The English Honor Society now has a total of 77 active members

Liberty University’s English Honor Society held an induction ceremony for 28 new members on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. in DeMoss Hall Grand Lobby.

The Grand Lobby held a small stage and two sections of chairs.

Carolyn Towles, faculty advisor for Zeta Tau, opened the event and introduced Ginny Dow, residential chair of the Department of English, who started the night with prayer.

Attendees were then directed to the refreshments table with small sandwiches, chips and salsa, fruit and vegetable platters and a variety of desserts.

Once everyone was back in their seats, senior Micah Gilmer, an officer of Zeta Tau, introduced the speaker, professor Nate Valle, a member of Liberty’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. Valle’s speech was titled “We are all Modern,” and he spoke on modernist and postmodernist viewpoints.

“Our fundamental job as English majors is to read stories and point it back to the big story,” Valle said.

Photo by Juan Cardenas

Throughout the speech, Valle spoke on viewpoints that the inductees have studied while also showing how these viewpoints point to God.

“My favorite part of the ceremony was professor Valle relating everything to Christ,” Ariel Bobe, a new inductee, said.

After the speech, Katherine Bechter, president of the Zeta Tau chapter, announced the society’s ideals and led the inductees in a pledge. She then presented all the inductees with their certificates.

Towles spoke about cords that the members could earn and introduced the officer board.

The officers include a president, vice president, treasurer, media officer and support officers.

Another officer, Madelyn Bowling, presented the requirements of being a member and announced upcoming events.

The members must have an English or writing major or minor, a GPA over 3.0 and have finished freshman-level English classes (ENGL 101 and 102).

Photo by Juan Cardenas | Micah Gilmer introduced the speaker

To remain a member of good standing they need to attend three events each semester. The main three service opportunities are departmental (helping with CFAW), community service (volunteering at local organizations) and national service (helping with Operation Christmas Child).

Past and upcoming events include a Halloween party, a Christmas party, supporting the publishing of LAMP, which is a literary magazine run by the English Department, Coffee and Cookies with the English Department and a book study with Stephen Bell, an English professor.

Tyne Glen, junior, closed the night by thanking everyone, congratulating the inductees and introducing Bell to close the night in prayer.

A few of the benefits of joining the group are community, leadership skills through officer roles and connections.

“I hope to gain a good, creative community of like-minded people,” Bobe said.

As faculty advisor, Towles meets with the officers once a week and helps them plan events.

When Towles first came to Liberty in 1993, there were only five active members. She became the sponsor for the group in the early 2000s.

The society lost active members due to the pandemic, but the group is growing again, with 34 new members last year and 28 new members this year. They now have a total of 77 active members.

Sophia Twitchell is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion

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