Abstract

Sigma Theta Tau was founded in 1922 by six students at the Indiana University Training School for Nurses, Indianapolis, Indiana. The name was chosen using the initials of the Greek words, STORGA, THAROS, TIME, meaning Love, Courage, and Honor. Sigma Theta Tau was organized to encourage and recognize superior scholarship and leadership achievement at the undergraduate and graduate levels in nursing.

The problem of this study was to write a historical overview of Sigma Theta Tau and to develop guidelines for use by chapter historians in writing histories and maintaining archives. The primary concern of this study was the growth and evolution of Sigma Theta Tau. It is, therefore, a history rather than a critique, a record rather than an evaluation. The study dealt with the period from the beginning of the society in 1922 to 1979.

A study of the minutes, reports, and archival materials of Sigma Theta Tau and interviews of the founders, national officers, and others yielded a historical understanding of the society's activities and made possible an appreciation of the past contributions as well as the major trends in the development of Sigma Theta Tau.

Four general conclusions were developed: (1) Sigma Theta Tau is a viable society; (2) the growth and development of the honor society is predicted through the year 2000; (3) the membership is composed of scholarly nurses fulfilling national leadership roles; and (4) Sigma Theta Tau is committed to improving the health of the public.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 8617065; ProQuest document ID: 303488399. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Rebecca Ellen Thomas Markel, EdD, MSN, RN, Sigma Second Vice President, 1977-1981

Sigma Membership

Alpha

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Historical

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Sigma Theta Tau, Scholarship, Leadership Achievement, Honor Society

Advisors

Butler, Raymond S.

Degree

Doctoral-Other

Degree Grantor

Indiana University

Degree Year

1986

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2022-09-26

Full Text of Presentation

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