May 2024 UTC School of Nursing Zeta Alpha Chapter induction ceremony. Photo courtesy of School of Nursing.
The Zeta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma Nursing) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has earned the Chapter Key Award—the organization’s highest distinction.
The award will be presented at Sigma’s 48th Biennial Convention, scheduled for Nov. 8-11 in Indianapolis. This is the fifth time that the UTC School of Nursing’s Zeta Alpha Chapter has earned the prestigious recognition.
The Chapter Key Award, presented every two-year cycle, recognizes chapters worldwide that demonstrate excellence in membership engagement, service, community impact, education and leadership development. Out of more than 650 Sigma chapters, only a select group achieves this distinction.
Dr. Priscilla Simms-Roberson
UC Foundation Associate Professor Priscilla Simms-Roberson serves as the UTC chapter’s president.
“The Zeta Alpha chapter of Sigma is proud to celebrate our achievements and contributions over the past year as we continue to uphold the values of scholarship, leadership and service,” Simms-Roberson said. “Our chapter has demonstrated excellence through impactful events, meaningful collaborations, and initiatives that strengthen both our nursing community and the broader Chattanooga area.”
Recent highlights illustrate that impact. In April, UTC nursing students delivered research presentations at the Tennessee chapter of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, sharing their work with health care leaders from across the region. Last December, chapter members supported the Child Life Wish List at Erlanger Hospital, donating nearly $300 in toys and supplies to brighten the holidays for pediatric patients. The chapter awarded two $500 scholarships during the 2024-2025 academic year to student members who demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing nursing practice and education.
Simms-Roberson said a “major milestone” for the chapter came in October 2024 when it hosted its inaugural Nursing Fall Festival, “which brought together over 150 attendees for an afternoon of celebration, networking and fun.”
“This event showcased the strength and unity of our nursing community while providing an opportunity for engagement and socializing,” she said.
When it was established on the UTC campus on April 4, 1982, Zeta Alpha Chapter became the honor society’s 143rd chapter designation.
Founded in 1922, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing is a nonprofit organization with more than 135,000 active members at institutions of higher education and health care partners worldwide. Its mission is “developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve health care everywhere.”
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UTC School of Nursing students at Zeta Alpha Chapter’s first-ever Nursing Fall Festival in October 2024. Photo by Angela Foster.
