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Chapter History From the inception of Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, a goal was to establish a nursing honor society and pursue becoming a Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI). Most of the College's faculty were already active STTI members and were profoundly aware of the many benefits of participation in STTI especially in the areas of scholarship and leadership development. The ideals, mission, and overall goals of the College were clearly in congruence with the purposes and goals of STTI. Thus, development of a nursing honor society and working toward chartering as a STTI chapter became an integral component of the College's development.
The Nursing Honor Society grew and flourished as the College of Nursing pursued its initial regional and nursing accreditations. In 1995, the Nursing Honor Society was invited to active participation in the Atlanta Area Consortium of Sigma Theta Tau International Chapters. In the fall of 1996, a scholarship/research fund was implemented with the long term goal of providing final awards to support nursing scholarship and research. On September 23, 1996, the Nursing Honor Society submitted application to become a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. Upon review of the application, the International Eligibility Committee notified the Nursing Honor Society that it had been approved for a site visit. In April 1997, Dr. Mary Lou Bond conducted the site visit which concluded with her recommendation to the STTI Board of Directors that our Nursing Honor Society be approved for presentation to the STTI House of Delegates at the 1997 STTI Biennial Convention. Members of the Nursing Honor Society enthusiastically initiated preparations to attend the Biennial Convention. Ten of the society's members had either papers or posters accepted for presentation at the Convention. A total of seventeen members attended the the 34th Biennial Convention which was held December 2-6, 1997 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. The generously of member Elizabeth Perry, allowed one student to attend the convention with all expenses paid! On Saturday, December 6, 1997, Dr. Sandra Rayburn, Honor Society President, and Dr. Linda Streit, Immediate Past President, presented the Honor Society's Petition for Charter to the STTI House of Delegates. The petition was approved by unanimous vote of the House. On May 18, 1998, the Nursing Honor Society was officially chartered as the Pi Gamma Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. The Installing Officer was Dr. Pam Levi, RN, EdD, a STTI Director. The Nursing Honor Society had submitted a special request for Dr. Levi to serve as the installing officer because of her special relationship to the College of Nursing and Nursing Honor Society. Dr. Levi, Dean of the College of Health Sciences & Professor of Nursing Informatics at Georgia College & State University, is an alumna of a graduate of Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing. She had provided support to the Nursing Honor Society during its development and throughout the charter application process. Additionally, the STTI Chapter at Georgia College & State University, Theta Tau, served as our mentor chapter.
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