Two new professional societies have been started at WCU for humanities students: Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honors Society, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

The Sigma Theta chapter of the Sigma Tau Delta was restarted this year with Emily Naser-Hall as faculty advisor. The chapter is co-ed and open to anyone working towards a major, minor or graduate degree in English. The society offers scholarships, publishing opportunities and networking events for its members.
Sigma Tau Delta requires that members
- Have completed at least 45 credit hours
- Are an English major, minor or graduate student
- Have completed at least six hours of English credit or nine hours of graduate work at WCU
- Have a GPA of 3.0 in both English courses and cumulative GPA
- Pay a one-time induction fee
Dr. Naser-Hall is excited to bring back and grow the organization at WCU.
“Because so many members of the society have graduated, almost everyone involved now is a new member, which means that we can work on building the society to reflect student interests,” she said. “I’m excited to help our new members create a truly student-led organization that demonstrates to the rest of the WCU community the amazing work that English Studies students are doing.”
More information on Sigma Tau Delta’s international society can be found on english.org, or by getting in touch with Dr. Naser-Hall.
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) was started earlier this year by co-presidents Rhiannon Eason and Jack Kelly.
AIGA aims to connect designers and creatives across the nation. Kelly and Eason are also clear with their goals for their chapter at WCU.
“One of Rhiannon and I’s main goals going into this was establishing a space for incoming graphic design students to connect with upperclassmen before the entrance portfolio submission, so students feel confident during the program’s acceptance process,” Kelly said. “Seeing that come to fruition with our upcoming portfolio review has been very exciting for me.”
The co-presidents are gracious be able to start the AIGA on campus and have expressed their commitment to providing a bridge between all graphic design students at WCU.

“The graphic design program at WCU doesn’t overlap much between each academic level. First years don’t interact with second years, second years don’t interact with third years, et cetera,” Eason said. “We wanted this club to be a place for designers of all levels and majors to meet and build a community together, and we have definitely achieved that. I’m very proud of what the AIGA student group at WCU is doing and am very hopeful for its future.”
The WCU AIGA chapter hosts biweekly meetings 6 p.m. Mondays that can range from maker nights, open critiques and workshops. The society offers professional Zoom meetings, an exclusive job portal and networking opportunities.
AIGA is open to all majors and years at WCU. The requirements to join are:
- A $50 yearly membership fee
- A desire to connect with other creatives on campus
“One of the most satisfying and exciting aspects of founding the organization has been seeing the enthusiasm from all the designers and artists about the chapter,” Kelly said. “When you go to a meeting, you can feel a sense of community and many of our members are enthusiastic to get as involved as they can.”
More information about AIGA can be found on aiga.org. For WCU-specific information, email Jack Kelly at jikelly1@catamount.wcu.edu, Rhiannon Eason at reason1@catamount.wcu.edu, or find AIGA on social media.