Sigma Theta Tau Alpha Eta Chapter

Sigma Global Nursing Excellence Alpha Eta Chapter

The UCSF Alpha Eta Chapter is the 29th chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Society of Nursing (Sigma), an international community of nurses dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, teaching, learning and service through the cultivation of communities of practice, education and research. As one of the oldest Sigma chapters, Alpha Eta is proud to advance Sigma's mission within the nursing community at UCSF and throughout the Bay Area. We encourage you to join our vibrant community.

Join Sigma Theta Tau Alpha Eta Chapter

Members of the Sigma Theta Tau Alpha Eta Chapter at UCSF have access to educational opportunities, financial support and grants, professional networking events and more. The application for new membership will open January 2025. See flyer for more details about member benefits. Contact Angel Barrios for membership questions.

Sigma Theta Alpha Eta Chapter Awards

  • Doctor of Nursing Practice Award: Active Sigma Theta Tau/Alpha Eta Chapter holding a DNP degree and UCSF student members who have completed at least one project series course are eligible for this award of up to $1,000. Review the application instructions on the Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE) (UCSF log-in required). The application for the 2024 award is now closed.
  • Research Award: The application for the Sigma Theta Tau/Alpha Eta Chapter Research Award is now open. Usual grants awarded are $2,500-$3,000. The maximum award is $4,000. Review the application instructions on the Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE) (UCSF log-in required). The application for the 2024 award is now closed.

Sigma Region 1 International Nursing Conference 2024

Join Alpha Eta Chapter members at the 2024 Sigma Region 1 International Nursing Conference, June 25-27, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The theme of the event is "Nurses as Adaptive Leaders: For Healthy People and a Healthy Planet."

Jerry John Nutor, PhD, RN, FAAN, assistant professor, is a conference keynote speaker. His talk is titled, "Nursing Leadership: Aligning with Sustainable Development Goals for Global Health." Sandra Staveski, PhD, CPNP-AC, FAAN, associate professor, will lead a plenary session titled, "Planetary Health is Human Health."

Visit the conference webpage to register and review the conference program for session details. 

Alpha Eta Chapter Resources

Alpha Eta Chapter History

The Alpha Eta Chapter, the 29th Sigma Theta Tau International Chapter, was established on May, 22, 1964. In 1961, led by Lida Chase, president of the School of Nursing student body, UCSF students and faculty began to formally build the foundations for the Alpha Eta Chapter. Faculty members most involved from 1961 to 1964 were Janet Erickson and Jean Burroughs. Installation of the chapter was held on May 22, 1964. Sigma President Catherine McClure, Teresa Campbell, Alpha Eta Chapter's first president, and Vice President Shirley Sears Chater presided over the installation of 57 charter members.

In the ensuing years since chapter establishment, the Alpha Eta Chapter has forged a close relationship to the research-intensive UCSF School of Nursing which fostered it. Our consistent attention to seed grant funding has supported growth of doctoral student research, prompted faculty collaborations with medical center staff for better outcomes in patient care and provided matching funds for expansion of research programs in quality care. The chapter has sponsored research and leadership conferences annually — often in collaboration with other scholarly organizations or Sigma chapters — and we have developed leaders in education, research and service. Current efforts include support of research activity in Africa through an at-large chapter, local community activities in collaboration with other campus and regional efforts to heighten public support for charitable works, and endowed research funding for the future.

Goals of the Alpha Eta Chapter

The Alpha Eta Chapter is committed to: 

  • Recognizing superior achievement. 
  • Recognizing the development of leadership qualities.
  • Fostering high professional standards. 
  • Encouraging creative work. 
  • Strengthening commitment to the ideals and purposes of the profession of nursing. 

 

Benefits of Alpha Eta Chapter Membership

Members have access to educational opportunities, financial support and grants, professional networking events, board leadership positions, subscription to the Journal of Nursing Scholarship and eligibility for the Alpha Eta Chapter Research and Leadership Awards. If members move away from the San Francisco Bay Area, they are able to transfer their membership to another chapter or join an additional chapter and hold dual membership. 

Benefits of Sigma Membership

Sigma is designed to meet members' specific needs at every stage of their career. Membership offers exceptional benefits, including members-only free access to online nursing professional development courses to help you thrive as a nurse. Learn more about these and other benefits on the Sigma membership site

Apply to the Alpha Eta Chapter

Step 1: Ensure that your Sigma membership is current. To join Sigma, or to reactivate your membership, contact Sigma Member Services at [email protected] or (888) 634-7575. 

Step 2: Self-enroll in the Sigma Alpha Eta Chapter course of the Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE) (UCSF log-in required).

Step 3: Students, faculty and community leaders follow these steps to apply:

  1. Complete application (UCSF log-in required)
  2. Upload CV/resume (UCSF log-in required)
  3. Upload supporting documents (UCSF log-in required)

For questions about the member application, contact Angel Barrios, counselor for the Alpha Eta Chapter, at [email protected]. View flyer for details.

About the Alpha Eta Research and Leadership Endowment

On May 28, 2009, the Alpha Eta Chapter celebrated its 45th induction of new members and launched a campaign for the creation of a new fund that will ensure funding for the chapter's annual awards in perpetuity. Some of the chapter's awards are long standing: Since 1980, Alpha Eta has funded six to eight research grants a year ($15,000 per year) to support student and faculty research, and Sigma has gratefully acknowledged our sponsorship of these awards at its biennial Leadership Academy on three occasions.

Some awards are newer: In 2008, the Sigma Theta Tau International/Alpha Eta Collaborative Research Grant was initiated to support Tau Lambda-at-Large (15 chapters) for research and advancement of nursing knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Alpha Eta has pledged $2,000 a year for the next two years. The first award will fund a study titled "The Experiences of Grandmothers Who Are Taking Care of Orphan Grandchildren," by Sheila Shaibu, PhD, RN in Botswana. The success of such awards will determine ongoing funding.

Alpha Eta's Board of Directors has also approved a new award to support leadership development ($2,000 per year). The award will support active Alpha Eta chapter members who are engaged in activities such as the Sigma Leadership Program and the Maternal-Child Health Leadership Academy, campaigning for offices in state, national or international organizations, or attending courses in leadership development or conferences, such as the American Academy of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the Sigma Biennial Conference, or the Sigma Biennial Leadership Academy. The initial grant awards were awarded in 2009.

We hope you agree that these awards — which testify to the Alpha Eta Chapter's commitment to Sigma's strategic plan for knowledge, service and leadership — deserve stable, ongoing funding. Our fundraising goal is $400,000 and a leadership gift of $100,000 has launched this campaign. We have met our goals to endow the fund, and continue to add your contributions to the endowment.

This fundraising campaign cannot succeed without the full support of every Alpha Eta Chapter member, and to help us meet our funding goal, please pledge or make a donation now. You may:

  • Make an online donation
  • Send a check payable to UCSF Foundation FBO Alpha Eta Nursing Research and Leadership Fund. The check should be sent to UCSF Foundation, Alpha Eta Nursing Research and Leadership Fund, P.O. Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339.
  • Make a pledge for annual contributions, in recognition of the benefit you received as an award recipient.

We hope you will join us in contributing to the fund. Your commitment is vital for our success. 

Contact Alpha Eta

Alpha Eta Chapter
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
University of California, San Francisco
School of Nursing 
2 Koret Way, 319F
San Francisco, 94143 CA 

[email protected]

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Alpha Eta Chapter Leadership

Board Members
President Marianne Hultgren, DNP, RN, CNE Associate Professor
Immediate Past President Anna Tealdi, MS, RN Clinical Nurse, Stanford Children's Health
Vice President Angelita Barrios, DNP, RN, CN Assistant Clinical Professor; Contact with questions about member application
Secretary Ellen Schell, PhD, RN, FAAN Senior Advisor, Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance
Treasurer Carolyn Bogard, DNP, MS, RN Director, Care Coordination and Palliative Care
Chapter Counselor Renee Sunseri, MS, RN, PHN DNP Student
Chapter Mentor Patricia Sparacino, PhD, RN, FAAN Professor Emerita
Archivist Ellen Schell, PhD, RN, FAAN Senior Advisor, Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance
Communication Coordinator Rubi Alva de Hickson, MS, RN, NP DNP Student
Research Committee
Committee Co-Chair Linda Franck, PhD, RN, FAAN Professor
Committee Co-Chair Marianne Hultgren, DNP, RN, CNE Associate Professor
Leadership Succession Committee
Committee Co-Chair Maria Yefimova, PhD Lead Nurse Scientist
Committee Co-Chair Lindsey Scheller, RN PhD Student
Governance Committee
Chair Juli Maxworthy, DNP, RN Associate Professor
Representatives
Master of Science program Open Position  
DNP program Devon Fordyce-Wilson, MS, RN, PHN DNP Student
PhD program Celestine Ofori-Parku, Dip., RM, BSc PhD Student

Sigma Theta Tau Alpha Eta Chapter Award Recipients

Congratulations to the 2024 Alpha Eta Chapter Award Recipients.

PhD Awardees
- Samantha Auerbach, PhD, WHNP-BC, "Experiences of Traveling Out-of-State for Abortion Care with Practical Support"
- Celestine Ofori-Parku, Dip., RM, BSc, "An Exploration of Maternal Healthcare Providers' Perspectives of Respectful Care in the United States"
- Lindsey Scheller, RN, "Racial, Ethnic, and Neighborhood-Level Social Determinants of Health Disparities on Post-Tracheostomy Outcomes Among Children on Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation"

DNP Awardees
- Denise Jacobson, RN, CNS, CCRN, "Overcoming Subcutaneous Treatment of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (SQ DKA) Protocol Implementation Barriers"
- Renee Sunseri, MS, RN, PHN, "Increasing Public Health Nursing Retention: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project"
- Johanna Velazquez, PHN, RN, FNP-C, "Developing Professional Identity in Rural Latinx Nurses Through Virtual Platforms"

Alpha Eta Chapter
Clockwise from top left: Auerbach, Ofori-Parku, Scheller, Jacobson, Sunseri, Velazquez

 

Jerry John Nutor, PhD, RN

Jerry John Nutor Named Sigma Representative to United Nations

Jerry John Nutor, PhD, RN, FAAN, assistant professor, has been named Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing's liaison to the United Nations. Nutor is a nurse scientist who works with nurses and health care professionals in the United States and in Africa. His passion for global health and his multiple leadership roles advocating for the nursing profession worldwide have prepared him to be a strong representative for Sigma at the UN. Read the full announcement.

Linda Franck

Linda Franck Named 2024 Helen Nahm Research Lecture Award Recipient

Lina Franck, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor and co-chair of Alpha Eta Chapter's research committee, is the recipient of the 2024 Helen Nahm Research Lecture Award in honor of her outstanding contributions to nursing science and research. An esteemed UCSF School of Nursing alumna and professor, Franck is the Jack and Elaine Koech Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nursing. Her influential career in interdisciplinary research focuses on family- and community-partnered interventions to improve health equity and outcomes for infants, children and reproductive-age people. 

In celebration of the the award, Franck delivered a lecture on May 8, 2024, titled "Family Matters: Advancing Health and Equity Through Nursing-Led Research Partnerships." See photos and watch a recording from the event.

 

Sigma Alpha Eta Chapter

New members participate in the 2019 Alpha Eta Chapter Induction Ceremony.
New members participate in the 2019 Alpha Eta Chapter Induction Ceremony.
Geraldine "Gerri" Collins-Bride, MS, RN, FAAN, professor, receives the 2019 Margretta Madden Styles Award during the 2019 Alpha Eta Chapter Induction Ceremony.
Geraldine "Gerri" Collins-Bride, MS, RN, FAAN, professor, receives the 2019 Margretta Madden Styles Award during the 2019 Alpha Eta Chapter Induction Ceremony.
School of Nursing community members attend the Alpha Eta 50th Anniversary Celebration and Gala in June 2014.
School of Nursing community members attend the Alpha Eta 50th Anniversary Celebration and Gala in June 2014.
Garrett Chan attends the Alpha Eta 50th Anniversary Celebration and Gala in June 2014.
Garrett Chan attends the Alpha Eta 50th Anniversary Celebration and Gala in June 2014.
Apply to the Alpha Eta Chapter

New Member Application Opens January 2025