Rho Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International

Rho Chapter was chartered June 8, 1959 as the 16th Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and the second Chapter in the State of Michigan. Wayne State's Lambda Chapter was chartered as the 10th Chapter in 1953. A total of 45 students and faculty were inducted as Charter Members of Rho Chapter. During the next ten years, many students were inducted as the average graduating class in the early 60's was between 200 and 300 students. During these years, Rho Chapter was primarily a student organization with a few faculty members being inducted each year.

In the seventies, Rho Chapter moved to a more inclusive organization with involvement by both faculty and community leaders. The development of Rho Chapter would not have been possible without the phenomenal development of the organization at the National level. By the late seventies, Sigma Theta Tau with Nell Watts as the Executive Officer and Sister Rosemary Donley as President, set the pace and sparked an enthusiasm and zest for nursing scholarship and leadership which permeated the entire Sigma Theta Tau organization.

During the eighties, Rho Chapter provided the opportunity for nursing students, educators, researchers, practitioners, and administrators from all health care settings to work together for the betterment of the profession and the fulfillment of the purposes of Sigma Theta Tau. During this time, Rho chapter members Susan Boehm was elected National First Vice-President, Linda Daniel elected National Secretary, Ruth Barnard elected Chair of the National Research Committee, and Nadine Nelson elected Nominations Chair of the National Governing Board of Sigma Theta Tau. Rho Chapter was the first chapter to host a reception for candidates for National Office at the Biennial Convention.

In 1984 Rho Chapter celebrated the 25th Anniversary with a gala dinner and presentation by the National President of Sigma Theta Tau. Rho Chapter was the Mentor Chapter for the first International Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau in Ontario. Rho Chapter has served as a mentor chapter for several other new chapters, including Eastern Michigan University and Northern Michigan University. In 1999 Rho Chapter celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

Part of Rho Chapter's contributions have been to sponsor program meetings on relevant topics to the nursing community, providing continuing education credits to professional nurses for relicensure. Meetings are often cosponsored with other organizations, including the U-M School of Nursing, other Sigma Theta Tau Chapters, the Michigan Nurses Association, and the World Health Organization Collaborating Center at the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

Rho Chapter has inducted over 4,000 members since 1959. Rho Chapter has a long history of supporting nursing research through a small grants program that provides financial assistance to both faculty and students. Rho Chapter also presents Awards for Excellence to members who have achieved excellence in the various roles of nursing.

In December, 1999, the Rho Chapter Board initiated an International Support Endowment Fund with an initial contribution from Dr. Shaké Ketefian. Because of the economic differences among countries, it was recognized that it could be difficult for members from some countries to maintain active membership due to the renewal costs. The Endowment Fund will be used to assist Rho Chapter members from third world countries pay Sigma Theta Tau International dues. Interest earned by the Endowment Fund will be available for this purpose to Chapter members. Guidelines from Sigma Theta Tau International will be used to determine assistance to be given. Silent auctions and other fund raising activities are being used to raise money for the International Support Endowment Fund.

Six very ordinary students at the Indiana University Training School for Nursing founded Sigma Theta Tau in 1922. From this modest beginning, membership data in 1999 revealed that STTI has grown to over 250,000 members worldwide in 72 countries and provinces. It is the honor society of Nursing with representation in every avenue of health care. The goal of the founders was to encourage and recognize superior scholarship and leadership achievement in nursing. These goals remain the essential purpose of Sigma Theta Tau. Sigma Theta Tau International continues to provide nurses worldwide the opportunity to achieve these goals.

SIGMA THETA TAU   RHO CHAPTER
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