our beginnings

As one of the most distinctive organizations in professional nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International has become an active force for the benefit of health care and of nursing careers. The honor society achieves this by focusing on three areas that contribute directly to nursing excellence across the world. These three areas are: scholarship, research and leadership.

Sigma Theta Tau International was founded in 1922 by six students of nursing at Indiana University in the United States of America. The society began with one chapter and six members. During the past 79 years, it has evolved to 423 chapters across the globe, with more than 300,000 inducted members who are active in more than 85 different countries and territories.

The founders named the honor society for the words: storge, tharos and tima. In the Greek language, these words mean love, courage and honor. The founders believed these to be enduring values that are at the root of the nursing profession - the foundation upon which the science grows and is used.

our vision

Changing the status of nursing and improving health care were their ideals as they are ours. And today, as they did 79 years ago, the pathways for nursing excellence begin with scholarship, leadership and research applied in clinical practice.

The vision of the Honor Society is to create a global community of nurses who lead in using scholarship, knowledge and technology to improve the health of the world's people.

our goals

We are dedicated to developing these pathways for professional excellence through the following goals:

1. Develop members across the span of their careers.
2. Build strong chapters and foster collaborative leadership.
3. Advance global linkages at the organizational and member levels.
4. Prepare and position nurses to lead in diverse, complex health-related environments.
5. Advance the scientific base of nursing practice through the scholarship of research.
6. Stimulate scholarly practice in the professional lives of members.
7. Identify, secure and use a variety of resources to ensure the organization's future.

our invitation

Membership in the Zeta Eta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International is open to members of the nursing profession in our community. If you are interested in joining us, please visit the membership page on our website or contact us.