Upsilon Lambda History

The MGH Institute of Health Professions received degree-granting authority in 1977 to offer master's level education. From the beginning the institute has had a strong interdisciplinary mission. The School of Nursing shares its vision of preparing health care leaders with our physical therapy, medical imaging, and communication sciences and disorders colleagues. Continuing the practice of educating nursing leaders, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program began in September 2007, and to help meet the need for baccalaureate-prepared nurses, an accelerated BSN program began in May 2008. 

The nursing honor society at the MGH Institute of Health Professions was conceived in the fall of 2003; the first induction of honor society members into Iota Eta Pi (IHP) occurred on February 9, 2004. The honor society initiative was a joint venture between Nursing Program faculty, who are active members of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI), and the School’s talented graduate students. Establishing an honor society was entirely consistent with the mission of the Institute and the School of Nursing.

From the outset Dr. Margery Chisholm (Program Director) and Drs. Karen Wolf and Pam Senesac, Associate Program Directors as well as faculty members Dr. Patrice Nicholas, Dr. Alexandra Paul-Simon, Dr. Patricia Lussier-Duynstee, Ms. Kathleen Solomon, Dr. Inge Corless, Dr. Joanne O’Sullivan, and Ms. Carmela Townsend committed to developing and supporting the fledgling honor society with the goal of becoming a chartered chapter of STTI. Significantly, Dr. Carol Picard, immediate past-president of STTI, who served on the faculty and Nursing Program administration at the Institute until 2003, lent her talent and support to spearheading the effort that brings us to today’s event.  With by-law changes proposed at the national level by Drs. Picard and Nicholas, which were subsequently codified, Upsilon Lambda became a chartered chapter of STTI. Now more than four years into the MGH nursing honor society’s existence, current membership is over 300, and we come together to celebrate the fifth induction ceremony of Upsilon Lambda, Chapter 465 of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. 

Upsilon Lambda

2012 Induction

April 1, 2012

The Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill

Boston, Massachusetts

Order of Events

Chapter Greetings

Richard Ahern, DNP, RN, ANP

President, Upsilon Lambda Chapter

Greetings from the Institute and the School of Nursing

Laurie Lauzon Clabo, PhD, RN

Dean and Professor

School of Nursing

MGH Institute of Health Professions

Greetings from the STTI Board of Directors

Patrice K. Nicholas, DNSc, DHL (h.), MPH, MSN, RN, FAAN

Professor, School of Nursing

Director, Sigma Theta Tau International

Keynote Address

Inge Corless, PhD, RN, FAAN

Professor, School of Nursing

Induction Ceremony Upsilon Lambda

Closing

Reception

A special thanks to Winston Flowers who generously donated the floral arrangements for the ceremony today

*inducted in absentia

Upsilon Lambda 2012 Inductees

Spring 2012

Dear Upsilon Lambda Members,

It has been almost a year since I was honored to assume the presidency of the Upsilon Lambda chapter.  As I reflect back on these past 11+ months, I continue to be amazed at what our chapter has accomplished.

In April of 2011, we welcomed 131 new nursing student and nurse leader members into our chapter at a beautiful Induction ceremony held at the Holiday Inn, Boston.  Chapter members, friends and family made the gathering almost 250 strong.

In June, the members of our Board of Directors shared their experiences of how STTI has influenced and made an impact on their nursing careers at the program, Launching your Career through STTI.

Also in June, an event, Talk to me: Interviewing Tips in a Tough RN Job Market for ABSN students at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, was sponsored by our chapter.

In July, Margaret Mahoney, our Faculty Counselor, traveled with 3 members of our chapter, Kathy Kates, Christina Kim, and Amanda Norton to present at the STTI Research Congress in Cancun, Mexico.

In September, at our program, Global Nursing Perspectives, we were privileged to hear from two nurse experts, Roberta Gately and Sheila Davis, who shared their experiences about nursing on a global scale. Membership was invited to think about how the chapter could influence nursing globally, and volunteers from the membership are encouraged to contact me with their thoughts and contributions.

On October 29 - November 2^nd, Dana McCabe, our President-elect, and I represented our chapter at the 41^st STTI Biennium Convention in Grapevine, Texas. We met nurses from around the world involved in scholarship, research and leadership who inspired and energized us.

In February of 2012, another program on interviewing tips, sponsored by our chapter, was once again offered to ABSN and DEN nursing students and was a huge success. Thank you to the MGH IHP Alumni Office for sponsoring the refreshments at the event.

In another week, we will induct 162 new nursing student and community nurse leaders into our chapter.

On May 7^th, a program, Palliative Care Across the Life Span, will be offered for 1.5 contact hours. More information on registering will be emailed to members directly. Our annual business meeting will precede this program and all are welcome to attend.

Future plans include providing scholarship and research awards to nursing students.

These are exciting times for our chapter but we do not rest on our laurels. We only thrive and are as effective as a chapter through the ideas, passion, participation and commitment of you, our members.

So I encourage you to consider becoming more involved in Upsilon Lambda Chapter.

We are in need of member volunteers to serve on such committees as:

ŸLeadership Succession

ŸMembership

ŸPublicity, including the development of an electronic newsletter

ŸChapter Awards

We are also planning to develop a survey in the coming months to solicit specific feedback from you on what you would like to see in our chapter.

In the meantime, I invite you to contact me or any of the dedicated members of our Board and get involved.

Sincerely,

Richard Ahern, DNP, RN

President, Upsilon Lambda Chapter,

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society

Sunday, April 1, 2012 from 12:00 – 3:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Boston, 5 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114 (it is located next to Massachusetts General Hospital).

A brunch buffet and cash bar will follow the ceremony. Parking in the garage at the Holiday Inn Boston is $5 cash. Please bring your parking ticket and $5 cash to the banquet captain at the induction ceremony for validation. The garage entrance is located on Cambridge Street. Please be sure to park under the hotel so that the reduced fee will apply. Sorry, no credit cards or personal checks accepted. Directions to the Holiday Inn and accommodation information can be found at www.hisboston.com.

Current Chapter members and MGH IHP Faculty are invited to attend, and can rsvp to Carol Watts at the MGH IHP cwatts@mghihp.edu; please include payment of $40 via check to Upsilon Lambda. Please accept this invitation by responding to Carol Watts cwatts@mghihp.edu no later than Friday, 3/23/12.

Look forward to inducting you into Upsilon Lambda Chapter. 

• Interested in being on the ground floor of this Chapter as we build an international service-ready organization? Join the Board, if not as an Officer put your name in as a non-officer board member.
• Do you like to travel? Let's build an international clinical practice program join the Global Outreach Committee.
• Are you a news junkie, former journalist? Join the publicity and news committee. Into organizational development? Help us develop Chapter Programs presenting practice and academic innovation twice yearly.
• Historian, Archaeologist or former Research Librarian? become part of the Chapter Heritage & Archiving committee.
• Do you like giving out awards? Join the Chapter Awards for research, scholarship, innovation, technology and collaboration.
• Can you fund raise? Do you understand how money works? Help us develop Chapter Philanthropy,
• Concerned about the health of the planet and the link between it and our health? Join and develop what I call the Wise Earth Service Program.

Elections are around the corner. Elected positions are the Officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and the Chair of the Leadership and Governance committees and the Faculty Counselor.  All the rest are non-elected participatory committees.

I am inviting you to serve. Send your name and intention to me and I will contact you.
There has never been a better time.

Robert Wall, President.
rwall@commonwealthcare.org