As the spring 2016 semester came to a close, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Alpha Epsilon Delta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, hosted “Harry Potter Night” in the J. Eugene Smith Library’s curriculum center. The society, advised by Allison Speicher, assistant professor of English, created an event that was open to all students in hopes of raising Sigma Tau Delta’s profile. “This year we tried to step up our presence on campus,” said Speicher. “We wanted to be more than just a line on people’s resume, and a chance to wear cords at graduation.” The event, open to all, was inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, which became a popular phenomenon throughout the world, starting in 1999. The society encouraged any and all students interested in literature to attend. “We choose Harry Potter because we wanted people to attend, and we all know you don’t need to be an English major to love Harry Potter,” said Speicher.
Hope Marie Cook, associate librarian and coordinator of Eastern’s Big Read program, and her staff helped coordinate the event. Themed snacks were provided for the participants, including caldron cakes, butter beer, golden snitch candy, jelly beans and all kinds of sweets, as well as games and a highly contested trivia challenge. More than 60 people came, setting a Sigma Tau Delta record for attendance.
