Trine launches Spanish honor society, recognizes HAC students

Trine University inducted the first members of its Alpha Beta Nu Hispanic Honorary Society as part of its annual Humanities and Communication awards, held Thursday, April 14, in Wells Theater inside Taylor Hall.

Alpha Beta Nu is Trine’s chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society/La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica, the largest collegiate foreign language honor society in the United States.

To be eligible for the honor society, students must complete at least three years of college Spanish, including coursework in Hispanic literature or culture, with at least a 3.0 grade point average in Spanish courses. They also must have completed at least three semesters of college with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Ana Boman, Spanish lecturer at Trine and founding chapter advisor, inducted Jessica Westphal and Kimmia Fotovat as the society’s first two members. Both students are Spanish minors at Trine.

“I’m not only proud but I’m also hopeful they continue with their Spanish education,” Boman said of the students. “They are excellent in their Spanish-language skills.”

Westphal, a Fulton, Ohio, senior majoring in biology/pre-physical therapy, is also vice president of Athletes Connected and co-captain of Trine’s figure skating team. Fotovat, a Naperville, Illinois, junior majoring in biology, is secretary of Trine’s Student Government and vice president of the Psychology Club.

Following the induction ceremony, Trine’s Department of Humanities and Communication (HAC) presented its annual awards:

• Outstanding Senior Writing Center Tutor: Noah Swift, a communication major from Edinburgh, Indiana.
• Outstanding Spanish Student of the Year: Marcus Miller, an electrical engineering major from Lakeville, Indiana.
• Excellence in Photography: Mattie Maguire, a psychology major from Allen, Texas; and Benjamin Williams, a communication major from Farmington Hills, Michigan.
• Golden Microphone Excellence in Broadcasting: Drew Everhart, a sport management major from Greensburg, Indiana.
• Outstanding Freshman in Humanities and Communication: Elizabeth Welker, a communication major from Maumee, Ohio.
• Needler-McGregor Outstanding Student in English: Cooper Lee, a communication major from South Bend, Indiana.
• Jeanine Samuelson Student Distinction Award: Meghan Schrader, an English major from Fort Wayne, Indiana; Faith Patterson, a communication major from Newburgh, Indiana; Abbey Wang, a communication major from Kentland, Indiana; Noah Swift; and Cooper Lee.
• Outstanding Senior in Humanities and Communication: Abbey Wang.

Top photo: From left, Christine Olding, Ph.D., chair of Trine University’s Department of Humanities and Communication, presented the Jeanine Samuelson Student Distinction Award to Faith Patterson, a communication major from Newburgh, Indiana; Abbey Wang, a communication major from Kentland, Indiana; Noah Swift, a communication major from Edinburgh, Indiana; Meghan Schrader, an English major from Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Cooper Lee, a communication major from South Bend, Indiana.