WHAT IS SIGMA THETA TAU INTERNATIONAL?Sigma Theta Tau is the only International Honor Society of Nursing in the US. Its members include 220,000 scholars, and its 405 chapters are located in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, and Pakistan. Sigma Theta Tau International is a member of the American Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) and is required to uphold basic standards and requirements similar to other college honor societies. Nu chapter is the chapter sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Sigma Theta Tau was founded in 1922 and Nu chapter was chartered in 1958.
WHAT DOES THE NAME MEAN?
The name Sigma Theta Tau comes from the Greek words Storga, Tharos, and Tima meaning "Love, Courage, Honor."
MISSION
Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing, provides leadership and scholarship in practice, education, and research to enhance the health of all people. We support the learning and professional development of our members, who strive to improve nursing care worldwide.
ORGANIZATION
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. The society became incorporated in 1985 as Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc., a not-for-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) status.
MEMBERSHIP
More than a quarter million nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau. With 120,000 active members, it is the second largest nursing organization in the world. Members are active in more than 94 countries and territories, and the 406 chapters are located on 503 college and university campuses in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, Pakistan, South Korea, Australia, and Taiwan. Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students, who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to community leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. Sixty percent of active members hold master's and/or doctoral degrees. More than 60 percent are clinicians, 23 percent are administrators or supervisors, and 17 percent are educators or researchers.
SOCIETY INSIGNIAS
Seal - The imprint of the Sigma Theta Tau seal is the Lamp of knowledge, surrounded by a circle containing the name of the society and the date of its founding, 1922.
The key is the symbol of scholarship. The cup denotes the satisfaction of professional life. The circle of gold with its six stars represents the six founders. The Greek letters in black - "Sigma Theta Tau" - represent our charge: Storga, Tharos, Tima -- love, courage, honor. The lamp is the lamp of learning. The jeweled key features amethyst stars representing the founders in a circle of pearls or diamonds.
Coat-of-Arms - The symbolism of the coat-of-arms is expressive of the ideals of this Honor Society. The eye represents wisdom and discernment. The stars are in recognition of our six founders. The scroll is that of learning and bears the Greek letters, Sigma Theta Tau": the first letters of the Greek words, Storga, Tharos, Tima -- meaning love, courage, honor. The pillars of stone at the right and left denote service, professional endeavor, and strength of leadership. The lamp represents the lamp of knowledge. The motto on the banner is Sigma Theta Tau, the name of this International Honor Society.
Colors and Flower - The organization's colors are orchid and fuschia. The orchid was chosen as the society's flower because it was rare and beautiful.
EDUCATION & RESEARCH INITIATIVES
In 1936 Sigma Theta Tau became the first U.S. organization to fund nursing research. The Society, with its chapters and grant partners (corporations, associations and foundations), contributes more than $650,000 annually to nursing research through grants, scholarships, and monetary awards. More than 250 research-oriented educational programs and international research congresses are sponsored or co-sponsored annually or biennially by Sigma Theta Tau in the U. S. and internationally.
CENTER NURSING PRESS
The society's publishing arm produces numerous publications designed to fulfill the society's mission of disseminating nursing knowledge:
- Journal of Nursing Scholarship is the foremost, peer-reviewed scholarly journal in nursing with a global circulation of 120,000.
- Reflections on Nursing Leadership is the society's award-winning, four-color quarterly newsmagazine that communicates nurses' contributions and relevance to the health of people.
- Excellence is a customized member newspaper available in education, clinical, and administrative versions. Peer-reviewed scholarly monographs on nursing topics are published each biennium.
- Chapter Leader Emphasis is a quarterly newsletter sent to more than 4,000 chapter officers and members.
- Envision newsletter is sent to an average 30,000 new members biannually.
ONLINE LIBRARY
The International Center for Nursing Scholarship houses the society headquarters and its state-of-the art electronic library, the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library. Individuals, organizations, schools of nursing and health science libraries can access the library's online services:
- The Online Journal of Knowledge Synthesis for Nursing, a peer-reviewed full-text electronic journal giving nurses access to integrative reviews of research pertinent to clinical practice.
- Registry of Nursing Research, a collection of nursing research data including researchers' demographic information, studies, projects, abstracts, variables, studies, and scientific results.
- Nursing Knowledge Indexes, a completely new paradigm that indexes research knowledge, not research articles. It allows the user to go directly to research findings while totally circumventing a traditional bibliographic database search.
In November 1995, the library launched Sigma Theta Tau's Web site, offering access to information on the society and nursing topics. One feature is an Online Book Review for Nursing service provided in collaboration with Dowdy Publishing, the world's leading independent reviewer of health science books. An Online Literature Review for Nursing allows users to receive weekly customized e-mail bulletins about new articles, reviews, abstracts, ratings, and expert commentary in specific areas of interest.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/LEADERSHIP
The International Leadership Institute (ILI) focuses on the development and advancement of nurses as exceptional health care leaders. Through in-person and Internet learning programs, fellowships and recognition activities, the ILI helps nurses across the globe to develop their leadership abilities in order to improve the health and welfare of people in their communities.
Programs such as Arista global think tank conferences enhance leadership skills by creating and sharing knowledge. CareerMap: Managing Your Career with a Purpose, the Becoming Learning Series and Chiron: the Mentor-Fellow Forum are among the programs fostering career advancement, leadership development and community service. Recognition programs such as honorary membership and the prestigious Archon Awards reward professional competence and integrity in health care.