STTI Organizational Fact Sheet

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) – In 1922 six nurses founded STTI at the Indiana University Training School for Nurses, now the Indiana University School of Nursing, in Indianapolis, Ind., USA. The founders chose the name from the Greek words Storgé, Tharsos and Timé meaning "love," "courage" and "honor." STTI became incorporated in 1985 as Sigma Theta Tau International Inc., a nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(3) tax status in the United States.

Organizational Mission

The mission of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is to support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide.

Society Vision

The vision of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is to create a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world’s people.

STTI History - Learn about STTI's founders. 

Membership

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. Here are some additional facts about our membership:

• STTI has more than 130,000 active members.
• Members reside in more than 85 countries.
• 39 percent of active members hold master’s and/or doctoral degrees; 51 percent are in staff positions; 19 percent are administrators or supervisors; 18 percent are faculty/academics; and 12 percent are in advanced practice.
• There are 486 chapters at institutions of higher education throughout Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, the United States and Wales.
• STTI communicates regularly with more than 100 nurse leaders who have expressed interest in establishing chapters globally, including those in Armenia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, India, Ireland, Israel, Germany, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain and Thailand.

Products and Services

From its inception,STTI has recognized the value of scholarship and excellence in nursing practice. In 1936,STTI became the first U.S. organization to fund nursing research. Today,STTI supports these values through its numerous professional development products and services that focus on the core areas of education, leadership, career development, evidence-based nursing, research and scholarship. These products and services advance the learning and professional development of members and all nurses who strive to improve the health of the world’s people:

• STTI, with its grant-offering partners (corporations, associations and foundations), contributes more than US $200,000 annually to nursing research through grants, scholarships and monetary awards.
  
• A number of education and research conferences are supported by STTI, including a yearly research congress that presents the latest nursing research from around the world and a biennial convention that offers nursing’s best practices in clinical, scientific and leadership areas.
  
• Online continuing education offers peer-reviewed, interactive learning activities which are presented in a variety of learning formats including case studies, evidence-based articles and module courses. These activities are web-linked to full-text articles and abstracts and are available for continuing education contact hours.
  
• The Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library Repository - an online digital service that collects, preserves, and disseminates digital materials in both abstract and full-text format. Submissions to this repository may be made by individual nurses and nursing students as well as nursing organizations.  
  
• STTI's career development programming provides resources for every stage in the career process, from selection of nursing as a profession to active retirement.
  
• Leadership programs include mentoring programs and global health care think tanks.
  
• Alliances with other leading providers of nursing knowledge products and services round out STTI's offering and provide added value to its members.   

Publications

• Journal of Nursing Scholarship, a leading, peer-reviewed scholarly journal with a global circulation of 125,000, is published quarterly and is available in both print and full text, searchable online formats to members and subscribers.
  
• Scholarly books on a wide range of topics in nursing and health care of interest to members and other nurses around the world.
  
• Reflections on Nursing Leadership is STTI's award-winning, online member magazine that communicates nurses' contributions and relevance to the health of people worldwide.
  
• WORLDviews on Evidence-Based Nursing™, a quarterly periodical available in print and full text, searchable online formats to subscribers, is a leading global source of the best research and evidence available with applications to nursing practice, administration, education and policy.
  
• Chapter Leader Emphasis - a biannual newsletter sent to more than 3,500 chapter leaders.
  
• STTIconnect is a monthly electronic newsletter sent to all members, which includes chapter specific information and announcements.
  

Nursing Knowledge International – NKI was established in 2002 as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) subsidiary of STTI to serve the knowledge needs of the global nursing community. Through its e-commerce website, www.nursingknowledge.org, the organization delivers nursing knowledge designed to improve patient outcomes by enhancing the knowledge base of its nurse customers. More than 82,000 nurses have joined the NKI community.

The International Honor Society of Nursing Building Corporation – incorporated in 1993 as a corporation with 501(c)(2) status, holds title to real and personal property for the benefit of STTI. The Building Corporation also manages and maintains STTI’s 39,350 square foot building and grounds.

Sigma Theta Tau International Foundation of Nursing – The Foundation holds all permanent funds of STTI. These assets are distributed over nine different endowed or restricted funds, each established for a specific purpose. Endowed funds contain donations made by members and friends of nursing, but only the interest earned from these funds are distributed. Restricted funds hold monies that are given to STTI for a specific activity and distributed accordingly.