October 16, 2021 —The UP College of Nursing (UPCN) held the chartering ceremony and induction of new members of the UP Honor Society for Nursing into the Sigma organization as its 595th chapter on 16 October. The UPCN Sigma Chapter will be called the Alpha Alpha Phi, the 2nd chapter in the Philippines after the Psi Beta Chapter based in Silliman University

Sigma is a prestigious society of nursing researchers, leaders, scholars, and educators based in the United States. Founded as Sigma Theta Tau in 1922 by six nursing students at Indiana University, from six founding members, the organization has grown to over 135,000 active members in more than 560 chapters in over 100 countries according to Sigma President Dr. Richard Ricciardi.

Dr. Ricciardi explained that Sigma only extends membership in two categories: students in baccalaureate or graduate level programs who have demonstrated superior academic achievement and academic integrity and nurses who have shown professional leadership and leadership potential. He added that Sigma supports its members through mentoring programs, access to benefits such as nursing continuing professional development courses, journals of nursing, and scholarships. Sigma also collaborates with several global organizations including representation at the United Nations to improve the health of the people all over the world. This offers members the opportunity to extend their reach outside of their local and national community to a global network.

“With its chapters in the US and worldwide, collaborations and networking in education, research, training, and other endeavors will be greatly facilitated. Through our own chapter in UP Manila, we hope to strengthen the mentoring and honing of future leaders in the nursing profession in the Philippines and beyond,” stated UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla. 

She added that the UP College of Nursing as WHO Collaborating Center for Leadership in Nursing Development and through this new citation is now in a stronger position and has wider influence to lead efforts in charting new directions and challenges to public health nursing especially at this time of crisis.

UPCN Dean Sheila Bonito explained that the Greek letter Alpha is the first in the Greek alphabet and used to refer to first, primary, or principal. In statistics, Alpha is used to denote the significance level or the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis, an important concept in hypothesis testing; while Phi is the Greek letter that represent the golden ratio, a ubiquitous concept that appears in mathematics, architecture, arts, music, and nature. 

“As we define beauty in the work of the nursing profession, we value working together in harmony with a clear purpose and with integrity,” she said. 

The following have been appointed as the first set of officers of the Alpha Alpha Phi Chapter: Teresita I. Barcelo, president; Erwin William A. Leyva, vice president; Ryan Q. de Torres, secretary; Jo Leah A. Flores, treasurer; and Peter James B. Abad, counselor. Currently, the Alpha Alpha Phi Chapter has 110 members.

“Our chartering at this time of the pandemic should not dampen our interest and motivation to develop our chapter and provide our members the opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. I look forward to our working together for leadership and scholarship imbued with the values of love, courage, and honor which Sigma is known for,” Barcelo said.

CHARMAINE LINGDAS

Published in UP Manila Healthscape (Special COVID-19 Issue No. 33, November 2021)