alphasigma theta tau international chi honor societynews of nursing BOSTON WILLIAM F. CONNELL Winter 2015 COLLEGE SCHOOL OF NURSING ders Lea hip S y c t h i 45th Anniversary o n l u a r m of s Alpha Chi Chapter h m i p o C officers Alpha Chi Chapter, Boston College Sigma Theta Tau International Officers & Committees 2014–2015 Administrative Assistant Catherine Hill [email protected] Web Master Angela Bowser [email protected] President Kelly Stamp [email protected] Vice-President Louisa Dichard [email protected] Secretary Barbara MacIntrye [email protected] Treasurer Diana Kach [email protected] Faculty Counselor Colleen Simonelli [email protected] Governance Committee Colleen Simonelli, Chair [email protected] Rosemary Byrne [email protected] Louisa Dichard [email protected] Maureen Connolly [email protected] Student Representative Leadership Succession Maureen Connolly, Chair [email protected] Helen Williams [email protected] Program Committee Louisa Dichard, Chair [email protected] Diana Kach [email protected] Barbara MacIntrye [email protected] Publicity /Newsletter Chair & Committee Luanne Nugent, Co-Chair [email protected] Jacqueline Sly, Co-Chair [email protected] Student Representative Colleen McGauley Yvonne Shih alpha chi news • 2015 2 officers Awards & Scholarships Committee Margie Sipe, Chair [email protected] Carina Katigbak [email protected] Research Development Committee Viola Benavente, Chair [email protected] Stewart Bond [email protected] Joyce Edmonds [email protected] Allyssa Harris [email protected] Tam Nguyen [email protected] Clinical Research Committee Susan Desanto-Madeya, Chair [email protected] Donna Hudson Bryant [email protected] Sharon O’Donoghue [email protected] Diane Carroll [email protected] Ruth Lopez Membership Involvement Barbara MacIntyre, Chair [email protected] Louisa Dichard [email protected] Student Representative Heritage Committee Karen Lourence, Chair [email protected] Archivist Joellen Hawkins [email protected] Beth Grady [email protected] Finance Committee Barbara Hedstrom, Chair [email protected] Kelly Stamp, Ex-Offico [email protected] Louisa Dichard [email protected] Maureen Curtis Cooper [email protected] alpha chi news • 2015 3 Winter 2015 | vol. 31 no. 8 leadership 5 Greetngs Letter from the President 6 Letter from Susan Gennaro 7 45th Anniversary History of Alpha Chi Chapter 9 Pictorial Review of the Alpha Chi Chapter 11 Pictorial Review of Today’s Alpha Chi Chapter 12 Alpha Chi Student Members Travel to National Conferences scholarship 1 4 The Accomplishments of Sr. Callista Roy’s Sabbatical 2014-15 15 2014 Father Gorman Lecture 16 Effectiveness of Postpartum Education in the Reducing Symptoms of Postpartum Depression (PPD) community 17 A Nursing Student’s Perspective on Caring in Tanzania 19 Every Member Giving First Alpha Chi Student Supported Clothing Drive for “Dress for Success” 20 Community Opportunities – Volunteer Opportunities 21 Announcements 24 2014-2015 Calendar For more information and to see the Alpha Chi Calendar, please visit our website: www.bc.edu/sigma alpha chi news • 2015 4 leadership Greetings from the President hope that you had a peaceful Holiday Season. As the President of the Alpha IChi Chapter, I must take a moment to look back and reflect on where our chapter has been to see our vision for the future. We know that our chapter began in March of 1970 with 131 members and here we are 45 years later in 2015 with over 500 active members and approximately 1500 inactive members. We have worked hard over the years to bring in many dynamic speakers and hold well- respected research, educational and charitable events. Alpha Chi is known for its commitment to advancing health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. With these respected values that our members cherish and uphold, we need to think about the future of Alpha Chi and how our membership can bring this organization to new heights. Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and the Alpha Chi Chapter membership should not be grouped with other honor societies that are considered more of an honorary status for your resume or curriculum vitae because STTI and it’s chapters such as Alpha Chi are organizations for your entire career. STTI and Alpha Chi are about encouraging nurses to lead the way at all nursing career stages. As a member of STTI and Alpha Chi, you have the opportunity to be mentored in becoming a nurse leader by the best in our field from around the globe. When I think about the future and Alpha Chi’s strong history of involvement by their members, I would like our inactive members to reflect on these values and our mission and re-join us to elevate the chapter to a new level. Active members, can you reach out to students and community leaders to encourage their participation in Alpha Chi? Can you volunteer on committees or help with organizing local events? I invite all active members to mentor new members and emulate the spirit and mission of Alpha Chi through volunteerism on committees, charitable drives, attending the local events planned and sponsored by the chapter, and submitting your scholarship and leadership accomplishments to the newsletter for dissemination. In addition, share your ideas of how to make our chapter more connected to nurses practicing in the community and acute care environments. My last request is to make your STTI and Alpha Chi membership more than a line item on your resume or curriculum vitae. As we embark upon the next 45 years of the chapter, let us continue to strive to achieve the vision of STTI and Alpha Chi by improving the global health of people and providing leadership through scholarship, research, and service. I am truly honored to be your President and I will do my best to emulate the values that Alpha Chi and STTI holds so dearly. Sincerely, Kelly D. Stamp, PhD, ANP-C, RN, FAHA President, Alpha Chi Chapter, Boston College alpha chi news • 2015 5 leadership William F. Connell SChool oF nurSing Dear Alpha Chi Members, Congratulations to us all on our 45th anniversary as the Alpha Chi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. I know each of us has a story of how Sigma, and most specifically the Alpha Chi chapter, has helped us to reach our professional goals. As I think about my story with Sigma I see a young nurse struggling to know how to get involved and where to get involved. Becoming a Sigma member helped connect me to a network that at every step has helped to encourage my professional growth. I remember my first national Sigma conference and how awed I was at seeing in person people whose names I had only read up to that point. Throughout the years I have continually had opportunities through Sigma to do something new. Whether it was learning how to write a good abstract, practicing public speaking at induction events, getting my first research funding, or just plain dreaming with colleagues, Sigma has been an important part of my professional life. Alpha Chi is an active chapter that helps each of us to set and meet professional goals and I am very proud to be a member and to celebrate this important 45th anniversary. Yours, Susan Gennaro RN, PhD, FAAN Dean and Professor, William F. Connell School of Nursing Boston College Editor, Journal of Nursing Scholarship alpha chi news • 2015 6 leadership 45th Anniversary History of Alpha Chi Chapter n 1970, Alpha Chi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau alumnae, all members of the classes of 1968 and “IInternational was chartered. The Installation 1969, and two representatives from the graduate Ceremonies were held on March 15th, 1970, in Mc- program in nursing. Early in 1968, the application Guinn Auditorium on the Boston College Campus. for charter was filed with Sigma Theta Tau and Officiating was Carolyn L. Widmer, Executive Sec- was approved at the 1969 Biennium as the 44th retary of Sigma Theta Tau. Five transfer members Chapter, Alpha Chi. (Hawkins, Grady, Lourence, and 128 new members constituted the 133 Charter Fontenot & Ferguson, 2010) Members of the Chapter. Our Alpha Chi Chapter has come a long way since Alpha Chi can trace its origins to the first Nursing its installation in 1970. Today we have grown to Honor Society of Boston College School of Nurs- 590 members. Throughout its history, the Chapter ing. In 1960, this honor society became the Siena has developed numerous programs and events to Society for undergraduate nursing majors and further its mission. Annually the Chapter honors the Mater Spei Society for registered nurses earn- the life of Reverend Edward J. Gorman (1919-1977), ing their baccalaureate degrees. During 1963 and professor of philosophy, beloved instructor and 1964, a preliminary committee investigated es- mentor to students in the early days, by regularly tablishing a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau at Boston providing enriching lectures as he would have ap- College. In 1967, both Dean Rita P. Kelleher and preciated. Our first lecture, “Therapeutic Touch Reverend Charles Donovan, SJ, the Academic Vice as a Healing Modality” in 1978, was presented by President, gave their approval to proceed in this Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN. The first lecture topic effort. A second preliminary committee convened validated touch as something innately known to be in 1968 with representatives of the baccalaureate therapeutic. Over the years the lectures have contin- alpha chi news • 2015 7 leadership ued and the Chapter has brought in speakers such PhD, RN presented a program on qualitative nurs- as Dr. Patrice Nicholas, who spoke on the academic ing research. The achievements of our past and needs to improve global health that encouraged us present are not measured only by the programs to stretch our capabilities as educator’s and reach provided, but also by the dedication of the Alpha out to the less fortunate across the globe.