By Shannon Rapier
Eastern Arizona College
THATCHER — Eastern Arizona College’s English Honors Night, an event that encompasses two significant recognition events, was canceled late last month due to COVID-19 concerns.
But that doesn’t mean EAC didn’t produce an impressive class of honor students from throughout the entire student body.
Dr. Pete Chidester, chair of the Communicative Arts Division expressed, “We regret that we were unable to honor these exceptional students in person. Honors Night is always a highlight of our year. However, the health and safety of our students and faculty takes priority.”
The first portion of the evening honors students receiving the Research Essay Competition awards. Entrants in this competition must be nominated by English department faculty who consider their work to be outstanding examples. A panel of faculty members adjudicate the nominations to determine the overall winning submissions. Shari Burnett, of Safford, was awarded first-place in the competition for her research essay titled, “Smart Cars are Our Future.” Two students tied for the second-place prize: Jonathon Dugi, of Clifton, and Darby Mecham, of Pima. Krystal Flake, of Thatcher, was awarded third place. Winners receive a certificate of accomplishment as well as Amazon gift cards.
English Honors Night also includes the Sigma Kappa Delta (SKD) induction ceremony. SKD is the English Honor Society for Two-Year Colleges. EAC became a recognized chapter six years ago and was granted the designation of Beta Zeta. SKD members enjoy a lifetime membership that opens up opportunities for publishing their work and as well as earning scholarships.
EAC’s English department is proud to announce seventeen new SKD inductees this spring: Kristin Adams, Megan Adams, Cinthia Argomedo, Julia Bell, Keanna Louise Rezare Cortez, Katlynn Ellison, Shaun Espinoza, Brianna Gunnett, Lauryn Hall, Michelle Johnson, Emily McDonald, Marcus Ray Molina, Laura Neal, Andrea Rios, Domonik Vigil, Matthew Webb, and Hailey-Alexis Yamaguchi.
On behalf of the faculty, Dr. Chidester shared these words of congratulations: “Working with these students and helping them to achieve their goals and dreams is a privilege and a source of profound joy for us. To these elite students, I repeat the admonition of the poet Alfred Tennyson: ‘Go forth and conquer.’”
