Award Cycle: Fall
Aims and Eligibility
Sigma Tau Delta is thrilled to offer a dynamic Writing Challenge to all active student, alumni, and faculty members in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month each year.
Our Hispanic Heritage Month Writing Challenge draws inspiration from Angie Cruz’s most recent novel How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water (2022). Cruz’s storytelling challenges dominant narratives by foregrounding the voices of those often unheard, making her a vital literary figure in the Latine community. Through her fiction, editorial leadership, and teaching, Cruz not only reflects the complexity of Latine identity but also creates space for future generations to see themselves in literature and to share their own stories. Join us as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by embracing Cruz’s profound exploration of heritage, identity, and human experience. Let your voice be heard through poetry and prose, honoring the spirit of creativity and cultural expression. Together, we’re shaping a narrative that echoes the vibrancy and resilience of Hispanic communities and cultural identities across the nation and beyond.
Read more about Angie Cruz.
How to Apply
Submissions for the Hispanic Heritage Month Writing Challenge are accepted through AwardSpring. The link to access the Sigma Tau Delta AwardSpring platform will be posted on the AwardSpring Application informational page of our website once the Fall Awards Cycle opens.
If you are using AwardSpring for the first time, you must create an account by clicking “Register.” If you have used AwardSpring previously, you should login using your email address and existing password.
Required Materials
- Submit no more than 3 pages of original poetry or creative prose (prose should be double-spaced) in a Word document.
- All writing must be inspired by How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz.
- Include a brief paragraph explaining how the submitted work was influenced by the book.
Evaluation, Selection, and Awards
- The Central Office will verify membership status.
- Judges will be the members of the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors.
- The winners of the Hispanic Heritage Month Writing Challenge will have their work published on the WORDY by Nature blog and their submission will be shared with Angie Cruz.
Deadline
See the Awards Overview page for the Hispanic Heritage Month Writing Challenge Award application window.
Questions
Questions regarding the online submission process should be addressed to sigmatdapply@niu.edu.
