April 20, 2006
By MIMI KO CRUZ

Cal State Fullerton has formed a nursing honor society that will become an official chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International on April 29.

It will be inducted as Upsilon Beta, the only chapter in Orange County.

"Highly ranked nursing programs typically have an affiliated chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and we are proud to be among the ranks of nursing programs that do," said Marsha Orr, lecturer in nursing, who serves as one of the chapter's faculty advisers."In the midst of a national nursing shortage, we are proud to celebrate the academic and leadership achievements of our students and to offer students and community nursing leaders the opportunity to join and become active in a local chapter of Sigma Theta Tau."

Members include students, faculty members, researchers, policymakers and practicing nurses who have demonstrated superior scholastic, leadership and nursing achievements.

About 400 people will become charter members at the 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, induction ceremony at the Four Points Sheraton in Fullerton.

"This is a huge step for CSUF's Department of Nursing," said Dana N. Rutledge, associate professor of nursing. "When I moved to Orange County in 1991, there was no chapter here, so I joined the UCLA chapter. Being a chapter member of the international organization will give our members access to benefits they otherwise would not have. The network is huge and the resources phenomenal in terms of nursing knowledge and dissemination of evidence pertinent to nurses."

Sigma Theta Tau International is a nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the health of people worldwide through leadership and scholarship in practice, education and research. Founded in 1922, the honor society has about 125,000 active members in 433 chapters located at 512 institutions of higher education throughout the United States, as well as in Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Africa, Swaziland, Taiwan and Tanzania.

Campus chapter officers are CSUF students and graduates: Rachelle Rodriguez, president; Darcie Peterson, president-elect; Eric Winter, vice president; Christine Berringer, secretary; and Victoria Morrison, treasurer. Benita R. McConnell, lecturer in nursing, will serve as a faculty adviser along with Orr.

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