International Nursing Honor Society

Sigma Theta Tau

Alpha Iota Chapter

Our Past, Present, and Future

In 1922, six nurses founded Sigma Theta Tau at the Indiana University Training School for Nurses, now the Indiana University School of Nursing, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Modern nursing was barely 20 years old when Mary Tolle, Edith Moore, Marie Hippensteel, Dorothy Garrigus, Elizabeth Russell and Elizabeth McWilliams met to found a Society to advance the status of nursing as a profession. They recognized the value of scholarship and the importance of excellence in practice. With the full idealism of women forging pathways of change in the 1920s, they wanted to build a framework to encourage future leaders to effectively improve health care. The founders chose the name from the Greek words Storgé, Tharsos and Timé meaning love, courage and honor.

In 1936, Sigma Theta Tau was the first organization in the U.S. to fund nursing research. Since then the Society has underwritten more than 250 small or "seed" grants, which often begin a whole body of research. These peer-reviewed grants are often the first recognition of potent concepts that eventually lead to major, wide-scale research projects and innovation in the nursing profession. The honor society became incorporated in 1985 as Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc., a not-for-profit organization in the United States.

Sigma Theta Tau, International

Vision: The vision of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is to create a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world's people.

Mission: The mission of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is to support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide.

Information about the Society can be found at: http://www.nursingsociety.org as well as events, continuing education, research publications and the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library.

Alpha Iota

In 1955, Miss Joan Walsh, R.N., an instructor in the School of Nursing, wrote to various sources indicating interest in establishing a chapter of a “national nursing honorary sorority at our School of Nursing.” At that time, it was made plain by the national office that only nationally accredited schools could apply for chapter membership.

In 1960, the Missouri University School of Nursing was accredited and plans for establishing a chapter were carried on by Dr. Ruby Potter, Mrs. Carol M. Raynor, an assistant instructor, and Mrs. Joan Reesman, a faculty member of the school.

A national honorary society of nursing was formally established on December 12, 1964. It was the 31st chapter to be accepted by Sigma Theta Tau.

• Alpha Iota members have set the standard for creating strategies to improve patient care outcomes and mentoring nursing leaders.
• Chapter members lobbied legislators to override the Governor's veto of the Nursing Practice Act of 1976;
• Members weekly visited with legislators to seek support for funding a School of Nursing building (opened 1979);
• In the past 15 years, Alpha Iota chapter has funded over 40 research projects for a total of $26,800 in research monies to Sigma Theta Tau members;
• And members volunteer in a variety of settings to provide health screening/health promotion of children and adults.

Today Alpha Iota chapter has more than 400 active members with more than 2,500 members having been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau - Alpha Iota Chapter.

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