“You’re with a crowd where everyone has the desire to make a change. That’s what inspired me the most.”
Those were fifth-semester nursing student Annalee Beard’s thoughts when articulating what she loves about Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma), one of the most prominent scholarly societies in nursing.
Sigma seeks to develop nursing leaders by connecting and empowering excellent nursing professionals worldwide. In other words, the “crowd” Annalee referred to is a collection of some of the brightest and most dedicated nurses from across the discipline and the globe.
BYU College of Nursing is part of the Iota Iota regional chapter. As a chapter, they work to further Sigma’s mission of promoting health and nursing through such channels as research, community projects, and events to inspire volunteering and other efforts.
The Iota Iota chapter was recently recognized as an especially influential branch of Sigma nurses. In September, it was announced that they had been selected to receive the Sigma Chapter Key Award.
This is a special recognition given for exceptional service, scholarship, and leadership, and Iota Iota received it during Sigma’s 48th Biennial Convention in November.
Dr. Platt clarified that this award is by no means a trivial thing—preparing for and qualifying to receive the accolade requires meticulous planning and execution.
“It’s not something you just fall into, you have to really be working for it,” she said. “The amount of time and effort it takes to get enough points is not trivial.”
To qualify, a chapter must receive at least 80 of 100 points in several categories, including mentorship, recruiting, and especially community service. The Iota Iota chapter particularly excels in that last criterion.
Among Iota Iota’s service efforts were a 5K for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, a Foster Sibling Holiday Volunteer event, an Alzheimer’s Walk. That is but a small handful of their efforts to inspire the community.
Dr. Platt said she was “ecstatic” about receiving the recognition as “it was a validation of all the hard work that [they are] doing.”
Beyond the validation of effort, Dr. Platt emphasized that this recognition will give Iota Iota and BYU College of Nursing more opportunities to expand their circles and further collaboration with other professionals.
“It also puts us more on the visible stage…I think it does open doors for us to have more leadership opportunities,” she said.
Being a part of this special Sigma chapter has been a privilege and blessing for many BYU faculty members, who are inducted via a complex nomination process. The organization is also an amazing resource for students.
No matter how many credentials your name had, everyone was just so kind,
Two participating students from BYU College of Nursing, Annalee Beard and Emma Vasquez (both in their fifth semester of the nursing program), explained how they got involved with Sigma Theta Tau and why it has been impactful.
When Annalee and Emma were first introduced to Sigma at November's convention, they weren't sure what to expect or where they would fit in.
This was a multi-day event filled with research presentations, powerful keynote messages, and opportunities to network. They were excited to dive in, but unsure how they would be received.
Annalee and Emma are both very qualified—requirements for Sigma membership included being among the top in their class, shining references, and more—but they initially felt out of place among so many stellar practitioners.
However, that feeling quickly melted away when many at the convention, including the Sigma Vice President, went out of their way to welcome them and connect on a personal level.
Not only were the two given a warm welcome, but they were inspired by the nurses that surrounded them. They commented on how clear it was that everyone was there for the right reasons—to serve people around the world and advance the practice of blessing lives.
Everyone there has such a unique drive for change in a positive, Christlike way even if they don't even realize that it’s aligned with gospel values.
Through networking, chances to learn about and present research, and other opportunities that Emma says were “spoon-fed” to them, Sigma participation makes nursing students stand out from the masses. This is especially true in Iota Iota.
The Iota Iota chapter will continue to work hard on Sigma’s mission to develop nurse leaders and improve healthcare throughout the world. Students interested in participating should reach out to Dr. Christine Platt or Dr. Adrianna Watson.