(SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York – Aug. 9, 2019) Thirty SUNY Empire State College nursing students have been inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI).

SUNY Empire joined STTI as a member of the Tau Kappa At-Large Chapter in 2014.

This year, several members of the college’s School for Nursing and Allied Health faculty, and an alumna, were honored with chapter recognition.

Known as the world’s most prestigious honor society for nursing, entry into STTI is by invitation only to graduate and undergraduate students who have met rigorous criteria for academic excellence, scholarship, leadership, and service.

“Induction into the prestigious Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and faculty awards, is a much-deserved recognition that SUNY Empire nursing students and faculty are among the best in the world,” said Jim Malatras, SUNY Empire’s president. “In a time of potential nursing shortages, SUNY Empire State College’s nursing program is educating a pool of world-class health professionals to provide critical care all across the nation. My congratulations to this year’s STTI inductees and award winners.”

“Student achievement and award-winning faculty go hand-in-hand,” said Bridget Nettleton, dean of the college’s School of Nursing and Allied Health. “Participation in STTI Honor Society of Nursing provides our students and faculty with aspirational goals and standards, which recognize individual student achievement within the broader context of advancing the field of nursing. My congratulations to SUNY Empire students and faculty, I am so proud of you.”

Tau Kappa At-Large Chapter Recognition for SUNY Empire Faculty

Jennifer Pettis, a member of the Empire State College Student Federation Board of Governors and an adjunct member of the faculty, earned Chapter Recognition for Excellence in Leadership.

School of Nursing and Allied Health Associate Professors Lynn McNall and Jacqueline Michaels earned Chapter Recognition for Excellence in Mentoring.

Gertrude “Trudy” Hutchinson, an adjunct member of the faculty, and School of Nursing and Allied Health Assistant Professor Norine Masella, earned Chapter Recognition for Excellence in Education.

Tau Kappa At-Large Chapter Recognition for SUNY Empire Students

Alumna Kathleen Hena ’15, ’19, who was inducted into STTI in 2016 for her performance as an undergraduate student in the RN to BSN program, also earned Chapter Recognition for Excellence in Student Performance. Hena completed her Master of Science in Nursing Education this past spring.

Below is a table listing the college’s 2019 STTI inductees.

First Name	Last Name	City/Town/Village
Allan	Batoy	Ridge
Jodi	Bergman	Bellmore
Jeanine	Bielecky	East Moriches
Antoniette	Bizzarro	East Northport
Meshele A	Bourdeau	Lake Luzerne
Jane	Charles	Watauga, Texas
Michele Ann	Dendera	Ellenville
Gloria Lanise	Dickinson	Niskayuna
Katie M	Higgins	Stony Brook
Christine H	Jensen	Bayport
Lisa Marie	Keegan	Vermontville
Christine	Kilkenny	Howard Beach
Michele	Kuhn	Washington, D.C.
Sarah J	Luckette	Camillus
Mary Colleen	Lynch	Nyack
Adria	Marcoux	Stevensville, Montana
Carol A	Marquart	East Islip
Shirlee	Mckenna	Wading River
Diana	Mendez	Astoria
Azra	Muminovic	Staten Island
Amanda Seeta	Nandlal	Commack
Mary	Nanos	Southampton
Matthew	Owen	Post Falls, Idaho
Anthony	Papaleo	Miller Place
Kendra Lynn	Rector	Camillus
Amanda	Sanchez	Walden
Jennifer L	Schumacher	Clifton Park
Stephanie A	Singleman	Schenectady
Virginia Ann	Vandenbergh	Setauket
Janna C	Walter	Grahamsville
Stephanie	Weigand	Lyons
Amber Leigh	Wood	Lowville

About the School of Nursing and Allied Health

SUNY Empire State College Nursing and Allied Health programs are designed for working adults.

Undergraduate programs include an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health. Graduate programs include a Master of Science in Nursing Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing Education.

The RN to BSN, M.S. in Nursing Education, and M.S. in Nursing Administration programs at Empire State College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The B.S. in Allied Health is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

About Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

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.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College educates more than 17,000 students in person, online, and through a blend of both, at more than 30 locations in New York and at eight international sites worldwide. Together with one of SUNY Empire’s more than 1,300 faculty mentors, each student designs their own individualized pathway to a college degree that accommodates their schedule and awards credit for prior college-level learning. SUNY Empire awards more than 3,000 degrees annually and 94 percent of graduates stay in New York state. Today, more than 87,000 SUNY Empire alumni are entrepreneurs, veterans, and active members of the military, professional athletes, teachers, medical professionals, and leaders in their field, as well as in their communities. To learn more, visit www.esc.edu and follow the college on social media @SUNYEmpire.