Meet Your Student Leaders

Student Leadership

Active student members have the opportunity to serve Sigma Tau Delta on a Society level. Those members who do so gain valuable networking, organizational, and leadership skills that benefit their personal and professional lives.

Student Advisors (SA)

SA Duties

Kaitlynn Sass – Senior Student Advisor
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA
Email: [email protected]

Kaitlynn Sass (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Literature and Criticism program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in English from PennWest Clarion and an MA in Composition and Literature from IUP. Her research interests include multimodal literatures, particularly graphic novels, and queer studies. She has worked on numerous service projects, including a long-running Reading for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser at PennWest Clarion.

In 2022, Sass was awarded the William C. Johnson Distinguished Scholarship. After previously serving as the 2016-17 Eastern Region Student Representative and as the 2018-20 Student Advisor, she is excited to enter her fifth year on the Board of Directors and to continue to serve the Society.

Autumn Koors Foltz – Junior Student Advisor
University of Maine at Farmington
Farmington, ME
Email: [email protected]

Autumn Koors Foltz (she/they) is a poet and undergraduate senior from Baltimore, MD, studying at the University of Maine at Farmington. They are earning a double major in Creative Writing and English (concentration in Contemporary Poetry) with a triple minor in Editing & Publishing, Environmental Studies, and Gender & Women’s Studies. On campus, she serves as the president of Writers’ Guild, President of the Alpha Chi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, and president/station manager of WUMF 91.5 FM. Though there’s much they feel thrilled by, Autumn feels particularly passionate about poetry, writing letters, CDs, and covering everything they own in stickers.

After joining Sigma Tau Delta in 2021, Autumn served as the 2022-23 Eastern Region Student Representative. Autumn is thrilled to serve as the Student Advisor this year and cannot wait to celebrate the centennial with this incredible community!

Student Representatives (SRs) and
Associate Student Representatives (ASRs)

SR and ASR Duties

Eastern Region

Zoe Talbot – Student Representative (SR)
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
Email: [email protected]

Zoe Talbot (any) is in the Five-Year English Master’s Program at The College of New Jersey. They have been involved with the Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta since fall 2020, and will be serving as Publicist for the chapter for the 2023-2024 school year! When they aren’t teaching, Zoe works as a writing tutor and a theatre technician on campus, as well as being an assistant in their school’s Intercultural Center. They love Dungeons & Dragons, baking, and playing with their cats. Zoe is so excited to be serving as the 2023-2024 Eastern Region Student Representative!

Katherine Berube – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
University of Maine at Farmington
Farmington, ME
Email: [email protected]

Katherine Berube (she/her) is a fiction writer and undergraduate senior from Houlton, ME, studying at the University of Maine at Farmington. She is earning a double major in Creative Writing and English (concentration in Speculative Fiction) with a double minor in Editing & Publishing and Video Game Studies. On campus, she is the Marketing and Social Media Liason of Writers’ Guild, the Marketing Promotions and Social Media Liason as well as the Treasurer of the Alpha Chi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an Office Assistant for the Humanities Department, and DJ Knightshade of WUMF 91.5 FM. She loves everything fantasy, will only watch the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings movies, and is currently obsessed with playing Baldur’s Gate 3.

Far Western Region

Kelly Taylor – Student Representative (SR)
Chapman University
Orange, CA
Email: [email protected]

Kelly Taylor (she/her) is a senior at Chapman University in Orange, CA. She is pursuing a BFA in creative writing and a BA in history as well as an MA in War, Diplomacy, & Society. In addition to her participation as an officer in the Alpha Zeta Iota Chapter, she has served as the editor-in-chief of Calliope Art & Literary Magazine and as a board member for Voces Novae Historical Journal. She has also spent time at Future House Publishing as a freelance developmental and copy editor for their science fiction and fantasy books. Kelly reads and writes across all genres, with literary fiction and urban fantasy as particular favorites. One of her short stories can be found in the 2023 issue of the Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle.

Charlotte Beale – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Utah Tech University
St.George, UT
Email: [email protected]

Charlotte Beale (they/them) is a senior at Utah Tech University in St. George, UT. They are pursuing a BS in English Literature with a minor in Social Justice. They are the President of Alpha Pie Epsilon, Utah Tech’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, as well as a writer for their University’s Academic Report. They enjoy reading, going to concerts, and writing poetry. Charlotte is excited to have been given the opportunity to serve as the Associate Student Representative for the Far Western region this year!

High Plains Region

Rachel Harvey – Student Representative (SR)
Friends University
Wichita, KS
Email: [email protected]

Rachel Harvey (she/her) is a senior attending Friends University. She is a double major in English and in Christian Spiritual Formation. She is the President of the Alpha Theta Beta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and is a social media ambassador for her university. She also has served for several years as the president of Friends University English Club and continues to be an active member of the club. She loves to discuss unsolved mysteries, classic literature, and all things horror and film.

Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Email: [email protected]

Midwestern Region

Gabrielle (Elle) Hardoin – Student Representative (SR)
University of Evansville
Evansville, IN
Email: [email protected]

Gabrielle (Elle) Hardoin (she/her) is a senior English Literature major with a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) minor at the University of Evansville. Having recently switched from an Education major, she is currently focused on exploring the vast amount of English professions and the many paths to get there. She is involved in UE’s Choral Society, Archery Club, and Intersectional Pro-Choice Assembly. She enjoys crafting like crocheting, sewing projects, and embroidery, and tries to consume all forms of media like novels, short stories, graphic novels, TV shows, and movies.

DeAni Blake-Britton – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Lincoln University, Missouri
Jefferson City, MO
Email: [email protected]

DeAni Blake-Britton (she/her) is a senior attending Lincoln University, Missouri, but is originally from San Diego, CA. She majors in English Creative Writing and minors in African American Studies. Inducted into Sigma Tau Delta in 2022, DeAni currently serves as President of her local chapter. Following graduation, DeAni looks forward to continuing her education, receiving an MFA in Creative Writing, and teaching collegiately. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing guitar, reading, and writing. DeAni is incredibly honored and excited to represent the Midwestern Region this year as Associate Student Representative.

Southern Region

Eunice Tan – Student Representative (SR)
Union University
Jackson, TN
Email: [email protected]

Eunice Tan (she/her) is a Senior at Union University majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in Journalism. She is a published author of unapologetically Malaysian stories whose writing has been cataloged in the Library of Congress, published in literary magazines, and acclaimed on an international scale. She has also had the privilege to work at Penguin Random House as an Editorial Intern. Currently, she is excited to serve as Sigma Tau Delta’s Southern Region Student Representative, through which she hopes to be a voice for student inclusion and creative synergy. Connect with her at: eunicetan.net

Ja’Vontaye Gagum – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
Email: [email protected]

Ja’Vontaye Gagum (he/him) is excited to serve as Sigma Tau Delta’s Southern Region Associate Student Representative. Originally from Mullins, SC, he has had a passion for writing from a very early age. Writing tons of speeches, plays, and novels throughout grade school and college, it would come to no surprise that he majors in English at North Carolina Central University, in hopes to become a secondary English teacher, both in the US and abroad. He firmly believes that anything is possible, despite any and all odds and dedicates the time, work, and effort for this position to the future generations that they too can overcome any obstacle. Currently residing in the Bull City of Durham, NC, with his partner, Jason; pet dog, Cobe’; and pet cat, Featuring Doja, he has a very driven, comical, stern, ambitious, and infectious personality that could illuminate any vibe in a room. To find more about Ja’Vontaye, follow his Instagram @von.taye_ and Twitter: @JaGagum.

Southwestern Region

Destiny Jones – Student Representative (SR)
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, AR
Email: [email protected]

Destiny Jones (she/her) is a fourth year undergraduate student at Southern Arkansas University with a major in English (writing) and a minor in Studio Art. She is happy to serve as the Southwestern Region Student Representative. On campus, she is the Vice President of the Epsilon Theta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, a writing consultant for Southern Arkansas University’s Writing Center, and color guard captain for the Mulerider Marching Band. Destiny can’t wait to get more involved with Sigma Tau Delta this year.

Irelyn Coker – Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, AR
Email: [email protected]

Irelyn Coker (she/her) is a senior at Southern Arkansas University studying English with a minor in History. She is an honors student and her school’s Sigma Tau Delta chapter President as well as the vice president of Iron Sharpens Iron Ministries on the SAU campus. In her free time, Irelyn enjoys reading Young Adult Fiction, playing piano and the drums, and spending time with her dogs. She is excited to be representing the Southwestern Region in this upcoming year.

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