I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland, as a part of IES’s Writer’s Program. Although I am majoring in literature, I enjoy writing too. I was able to take classes about Irish Short Stories and Irish Poetry that broadened my literary knowledge while also practicing and improving my own writing. I read Irish authors like Eavan Boland, Mary Lavin, Seamus Heany, Paula Meehan, Rita Ann Higgins, and W. B. Yeats. Literature is a reflection of the society it inhabits, and Irish literature is no exception. It was informative to read authors who had critiques about Irish society, mainly about religion, social class, and the treatment of women and how it’s changed over the decades. With The Great Famine in the 1840s, the Irish War of Independence from Great Britain from 1919-1922 and subsequent Civil War from 1922-1923, many contemporary Irish authors discuss the scars on the people and society of Ireland in relation to the other main issues previously mentioned.
I explored Marsh’s Library, the Museum of Literature, and the numerous bookshops in the city. Stepping into a bookshop in Dublin felt like stepping into a portal to a different world. The walls were lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves and nearly every available floor-space was filled with tables stacked high with novels. I visited the coastal villages of Howth, Galway, and went on a Writer’s Retreat hosted by my program in the beautiful beach town, Ballymore. I enjoyed reading and writing in the Iveagh Gardens and St Stephen’s Green, two parks in the heart of Dublin with lush greenery, beautiful flowers, and peaceful fountains and ponds.
The funding from Sigma Tau Delta allowed me to do this, as well as provided the opportunity to spend a long weekend in Edinburgh, where I explored 15 new and used bookshops as well as the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, and the Writer’s Museum. My study abroad experience allowed me the opportunity to explore authors and literature from a culture and people I hadn’t visited before. I learned so much about Ireland through reading the short stories and poetry in my classes as well as my own literary pursuits. While I’m not exactly sure what profession I’m planning to pursue after graduating, I definitely want to do something with books. I want to share the joy I find in literature with others, and this experience only strengthened that desire. As I go into my senior year of my undergraduate degree, I’m very thankful for this semester study abroad experience and the Sigma Tau Delta Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship that helped to get me there.
Emma Aleccia
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, Fall 2024
Beta Lambda Chapter
Bradley University, IL
Study Abroad Scholarships
The scholarship provides funding for the purpose of studying in a program that furthers the applicant’s engagement with Sigma Tau Delta’s mission. Students may apply for either a Long-Term or Short-Term scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate academic scholarship and chapter service; they also must explain the relevance of their study abroad program and activities to fostering the discipline of English, including literature, language, writing, or literacy.
Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $3,000 for students studying for a full academic term or year in a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $1,500 to support participation in an undergraduate study-abroad program of less than an academic term. The program must be a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
- Currently an undergraduate student
- Plan to study abroad in a certified undergraduate program for all or part of an academic term
All applications will be submitted via the AwardSpring Online submission process.
Application Deadline: March 16 – April 13, 2026, 4:00 p.m. CT
Past Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients
Pura Vida: My Four Months Studying Abroad in Costa Rica
Blooming from the Pages: Studying Abroad in Ireland
English Connections through Arcades and Gachapon Shops during a Study Abroad
Fulfilling a Fantasy Dream with a Study Abroad
English Connections through Arcades and Gachapon Shops during a Study Abroad
Lo Spirito Impressa: A Study Abroad Experience
Publishing, Passion, and Paris: My Study Abroad Experience in Paris
Studying Abroad: From Museums to Host Moms
Study Abroad, Or How to Succeed during the Unexpected
Study Abroad Scholarship Sparks Creativity in Nottingham
Study Abroad Scholarship: English Education in Maastricht
Study Abroad Scholarship: Royal Holloway-University of London
Study Abroad and Diversify Your College Experience
On Studying Abroad
Summer Stories from Abroad
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The Society strives to
- Confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies;
- Provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities;
- Foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language, and writing;
- Promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members;
- Exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and
- Serve society by fostering literacy.
With over 900 active chapters located in the United States and abroad, there are more than 1,000 Faculty Advisors, and approximately 9,000 members inducted annually.
Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.
