Sigma chartering ceremony.jpgMayville State University has joined the Xi-Kappa-at-Large Chapter of Sigma, an honor society for nurses who are leaders in the profession. Mayville State faculty, Tami Such, chair of the division of nursing and associate professor of nursing, and Collette Christoffers, assistant professor of nursing, participated in the chartering ceremony held on the campus of Minnesota State University Moorhead Saturday, March 30. Three Mayville State RN-to-BSN online nursing program students, Kayla Beauchamp, Fargo, N.D.; Stephanie McCorry, Middle River, Md.; and Katelyn Kukuk, Williston, ND, were also inducted into the society during the program.

The honor society, today known as Sigma, was founded as Sigma Theta Tau in 1922 by six nursing students at Indiana University. From those six founding members, the organization has grown to more than 135,000 active members in more than 530 chapters located in over 90 countries around the world. Sigma members are leaders at all levels of the healthcare industry. The society extends membership only to students in baccalaureate- or graduate-level programs. The students must have demonstrated superior academic achievement, academic integrity, and professional leadership potential. Others invited for membership are nurse leader candidates exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. The mission of Sigma is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.

The Xi-Kappa-at-Large Chapter of Sigma includes Concordia College, Moorhead; Minnesota State University Moorhead, North Dakota State University, the University of Jamestown, and North Dakota State University at Bismarck. The organization distributes scholarships and holds an induction ceremony annually, facilitates education events in the fall and spring, and helps to facilitate other activities.

Photo caption: Karen Gorten, Ph.D., M.S., R.N., (left) is pictured with Mayville State RN-to-BSN online nursing program faculty members Collette Christoffers (middle) and Tami Such (right). Gorten is the Sigma chartering officer and serves as chair of the Sigma Theta Tau International Regional Chapters Coordinating Committee.