The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing celebrated the charter of an expanded, Nu at-Large Chapter of Sigma during a chapter amendment ceremony on December 13, 2019.
Through the chapter amendment, Nu Chapter became an at-large chapter and welcomed community partners Tuskegee University and UAB Hospital into the chapter.
“The Nu Chapter is excited to extend our chapter and welcome our community partners, Tuskegee University School of Nursing and Allied Health and UAB Hospital, into the Nu at-Large Chapter,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Doreen Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN. “As an organization, Sigma is dedicated to advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership and service, and by welcoming more members from other organizations, we are able to engage nurses at all levels of their career and advance opportunities for our students, alumni and faculty.”
Nu Chapter was founded at UAB on June 21, 1958 as the 12th chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, which is now known as Sigma. The nursing honors society has inducted more than 2,500 members in its 60-year history, and induced several more at its chapter amendment ceremony. Its expansion will be celebrated in 2021, as part of Sigma’s 100th anniversary celebration.
“From a clinical perspective, this at-Large chapter opens opportunities for more scholarship and research,” said three-time UAB graduate and UAB Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Terri Poe, DNP, RN, NE-BC (BSN 1986, DNP 2013). “We know partnerships help grow our teams, and the more involved we can be in academic-practice partnerships, the better. Sigma is the 2nd largest professional organization for nursing, and by using our network wisely, we have opportunities to learn and grow as an organization and profession.”
The Nu at-Large Chapter is the sixth Sigma chapter to include a practice setting, and one of three at-Large chapters to include a Historically Black College. There are 14 total Historically Black Colleges with Sigma chapters.
“Sigma provides so many opportunities in scholarship, leadership and personal and professional development. For us, the at-large chapter allows students at a Historically Black College to also experience those opportunities,” said two-time UAB School of Nursing alumna and Tuskegee University School of Nursing and Allied Health Dean Constance Smith Hendricks, PhD, RN (BSN 1974, MSN 1981). “As one of three at-large chapters including a Historically Black College, this unique partnership will help enhance diversity in nursing and health care, we bring new skillsets and experience. This at-large chapter opens doors to new, endless opportunities.”
During the charter amendment ceremony, the Nu at-Large Chapter welcomed members Tuskegee University and UAB Hospital, inducted new members and transferred Nu Chapter members into the at-large chapter.
“This designation signifies the partnership of the UAB School of Nursing, the Tuskegee University School of Nursing & Allied Health and UAB Hospital,” said Nu Chapter President and UAB School of Nursing Assistant Professor Laura Steadman, Ed.D, CRNP, MSN, RNI. “Being a chapter at-large opens the door to even greater collaboration in education, research, scholarship and community service. By engaging members in the workplace, we can also optimize member recruitment, engagement and retention across the span of a nurse’s career.”