Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
- National Honor Society of Nursing
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
After South Dakota State University’s College of Nursing received National League of Nursing accreditation in 1960, nursing students (assisted by faculty member Evelyn Peterson) applied to form the Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, which was approved at their national biennial meeting in October, 1961 as its 19th chapter.
Sigma Theta Tau International is an international Honor Society for Nursing; Sigma Theta Tau are the initials of the Greek words “Soma, Tharos, and Tima,” which mean “Love, Courage, Honor.” Its first chapter was founded in 1922 at Indiana University; it now has chapters in more than 650 colleges and universities in 90 countries. Its mission is to advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service, which it does by funding research and scholarships, supporting nursing research conferences, offering online continuing nursing education, etc. To be considered for membership, undergraduate students in their fourth or fifth semester need to rank in the upper 35 percent of the graduating class. For graduate students or nurse leaders, the individuals need to demonstrate achievement in the nursing profession.
SDSU’s Phi Chapter sponsors an annual Distinguished Lecture and, together with Augustana University’s Zeta Zeta Chapter, sponsors an annual research day in support of research/scholarship of practicing nurses and students. It also sponsors student poster presentations on evidence-based practices. In addition, Phi Chapter has service projects addressing both local and international humanitarian needs. It inducted 69 students in April, 2016. It also has a West River Branch in Rapid City.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Phi Chapter, South Dakota State University