual convention March 19-22 in Pittsburgh.

Taylor Beam, Jane Lew, West Virginia;Caitlin Carson, Martinsburg,West Virginia;Heather Gilman, Bunker Hill, West Virginia; Britney Huntley, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; and Hannah Tinsman, Martinsburg, West Virginia, presented their scholarly work completed for Shepherd English courses.

Drs. Heidi Hanrahan and Timothy Nixon, professors of English at Shepherd, escorted these students as the chapter's faculty sponsors.

Beam's presentation explored a paper she wrote about William Faulkner's As I Lay Dyingfor Nixon's World Literature in English from 1900 course.

Carson, Gilman, Huntley, and Tinsman's presentations focused on papers they wrote for Hanrahan's seminar on Emily Dickinson.

Huntley's presentation, "Fear, Anxiety, and Dickinson's Dashes," involved a close reading of the American poet's use of her signature punctuation mark and was awarded second place for the Beth DeMeo award.

This award is given annually for outstanding work in poetry analysis.

"In this paper, I explore how the dashes bring forth fear, anticipation, suspense, and anxiety in different ways throughout her poems," explained Huntley. "My paper also looks at how the dash is used to connect, disrupt, and delay."

Tinsman and Gilman tied for third place for the Beth DeMeo award.

Tinsman's presentation was titled "'Pearl' or 'Weed': Dickinson Explores Wifehood," and Gilman's was "Dickinson, Fairies, and Belief Beyond the Veil."

For these English scholars, the convention illustrated the strength that arises from the tight-knit community Shepherd possesses between its faculty and students.

"It can be nerve-racking to present a paper in a room full of English majors and scholars, but my peers and professors were there to support me and make me feel more comfortable," said Huntley.

For Hanrahan and Nixon, these conventions and conferences help boost the students' confidence in their work and research.

"Presenting their scholarly work for a new audience is powerful and validating," said Hanrahan. "It builds their confidence and helps them polish essential skills. I kept saying to them [the students], 'See! You are good at this! Now do you believe me?,' because it can be hard for them to see that without that external audience."

Each year, Sigma Tau Delta hosts an annual convention in a different U.S. city, where hundreds of members can gather to share their research and expertise in English-related disciplines.

This year's convention theme was "One of Ours," based on the 1922 novel by Pittsburgh-based author Willa Cather.

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