Sixty-four SUNY Empire State College nursing students were inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) at an event held on July 6, at the Holiday Inn, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The event was sponsored by the STTI Tau Kappa-at-Large Chapter. SUNY Empire and Excelsior College are the chapter’s two members and were officially recognized in chartering ceremonies.

Cathy Catrambone, STTI’s president, gave the keynote address, and Bridget Nettleton, dean of SUNY Empire’s School of Nursing and chapter treasurer, provided opening remarks.

“It is a great honor to be recognized for scholarly achievements and invited to join Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society,” said Nettleton. “We are thrilled to have so many worthy inductees.”

A total of 233 students were inducted during the event. Each student was presented with a certificate of induction, which recognizes his or her status as a member of the honor society and reflects his or her outstanding accomplishments.

The distinctive purple and white cords represent membership in STTI and are to be worn with academic regalia during graduations, convocations and other official academic ceremonies.

Michelle Drysdale, a SUNY Empire student enrolled in the college’s RN to B.S.N. program, said that induction into STTI was a significant honor. “This is the culmination of all the hard work I have put into (my education).”

Drysdale, who has been a nurse for nearly 20 years and currently is an LPN clinical instructor at Erie 1 BOCES, Buffalo, said that she brings what she learns at SUNY Empire back to her class.

At first, Drysdale said, she was apprehensive about learning online, because she had always been educated in a traditional classroom setting. She credits her SUNY Empire instructors, whom she “loves,” with helping her to become comfortable learning online, getting up to speed with writing at a college level and in the formal style of the American Psychological Association.

Instructors’ quick responses to her questions, their positive feedback and frequent in-depth interactions were among the factors that contributed to her academic success and to her induction into STTI, according to Drysdale.

She also emphasized the need for strict time management when working and studying: “You have to know what is due, when it’s due, give yourself the appropriate amount of time and do the work.”

Drysdale anticipates graduating in the spring of 2017 and plans on pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing with the college thereafter.

About Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

In order to be inducted, students must meet rigorous criteria and receive an invitation.

Requirements for currently enrolled or recently graduated students in bachelor’s programs include completion of one-half of the required nursing curriculum and a GPA which places them in the top 35 percent of their class.

Students in master’s programs must have completed at least 21 credits and have a GPA of 3.5, or higher, to be considered.

STTI’s mission is to advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.

Founded in 1922, STTI has 490 chapters in 85 countries and supports the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses who are making a difference in global health.

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing.