Department of Language’s Honors and Awards Ceremony of 2015

On Friday April 24^th, we held the Honors and Awards Ceremony in the Angello Alumni House, in which students and their family were introduced with the warming music provided by one of Adelphi’s finest musical performance students, Ryan Closs, who played the lute. Professor Hiller

sang a beautiful, 19^th century Italian song during the interlude of the ceremony. 

Ryan Closs playing what he calls "the stuff of poetry"

Professor Hiller warming the ceremony with his incredible singing and playing

24 Adelphi students were inducted into one of three Honor Societies: Pi Delta Phi (French), Gamma Kappa Alpha (Italian), and Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish). Dr. Raysa Amador, Head of the Department of Languages, opened the ceremony, followed with inspiring words by the Dean of the Arts and Sciences, Dr. Sam Grogg.

Dr. Rudolph and Dr. Wadhera held the Pi Delta Phi ceremony, who had their inductees sign into a guest book that has the signature of every honors member of Adelphi’s chapter for over 50 years! Two of the students also received the Marie Louise Vazquez Scholarship.

Dr. Wadhera and Dr. Rudolph 

Freddy Huitzil receiving his honor cord

Ashari Edwards signing the guest book for Pi Delta Phi 

Sean Gaynor and Colin Savage receiving the Marie Louise Vazquez Scholarships in French 

Professor Hiller gave a personal commemoration for the two students inducted to Gamma Kappa Alpha, one of whom received the Smalley Family Endowment for Italian Language Studies. 

Marissa Marinucci and Diana Malizia – inducted into Gamma Kappa Alpha

Diana receiving the Smalley Family Endowment for Italian

Dr. Carbó and Dr. Villamil-Acera inducted 11 students into the Spanish honor society, and also made Dr. Ana Simón-Alegre an honorary member. In addition, 12 students received the Ruth Richardson Award for Excellence in Spanish, two received the Dolores Roethel Award in Spanish Literature, and one received the Robert Hartmann Scholarship for Excellence in Spanish.

Dr. Carbó speaking to the inductees 

Dr. Villamil-Acera

In addition to the induction, the winners of the 2015 Melvin and Marian Foreign Language Writing Award were congratulated. These are the following students who won in their respective language:

French:

First Place Winner: Sebastian Zapata - “La Marée”

Second Place Winner: Sean Gaynor - “Le Monde de La Gloire de Mon Père”

Third Place Winner: Chioma Chuks-Okeke - “Doux Bébé”

Italian:

First PlaceWinner: Mary DeMaio - “La Rosa”

Spanish:

First Place Winner: Pedro Izquierdo - “Como enfrentarse a la corrupción mexicana”

Second Place Winners: Pia Steffes - “Composición para Many Languages, One World”

Rong Zeng - “La comunicación y las lenguas”

Third Place Winners: Declan Hart - “Gringos sin Rumbo”

Shivm Shah - “Mi Bendición”

Overall, the ceremony was a great success! We would like to give great thanks to the Hanggi, Ashley, Theresa, and Hira for their help in organizing and contributing to the planning process, as well asfor their help during the event. And to Dr. Michael Hume, for allowing Dr. Hiller to use his keyboard for the music. Special thanks must be given to Carmen Castellon for overseeing all of the arrangements, and making this ceremony especially beautiful with the music, and for the reception that followed the ceremony.