New Class of Sewanee Students Inducted into National Italian Honor Society

April 14, 2026

On Wednesday, April 8, the Sewanee chapter of Gamma Kappa Alpha National Italian Honor Society inducted its second class of new members (pictured above, left to right): Shane Flannery, C’26; Leah McBain, C’26; Nicole Nguyen, C’26; Sofia Tripoli, C’26; and John Wilson, C’26. Sewanee’s first members were inducted in 2025. 

Gamma Kappa Alpha (GKA) recognizes the top students in Italian studies nationwide. To be eligible for nomination, candidates must rank in the upper 35% of their class, have studied Italian beyond the intermediate level (with a minimum of five courses), and maintain a minimum B average in the subject. Though Sewanee currently offers only a minor in Italian, two of the new GKA members—Flannery and Tripoli—will graduate with self-initiated majors in Italian Studies; they are the third and fourth such students to do so.

“Gamma Kappa Alpha recognizes the challenges many foreign language programs face today and hopes that our society will help build our Italian programs and entice students to continue studying Italian,” says Alessia Martini, visiting assistant professor of Italian. “I believe it is essential to celebrate our students’ success, which both directly and indirectly highlights the importance of our programs and the value of foreign languages in general.” 

In her remarks at the induction ceremony, Martini acknowledged the many opportunities available to students of Italian at Sewanee. In addition to language classes, the Italian program offers courses in Italian literature, art, and cinema. Students enjoy numerous study abroad opportunities, including popular programs in Rome and Sorrento, Italy. New GKA inductee Nguyen participated in a full-immersion program in Florence, conducted entirely in Italian, with Middlebury College. And the Italian House, established 13 years ago, continues to serve as a gathering place for the community of students, faculty, and staff interested in Italian culture.

The Gamma Kappa Alpha National Italian Honor Society is a society formed to acknowledge superior scholastic performance in the field of Italian studies, including language, literature, cinema, and culture. It is open to membership at institutions of higher learning in both the United States and Canada. The organization recognizes outstanding undergraduate scholarship in Italian Studies by awarding the Gamma Kappa Alpha Award for Scholarship annually.

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