FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        March 12, 2008

NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS ATTEND NATIONAL CONVENTION

            Five representatives from Northwestern Oklahoma State University last week attended the national convention of Sigma Tau Delta, international English honor society, in Louisville, Ky.

            Sarah Combs, Woodward senior; Michelle Kaufman, Enid senior; Anika Rohla, Chester junior; and Lisa Herning, December 2007 Alva graduate, attended the five-day convention. Dr. Sandra Petree, associate professor of English and sponsor of the Northwestern chapter, accompanied the group.

Northwestern students Anika Rohla, Lisa Herning and Michelle Kaufman (left to right in center of table) were joined by students from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse during their panel presentation at the Sigma Tau Delta National Convention.

Anika Rohla of Chester presents a Sigma Tau Delta T-shirt to Dr. Janet Cunningham, president of Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The shirt was a “thank you” for a financial contribution provided by the President’s Association which allowed the local chapter to attend the group’s national convention.

            The theme of the convention was Necessary Contradictions and attendees were able to participate in a number of panels and workshops, as well as hear prominent speakers. Featured speakers were Suzan-Lori Parks, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Topdog/Underdog;” Naomi Shihab Nye, poet and children’s author; and Kim Edwards, author of bestseller “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter.”

            Students from the Northwestern chapter and students from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse both had submitted proposals for a panel concerning movies made from books. The Northwestern proposal was chosen, but Petree said they were asked if they would consider including some of the La Crosse students on the panel. The Northwesterners consented to the idea and the two chapters presented Northwestern’s panel together.

            Titled “When Great Minds Go to Hollywood: Film Adaptations of Literature,” the panel was moderated by Petree and included Kaufman, who discussed “Hamlet;” Rohla, who discussed “Last of the Mohicans;” and Herning, who discussed “Pride and Prejudice.” Other book/film titles were “Beowulf” and “Heart of Darkness.”

            “The students’ presentation went extraordinarily well,” Petree said. “They had a great handout that saved time and people were talking to them well after it ended. During the next few days, people still stopped them on the stairs and in the halls to continue the conversations. Several people said they thought our students’ panel/round table was the best of the convention!”

            At the awards banquet, Herning received the award for “Best Undergraduate Scholarly Paper Presented at a non-Sigma Tau Delta Professional Conference.” She had written “Jack London and the Natural Order” for Petree’s class in “American Literature since Whitman” and also presented it at the 2007 Oklahoma Research Day.

            “We have only been a chapter of Sigma Tau Delta for two years and feel that we’re doing well,” Petree said.

            Petree and the students wanted to express special thanks to Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, and the President’s Association for helping defray the cost of the trip to Louisville.

-NW-

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