About Us/History
About Us
The International Honor Society to which Tau Upsilon proudly belongs to. It is a community of nurses who excel in their profession academically and professionally.
History - Formation of a Chapter
In the latter part of the ‘90s, there were informal discussions about starting an Honor Society at the School of Nursing, University of Windsor. Fortunately, some faculty members were already Sigma Theta Tau International members, so there was support for the Mission and Goals of The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International but now there would be a base of nurses and members locally.
In spring of 2000, a group of faculty members and community leaders recognized that the time was right to act on faculty and community interest in establishing an Honor Society of Nursing. The first steering committee meeting took place July 31, 2000. Letters of invitation to membership in the Honor Society of Nursing were sent out in November 2000.
Our first induction ceremony was March 25, 2001. Seventy-nine nurses, including faculty, community leaders and students, were inducted into the Honor Society of Nursing. There has been an induction each year since and there are currently 103 members with current registration.
From the beginning, our focus was to become a Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. In the summer of 2004, our membership exceeded the numbers required for chapter status and we began the application process. In April 2005, there was a site visit by a representative for Sigma Theta Tau International. After two days of intense scrutiny, the Honor Society was highly recommended to be considered for chapter status. By the June 2005 annual general meeting, our application for Chapter Status had been approved. In November, our signed Petition for Chapter Status was presented and accepted at the Biennial Meeting of Sigma Theta Tau International. Our Chartering ceremony was held on April 2, 2006.
During the first five years of operation as an Honor Society, we sponsored two educational events a year. Some of these were co-sponsored with other partners, including the Faculty of Nursing, RNAO, and Michigan State University. Some events have brought international speakers; for instance, Dr. Andree LeMay (England).
Tau Upsilon Chapter Goals
In keeping with the goals of Sigma Theta Tau International, Tau Upsilon Chapter is committed to pursuing the “pathways for nursing excellence”. Our focus will continue to be scholarship, leadership and research and the application of these in clinical practice to improve health care and change the status of nursing. The three pillars are Honour, Courage and Love. We Achieve these goals and ideals through:
- Recruiting community leaders who excel in their area of expertise and who contribute to the profession of nursing.
- Encouraging students to seek membership by maintaining an outstanding academic standing (GPA must be 78% or greater in the undergrad and complete ½ of the course work and an 84% or greater in the graduate program and complete ¼ of the course work)
- Involving the membership in activities that enhance the profession of nursing, increasing awareness of the excellence of scholarship, leadership and research inherent in the work of the Faculty of Nursing, University of Windsor. We also have a strong commitment to study health care issues that affect the community.
- Recognizing students as members of Tau Upsilon Chapter at graduation as a means to encourage others to excel.
The international honor society of which Tau Upsilon belongs is a community of nurses who excel in their profession academically and professionally. As stated at the Biennial Conference, these nurses are the best of the best and some of the brightest that the profession has to offer. Those aspiring to be members of Tau Upsilon must meet strict educational and professional criteria. The Chapter will enhance the profile of the Faculty of Nursing and the University of Windsor because only those nurses who excel in leadership, education and research can be members.
Sigma Theta Tau International is a prestigious Honor Society of Nursing. In Canada, we are proud to be one of only 19 Chapters that have met their rigorous standards. Chapters of Sigma Theta Tau are celebrated internationally. There are over 100 countries represented and over 500 chapters in North America alone. Therefore, our local chapter, Tau Upsilon will be identified worldwide.