Whittier College News Release

Whittier College
Office of Public Relations
13406 Philadelphia St.
P.O. Box 634
Whittier, CA 90608-0634

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: 562.907.4974 or mediarelations@whittier.edu

WHITTIER'S HISPANIC HONOR SOCIETY CHAPTER EARNS NATIONAL AWARD

WHITTIER, CA (August 29, 2006)—For the second consecutive year, Whittier College's Upsilon Pi chapter of the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society Sigma Delta Pi has been named an "Honor Chapter" for its outstanding activities in 2005-06.

Each May, all 540 chapters of Sigma Delta Pi are asked to submit an annual report detailing their numerous activities and projects from the academic year. Based on these reports, the National Executive Committee chooses approximately 15 "Honor Chapters" annually. This recognition is based upon the caliber of chapter projects that reflect the Sigma Delta Pi mission of honoring excellence in the study of the Spanish language, contributing to cultural understanding and upholding the goals of the society.

Dr. Doreen O'Connor-Gómez, professor of modern languages and literature and Whittier's Upsilon Pi chapter adviser, was instrumental in again securing this national honor for Whittier College. This marks the second consecutive year that the Whittier chapter has received this prestigious nod; should it win the same honor next year, Upsilon Pi will be submitted for national recognition through the Octavio Paz Award, one of Sigma Delta Pi’s highest awards, granted only once every three years.

With its national office at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, Sigma Delta Pi is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies.

Founded by Quakers in 1887, Whittier College is an independent, four-year college offering a traditional liberal arts program integrated with both professional and pre-professional courses of study. With an emphasis on diversity, community, and curricular innovation, the College’s primary mission is to endow students with the education, skills, and values appropriate for global leadership and service. Whittier College is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

Whittier Law School, which is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, is located on a separate campus in Orange County.