FHSU University Communications
Fort Hays State University students showcased their literary talents on a national stage at the 2025 Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society convention, held March 19-22 in Pittsburgh, Penn.
Senior English major Isaiah Russell, Codell, earned top honors, winning first place in the British literature critical essay competition for his analysis titled “Setting and Subjectivity in Kazuo Ishiguro’s A Pale View of Hill.” His award included a $500 prize.
Russell was among several FHSU students selected through a highly competitive blind review process to present original scholarship and creative work. The group was accompanied by faculty advisors Dr. Lexey Bartlett, professor of English, currently serving as president of Sigma Tau Delta, and Lisa Bell, writing center director.
Russell also serves as the High Plains Student Representative, one of six regional student representatives. He attended board meetings in the fall and spring and was a member of the Student Leadership Committee and the Service Committee.
Sigma Tau Delta is the International English Honor Society, founded in 1924. The Rho Psi chapter at FHSU is one of more than 800 active chapters internationally.
Other students presenting their work at the convention included:
- Audrey Ball, Kismet, "Resistant Readers: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”
- Elizabeth Clingan, Hays, "Harry Potter as Gothic Literature"
- CJ Gibson, Gothenburg, Neb., "Victorian Anti-Intellectualism in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
- Olivia McGillivray, Hutchinson, "Chipped" (original prose)
- Taylor Province, Topeka, "Male Doctoring on Female Bodies in Dracula"
“It takes a great deal of courage to present your work in front of other faculty and high-achieving students from the U.S. and beyond, so our students should be proud of themselves,” Bartlett said. “FHSU should be proud of them, too, since they beautifully represented our university as scholars and members of our community.”
For additional news and information about Fort Hays State University, go to https://www.fhsu.edu/university-communications/