Montana Tech’s Sherry Lesar School of Nursing joins Zeta Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau
The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing at Montana Technological University is the newest member of the Zeta Upsilon at-Large Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. It held an induction ceremony for all Montana Tech, Carroll College, and Montana State University students on Saturday, October 26, 2024 in the Library Auditorium.
The charter was amended to allow Montana Tech to join Carroll College and Montana State University in the Zeta Upsilon at-Large Chapter in June, marking the culmination of several years of hard work spearheaded by Assistant Professor Laurie Noel.
“We wanted to become a part of this organization with 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,” said Director of Nursing Janet Richards Coe, MSN, RN, CHSE. “Laurie Noel took the project on over two years ago. She and the leaders from MSU and Carroll College have worked diligently to complete the application and provide the documentation and work through the process to make this happen.”
Sigma Theta Tau is the second-largest nursing organization in the world, with more than 135,000 members. It offers a number of benefits to its members including free or discounted nursing continuing professional development courses, free access to advisors and mentors for career support, and free subscriptions to Sigma’s top ranked journals. Additionally, there are opportunities to professionally network with other members.
“Because it’s an international honor society, the networking and collaboration and connection to the member community around the world lets us as nurses in the nursing profession have the ability to reach out and collaborate worldwide, which is huge,” Coe said. “To have a platform to connect and bounce ideas off each other is invaluable.”
Nursing students admitted to the organization must have a 3.5 or higher GPA, rank in the highest 35 percent of the graduating class, and meet the expectation of academic integrity.
The induction ceremony for new members from all three Montana colleges rotates campuses every year. This fall the ceremony was hosted on Montana Tech’s campus. Coe anticipates many members of the Montana Tech faculty will join or transfer membership from another chapter alongside the students nominated for membership.
The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing is the #1 nursing program in Montana, according to the 2024 Top Ranked Nursing Schools listing by RegisteredNursing.org, and the 2024 Best Nursing School in Montana by RNcareers.org.It is home to the Lesar Family Nursing Simulation Center, which opened in May 2022. This facility is approximately 5,000 square feet and offers four simulation suites with the ability to flex space to hospital, home, or office settings, debriefing rooms, and telehealth rooms. In addition, the center includes a nurse's station and medication room for student-simulated learning experiences.