2010-2011 Scholarship Recipients

Recipients [PDF]

E. Nelson James Junior Scholarship ($3,000 each)
	Gretchen Panzer St. Norbert College (MW) Alpha Tau Chapter Gretchen Panzer is an undergraduate student at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, where she is majoring in English and Women's and Gender Studies. She currently works as a lead consultant at the college's writing center, as a T.A. for the Women's and Gender Studies department, and as an editorial intern for Sigma Tau Delta publications. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in one or both of her fields of study.
	David Guyott Millsaps College (S) Zeta Sigma Chapter David Guyott is a senior at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, where he is pursuing a B.A. in Spanish and English with a concentration in creative writing. Originally from Schertz, TX, David intends to spend a year teaching English in a Spanish-speaking country following his graduation in May 2012.
Runners-up ($1,500)
	Rebecca McNulty The College of New Jersey (E) Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter Rebecca McNulty is a rising senior at The College of New Jersey, where she is completing a B.A. in English Arts with minors in Creative Writing and International Studies. She plans to graduate in May 2012 before pursuing a graduate degree in American Literature.
	Amanda Hendricks University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire (MW) Theta Zeta Chapter Amanda Hendricks is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she is pursuing a B.A. in English Education and a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is looking forward to graduating in the spring of 2012 and beginning her career as a middle school English teacher.
	Jennifer Rish Otterbein University (E) Alpha Rho Upsilon Chapter Jennifer Rish is an English Education, Literary Studies, and Creative Writing major at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH. A native of Columbus, Jennifer founded the Otterbein chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, Alpha Rho Upsilon, and now serves as its President. She plans to attend graduate school to pursue an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing.
Elva Bell McLin Senior Scholarship ($3,000 each)
	Alexandra Reznik Chatham University (E) Alpha Deta Lambda Chapter Alexandra Reznik graduated from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, with a B.A. in English and Cultural Studies, as well as a minor in music. She was very involved in Sigma Tau Delta as President of her local Alpha Delta Lambda Chapter and continues to serve as the 2011-2012 Student Advisor on Sigma Tau Delta's Board of Directors. Alexandra currently attends Duquesne University pursuing her M.A in English as a graduate teaching and research fellow.
	Sarah Bruno Albright College (E) Rho Beta Chapter Sarah Bruno is a recent graduate from Albright College in Reading, PA, where she earned a B.A. in English and Women's Studies, with a special program in African Studies. She served as the President of Sigma Tau Delta's Rho Beta Chapter for two years. In the fall, she began an M.A. program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where she is a university fellow. Her ultimate goal is to earn her Ph.D. in English and her Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies with the hope of eventually teaching.
Runner-up ($1,500)
	Danielle Melissovas Thompson Columbus State University (S) Alpha Kappa Upsilon Chapter Danielle Melissovas Thompson graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature and minor in Theatre from Columbus State University. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Film Aesthetics at the University of Oxford in the UK, where she also spent her junior year. She plans to earn a second master's degree in Film Directing at Regent University and ultimately to professionally write, produce, and direct Christian films.
Edwin L. Stockton, Jr., Graduate Scholarship ($3,000 each)
	Courtney Rydel University of Pennsylvania (E) Alpha Omicron Omega Chapter Courtney Rydel is currently a Ph.D. candidate in English at the University of Pennsylvania, concentrating in medieval literature. She holds an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from The College of New Jersey, where she majored in English and served as the Vice-President of Sigma Tau Delta's Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter.
	Joshuah O'Brien West Texas A&M University (SW) Chi Theta Chapter Joshuah O'Brien is currently working on an M.A. in English at West Texas A&M University, where his areas of study include magical realism, Southwestern American literature, and film. He resides in Canyon, TX, with his wife Anna and their cat.
Runner-up ($1,500)
	Amy Brinkley Southeast Missouri State University (MW) Alpha Delta Chapter Amy Brinkley holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Teaching from Lee University. She is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Southeast Missouri State University, where she is also completing an M.A. in English Literature. Amy spent the summer in Ghana, West Africa, doing graduate research and volunteering with a non-government organization. Highly motivated by a commitment to service and education, after graduation she hopes to enter a Ph.D. program that will enable her to work in the non-profit sector and higher education.
Sigma Tau Delta Scholarship Runner-up ($2,000)
	Melissa Chastang Hampton University (S) Alpha Beta Zeta Chapter Melissa Chastang graduated from Hampton University where she majored in English Arts and minored in Leadership Studies. Melissa now attends Harvard Law School where she studies international human rights law.
Sigma Tau Delta Study Abroad Scholarship ($3,000 each) First Round
	Kristen Schaibly Eastern Illinois University (MW) Upsilon Gamma Chapter Kristen Schaibly is a senior at Eastern Illinois University pursuing B.A. degrees in both English Language Arts with Teacher Certification and Foreign Languages with a Spanish concentration and teaching endorsement. After graduating in the spring of 2012, Kristen plans on teaching English and/or Spanish to high school students for a couple of years before returning to higher education and completing an M.A. program.
Second Round
	Christine Stark University of North Carolina, Wilmington (S) Alpha Alpha Upsilon Chapter Christine Stark currently attends the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she is double majoring in English and Creative Writing, with a minor in Sociology and a certificate in publishing. She will be traveling abroad next year to study at Swansea University in Wales.
Regent Scholarships ($1,000 each) Eastern
	Dymon Lewis St. Lawrence University Alpha Mu Beta Chapter Dymon Lewis graduated from St. Lawrence University in May 2011 with a B.A. in Creative Writing. She currently attends Emerson College where she is pursuing an M.F.A. in Creative Writing with a focus in Fiction. She intends to work in the field of publishing.
Far Western
	Sarah Faulkner Chapman University Alpha Zeta Iota Chapter Sarah Faulkner is a senior at Chapman University in Orange, CA, studying English Literature and minoring in Art History. She is originally from the state of Washington. At Chapman, Sarah is President of her Sigma Tau Delta chapter, a Chapman Ambassador, and on the Executive Board of the Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity. She also serves as the Student Representative for the Far Western Region on Sigma Tau Delta's Board of Directors. Sarah has a great passion for nineteenth century authors and hopes to complete her postgraduate studies in Victorian Literature in the United Kingdom after graduating from Chapman.
High Plains
	Kayla Schmidt Minot State University Phi Chapter Kayla Schmidt is a senior at Minot State University in Minot, ND, pursuing a B.A. in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business Management. She spent the second semester of her junior year studying abroad in England at the University of Sunderland.
Midwestern
	Melissa Miller University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Theta Zeta Chapter Melissa Miller is pursuing a double major in English and Spanish Secondary Education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she is looking forward to beginning her student teaching semester in the spring of 2012. Melissa is also honored to serve beside her fellow Sigma Tau Deltans as the Treasurer of her local chapter.
Southern
	Miah Saunders High Point University Alpha Xi Xi Chapter Miah Saunders is a junior at High Point University in High Point, NC, where she is pursuing a B.A. in English Creative Writing with a minor concentration in Literature. After graduating with honors in Spring 2012, she hopes to enroll in an M.F.A. Program in Creative Writing.
Southwestern
	Katherine Williams Arksansas Tech University Omicron Tau Chapter Katherine Williams is a senior at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AK, pursuing a B.A. in English and B.F.A in Creative Writing. She is President of the Omicron Tau Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, and the Associate Student Representative of the Southwestern Region.
P. C. Somerville Teaching Awards ($2,000 each)
	Matthew Persico The College of New Jersey (E) Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter Matthew Persico is a graduate of The College of New Jersey where he majored in English Secondary Education and minored in Linguistics. He served on the executive board of the Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta during his tenure at college. Matthew began life as a high school English teacher in fall 2011.
	Kristen Casabona The College of New Jersey (E) Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter Kristen Casabona is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey where she majored in English Secondary Education. Kristen found her home at The College of New Jersey where her English professors inspired her to learn all she could about English and the teaching profession. She has accepted an English position at Mount Olive High School.
Summer Program Scholarship ($1,000)
	Hannah Biggs Otterbein University (E) Alpha Rho Upsilon Chapter Hanna Biggs is a senior at Otterbein University where she is double majoring in English (concentration in Literary Studies) and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (focus on Gender and Literature). Hannah is Social Chair for her university's Sigma Tau Delta chapter, is in Otterbein's Honors Program, works at her school's writing center, serves on editorial boards for Otterbein's humanities journal and feminist journal, and recently presented her paper at the 2011 Sigma Tau Delta Convention in Pittsburgh, PA. Money granted from this scholarship helped to pay for travel and living expenses during her summer research stay at Yale University where she gathered material for her undergraduate senior thesis.
Runner-up ($500)
	Kayla Goetz Concordia College (MW) Alpha Lambda Phi Chapter Kayla Goetz recently graduated summa cum laude from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, with a B.A. in both English Literature and Religion and departmental honors in both. At Concordia, she served as President of her college's Sigma Tau Delta chapter, was a writing tutor for three years, and was involved with Habitat for Humanity, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Cobbers for Pacodes, among other activities. She plans to attend the 2011 Denver Publishing Institute and pursue a career in editorial work in the book publishing industry.