Seven students participate in panels at Sigma Tau Delta convention
CHADRON – A group of Chadron State College students and Associate Professor of English Dr. Mary Clai Jones attended the international Sigma Tau Delta convention in St. Louis April 3-6. Jones said she was pleased seven CSC students presented on panels.
The students are Ashley Burrows of Hay Springs, Neb., Jaedyn Gronemeyer of LaJunta, Colo., Erin Hayhurst of Scottsbluff, Neb., Autumn Mills of Newcastle, Wyo., Hannah Pfiefly of Stromsburg, Neb., Rebeka Scheiderer of Chadron, and Sadie Vanderway of Crookston, Neb.
“I am incredibly proud of our students. This is the first time that everyone who applied was accepted. They represented CSC with poise, professionalism, and kindness. They all presented well and were generous audience members to the other participants,” Jones said.
Ashley Burrows’ panel addressed the topic of exploring adolescence. She wrote and shared a story called A Star's Warmth about a blind boy who wanted to be an astronaut.
“It was a cool experience because we presented right under a window that looked out over the St. Louis Arch,” Burrows said.
Gronemeyer said the topic of her panel was personal musings.
“A lot of what I got from the trip was closer relationships with my peers,” Gronemeyer said.
Hayhurst, who also attended the convention last year, said her panel was about family relationships.
“It's always a great learning experience. It was fun to hear people read pieces like mine and discuss them. The experience was great going to a new city. I would highly recommend that other students submit a proposal. You learn a lot, get to meet a lot of cool people, literature nerds, which is always fun,” Hayhurst said.
Mills participated on a panel that discussed alienation and addiction.
“The experience was really fun. It was great to listen to other readers from different parts of the region and see what everyone else brought to the table. How my work compares and where I can go from here as a writer,” Mills said.
Scheiderer and her fellow panel members presented nonfiction writing.
“It was a great experience. I got to meet a lot of people and hear their pieces. Hearing other people’s questions after the sessions was good for me,” Scheiderer said.
Vanderway enjoyed the panel about deception.
“It was really fun talking with other like-minded individuals at a convention where you got to hear other stories. Just seeing the sights and the food was amazing,” Vanderway said.
Category: Campus News, English