Greetings,
The Eta Beta Chapter is proud to support meaningful projects in our local community. This season, we are collecting monetary donations for the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, and we invite you to join us in making a difference.
Your contribution will help provide critical resources to individuals and families in need. Please consider donating:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-support-the-domestic-abuse-project-of-delaware-county

Thank you for your generosity and commitment to supporting those who need it most. Together, we can make a lasting impact!
Warm regards,
DeLisa Cofer
President, Eta Beta Chapter of Sigma

Eta Beta Chapter has again received the Key Award! Drs. Cofer and Kokoszka accepted the award at the Biennial convention.

In addition, Eta Beta received regional recognition for exemplary efforts for the following:

Responding

Communicating

Reflecting

Respecting

Mentorship

Kudos!!

A wonderful time was had by all at the Eta Beta Fall Dinner. Dr. Regina Green presented on Mental Health. Awards were presented to the following recipients:

Excellence in Teaching - Dr. Kristin Davies

Excellence in Leadership - Dr. DeLisa Cofer

Excellence in Mentorship - Dr. Emily Battaglia

Excellence in Research - Dr. Meg Hall

Congratulations!

Student Membership Ambassador Role

Position Description

The Student Membership Ambassador is a representative at the chapter level that serves as a liaison between student members and the Eta Beta Chapter. The ambassador should strive to strengthen the connection with new and potential inductees to create welcoming environments and to orient and inform this membership segment about STTI and Eta Beta

Requirements

·       New student inductees that are active, dues-paying members of the chapter

·       filling and able to serve a two-year term (senior year and one year after graduation)

·       Able to participate in Eta Beta activities (leadership meetings. scholarship programs)

Responsibilities

·       Serve as liaison between newly inducted and potential student members and the chapter, regional, international levels of STTI.

·       Introduce potential inductees to STTI and Eta Beta Chapter activities and benefits of membership.

·       Use Eta Beta's social media presence to engage and inform newly inducted and potential student members.

·       Participate in leadership succession activities by shadowing chapter leaders, participating in board meetings or conference calls, and collaborating with the member involvement committee.

·       Survey new student members or candidates or foster discussions to discover and understand the needs of these members.

Benefits

·       Annual membership dues for the initial year of membership will be reimbursed by the chapter at the end of the fiscal

·       Registration fees for Eta Beta's Fall Dinner Programs will be paid by the chapter.

·       Registration fees for the Tri-State Consortium Program will be paid by the chapter.

Application Process

·       Applications for the position are due by November 12, 2025. Please submit applications to Dr. Stephanie Jeffers via email (sjeffers@widener.edu).

·       A 250-word essay describing your leadership and communication skills as well as your vision for fulfilling the

·       above responsibilities are required.

·       Two applicants will be chosen by the Eta Beta Board at the December Board meeting.

·       Student Ambassadors will serve a one-year term starting on January 1 and ending on December 31.

          *Attend three events, one in Spring and two in Fall semester.

To continue building that spirit of connection, I warmly invite you to join us for the New Member Orientation on October 22 at 6:00 PM via Zoom: https://widener.zoom.us/j/8633391891. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our new inductees, reconnect with one another, and hear about the many benefits of being a member of the Eta Beta Chapter.

Congratulations to the Eta Beta Chapter! The chapter will receive the Key Award at the upcoming biennial conference in November. 

The Chapter Key Award, established in 1991, honors Sigma chapters that excel in chapter-related activities such as:  

• Chapter Leadership and Operations 

• Membership Recruitment and Retention 

• Communication and Engagement 

• Chapter Service, Awards, and Philanthropy 

Chapter Leader Descriptions
Sigma has developed chapter leader position descriptions that can be used as templates to better define the roles and responsibilities of the leaders serving your chapter.

Chapter Leader Qualifications
• Active member in the chapter
• Completed a consent to serve in the position
• Positions required in the chapter bylaws have a two-year commitment

Chapter Leader Resources
• The All Chapter Officers Workgroup in The Circle is the learning hub for all of Sigma’s chapter leaders. Visit https://thecircle.sigmanursing.org/mygroups to access the workgroup. Take part in discussions, ask questions, view a full list of important upcoming dates, and access a library with more than 400 training resources, including orientation information for specific positions.
• Visit your Regional Officer Connect Workgroup in The Circle to connect with other chapter leaders in your region and your regional coordinator!
• Access the Chapter Management System (CMS) to download membership rosters, review nurse leader applications, submit important reports to headquarters, write news for Sigma Update and more. Visit https://management.sigmanursing.org to get started.
• Each chapter has a website hosted in The Circle. These free resources are an excellent way for chapters to connect with members, create a sense of community, and establish an online presence. Access your chapter website by using the direct URL: CHAPTERGREEKNAME.sigmanursing.org. (ex. deltaupsilon.sigmanursing.org).

Secretary
• Serve on the chapter’s board of directors:
o Record, write, and distribute the minutes for each Board of Directors and business meeting.
o Keep an official record book of the minutes, in perpetuity, of all Board of Directors and business
meetings to present to the succeeding secretary.
o Prepare an annual report to the chapter membership regarding the secretary’s responsibilities
and activities.
o Develop and maintain policies and procedures related to the position of secretary. Submit
modifications or new policies and procedures to the Board of Directors for approval. • Lead communication to the chapter membership:
o Organize and develop a comprehensive chapter communication plan.
o Organize, write, and distribute all membership communication about chapter activities.
o Develop and maintain chapter’s online outlets for publicity or membership communication. o Serve as chair of chapter communications committee, if applicable.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by chapter: o Serve on committees as needed.
• Skills Gained through Service:
o Serve on a non-profit/non-governmental organization board of directors o Team communication
o Leadership of committee
o Social Media
o Communication standards
o Budgeting

Treasurer
• Serve on the chapter’s board of directors:
o Prepare and present a current financial report to the board of directors at each meeting.
o Prepare and submit an annual budget to the board of directors with appropriate committee
advisory council or task force.
o Develop and maintain fiscal policies and procedures in collaboration with the appropriate
committee. Submit new policies or modifications of existing policies to the boar d of directors for
approval.
o Prepare an annual report to the chapter membership regarding the treasurer’s responsibilities
and activities.
• Be custodian of the chapter funds:
o Prepare and submit the financial section of the chapter annual report. o Work with an accountant on a biennial audit.

o Obtain and complete necessary tax forms for the Internal Revenue Service (US chapters only) or other governing agencies.
o Manage the investment plan of the chapter with support from the board of directors.
o Be aware of Sigma’s policies and timelines regarding chapter checks, and communicate how your
chapter would like them delivered.
o May be bonded in an amount equal to three-fourths of the worth of the chapter.
• Skills Gained through Service:
o Serve on a non-profit/non-governmental organization board of directors o Team communication
o Leadership of committee
o Financial accountability and accounting standards
o Budgeting

Counselor
• Serve on the chapter board of directors:
o Prepare an annual report to the chapter membership regarding the counselor’s responsibilities
and activities.
o Develop and maintain policies and procedures related to the position of counselor. Submit
modifications or new policies and procedures to the board of directors for approval. • Lead the recruitment process and be an advocate for membership in the organization:
o Lead the procedure for determining membership eligibility and inducting members.
o Develop strategies for publicizing and informing students and nursing leaders of membership
eligibility criteria.
o Secure necessary data from the official records of students to determine eligibility status.
o Notify students of their eligibility status and send out the appropriate informational materials. o Prepare and set up inductions using the Online Induction System. Download the latest version
and consult the Online Induction System manual for each induction.
o Prepare for inductions by downloading and customizing the induction scripts and slides.
o Work with the appropriate parties to plan induction ceremony events.
o Download and send the “Sample Letter to Send Before Induction” to each eligible candidate
before induction. • Serve on committees:
o Serve on the Governance Committee (may be appointed as chair).
o Work with other committees, as assigned. • Skills Gained through Service:
o Serve on a non-profit/non-governmental organization board of directors o Team communication
o Leadership of committee
o Recruitment best practices
o Budgeting
• Special Notes about Counselors:
o Counselors are required to be a faculty member or employee at the university or practice setting affiliated with the chapter.
o Counselors of alumni chapters who oversee nurse leader inductions are not required to be faculty.
o At-large chapters should have a counselor at each institution of higher education and practice setting.

Governance Committee
• Committee Structure:
o 4 committee members

• Reports to the board of directors:
o Prepare an annual report to the chapter membership regarding the governance committee
responsibilities and activities.
o Develop and maintain policies and procedures related to the governance committee. Submit
modifications or new policies and procedures to the board of directors for approval. • Membership eligibility:
o Oversee chapter membership eligibility issues and determine where the exception clauses apply. o Collaborate with Counselor to promote membership to potential candidates.
o Assist with the planning and organization of the induction.
• Chapter bylaws:
o Lead the bylaws amendment process by considering, reviewing, editing and/or correlating
amendments as suggested or appropriate
o Utilize the updated chapter bylaws template created by Sigma each biennium.
o Submit the updated bylaws to Sigma every even year and when the chapter makes bylaws
alterations.
• Skills Gained through Service:
o Serving on a committee
o Team communication
o Organizational governance o Recruitment best practices

Description:

Eta Beta is pleased to offer a grant to support the research endeavors of its members. The purpose of Eta Beta research grants is to encourage qualified nurses to contribute to the advancement of nursing through scholarly activities.

·      Annually, Eta Beta will award individual grants in the amount of up to $1,000.

o   Depending on the number of applications received, the budgets of the applications received, and the merit of the applications received, this award may be divided up among 3-5 applicants 

·      Applications will be blindly reviewed by current Eta Beta Board members.  The review is based on the extent to which the application meets the following criteria:

o   the overall application meets the format of the application criteria

o   the research question responds to an important gap in knowledge.

o   it is likely that the proposed methods will address the research question(s).

o   the methods are appropriate, substantiated, and rigorous

o   the project is accomplishable in the stated timeframe with the resources available/described

Note:  Eta Beta board members will recuse themselves from application reviews if they have applied for this grant. 

Requirements:

·       Applicants must be current members of Eta Beta 

·       Applicants must submit the Grant Award Agreement (p. 2).

·       Applicants must submit the research proposal of no more than 5 pages (appendices and references not included) that addresses the components of the Grant Application Criteria listed below (p. 3).

·       Applicants must report additional monetary funding received for this research.

·      If approval has not been received at this time, note the date and to whom it was submitted. Funds will not be dispersed until proof of IRB approval has been submitted.

·       Applicants must submit all components of the application in a PDF format in one file only.

·        Please e-mail your cover letter (with Eta Beta status), CV, proposal, Eta Beta grant award agreement and other documents (IRB approval, educational materials, budget etc.) as a PDF attachment to: Emily Battaglia, PhD, RN  eebattaglia@widener.edu

·       Applications must be received by no later Friday May 2^nd 2025

Formatting Requirements: Times New Roman, 12 point-font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins, ≤ 8 pages in length excluding references and appendices.

Application Requirements:

A.    Specific Aims (1/2 page)

State what the research is intended to accomplish, research questions, and /or what hypothesis is to be tested.

C. Background and Significance (1 page)

Critically evaluate existing knowledge to identify knowledge gaps which the proposed research study is intended to address. Provide a summary of the theoretical rationale, as appropriate. Further identify the importance of the proposed research study by relating the specific aims to longer term objectives and implications for health care.

D. Methods (2-3 pages)

Discuss and substantiate the choice of the proposed research design, sample, data collection procedures, and data analysis procedures be used to accomplish specific aims. Describe protocols to be used and the tentative sequence of the investigation. Discuss and substantiate strengths, as well as potential challenges and limitations of the proposed research study.

1.     Sample

Describe the population to which the study will apply and sample characteristics. Include the number of participants, the rationale for sample size, and the sampling procedure.

2.     Data Collection

Identify all variables/phenomena that data will be collected on. Identify the process by which data will be collected including details about who will collect data and when data will be collected. If applicable, identify data collection instruments to be used and the characteristics of the instruments (e.g. reliability, validity, scoring if appropriate). Include copies of the data collection instrument(s) (e.g. interview guides for qualitative studies) in the Appendix. 

3.   Data Analysis

Identify all variables/phenomena to be studied. Identify the process by which data will be collected including details about who will collect data and when data will be collected. If applicable, identify data collection instruments to be used and the characteristics of the instruments (e.g. reliability, validity, scoring). Include copies of the data collection instrument(s) (e.g. interview guides for qualitative studies) in the Appendix. 

4. Human Subjects Protection

Identify the risks of participation in the study, informed consent process, and how participants will be protected. Attach IRB approval letter in the Appendix.

E. Timeline and Available Resources (1 page)

Identify the timeline and applicable resources available to support the implementation of the study or project (e.g. laboratories, clinical resources, office space, etc.).

F. Budget (1/2 page)

Supply a budget which indicates all personnel costs, equipment/travel/trainee costs, and other costs (e.g. materials/supplies, publication costs, consultant costs, computer services, recruitment, dissemination).

H. References

List the references cited in the text using APA 7^th edition format.

I. Appendices

Include all relevant appendices (e.g. data collection instrument, timeline, budget).

Deadline to apply is May 12th

Deadline to apply is May 12th

Call for Research Abstracts – Eta Beta Scholarship Symposium 2025 on April 25, 2025

Deadline for Submission: March 14, 2025

Eta Beta Research Day invites nurses, student nurses, researchers, and faculty to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations at this year’s event, focusing on the 2023–2025 organizational call to action to "Represent". This includes reflecting, respecting, and responding This event provides a platform for presenting innovative research, best practices, and emerging trends in nursing and healthcare.

Submission Guidelines:

1. Abstracts should be between 250-350 words in length.
2. Topic Areas: Abstracts related to nursing practice, clinical research, nursing education, healthcare policy, patient care, and other related areas are welcome.
3. Submission Process:
• Abstracts must be submitted to mcfrancis@widener.edu. By March 14, 2025
• Please include a brief bio (150 words) for each presenter.
4. Review Process: Submitted abstracts will undergo a peer-review process. Acceptance notifications will be sent by April 1. 2025.
5. Presentation Formats: Accepted abstracts will be presented either in oral or poster format.

For more details and submission instructions, please visit our website: Eta Beta.

We look forward to your contributions and to a successful symposium!

Contact Information:
Mary Francis RN PhD ACNP-BC

Mcfrancis@widener.edu

Upcoming Eta Beta events! Please plan on attending one or all!

General Body Meeting - March 19th 6pm via zoom (link will be posted closer to the date)

Networking Event! April 2nd 6pm - Founders Hall Lobby. Details to follow!

Eta Beta Scholarship Symposium - Friday April 25 8am-12noon, Alumni Auditorium