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Hispanic Studies Doctoral Student Receives Gabriela Mistral Award

By Lindsey Piercy

​Sharrah Lane, a doctoral student in Hispanic Studies and president of the University of Kentucky's chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, has received the prestigious Gabriela Mistral Award for her academic achievements and noteworthy leadership in the chapter.

Sigma Delta Pi is a national collegiate Hispanic honor society, and the award is presented each year to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student who is an active member.

Lane, who is also a Spanish instructor and a graduate assistant for the International Studies program, said receiving this award is a great achievement. "I feel very honored to receive this prestigious award, and I'm grateful to my colleagues, Kacie Gastanaga and Marlee McCloud, for their extraordinary work this year."

Established in 1919 at the University of California, Sigma Delta Pi honors those who have completed three years of Spanish, including at least three hours of Hispanic culture or Hispanic literature, with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Candidates must also rank in the upper 35 percent of their class (sophomore, junior or senior) and must have completed at least three semesters of college work. Graduate students may also be elected to membership upon completion of two graduate courses in Spanish with an average, which, if continued, will make them eligible for a graduate degree.

UK has been a member of the national society since 1969 and continues to initiate new members each spring. Sigma Delta Pi also sponsors several cultural events throughout the academic year.

For more information about UK's chapter, visit its website.

The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion two years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. The Chronicle of Higher Education judged us a “Great College to Work for,”  and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers."  We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for three straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.