Summer Address
Hello Kappa Tau Members,
It has been another successful and productive year for the Chapter of Kappa Tau. The year was capped off by our 22nd Annual Meeting on May 12th at the Doubletree in South Burlington with over 50 people in attendance. The evening started off with SuzannePrevost, RN, PhDPresident-Elect of Sigma Theta Tau International and Associate Dean for Practiceat the UniversityOf Kentucky College OfNursing presenting: Evidence-Based Practice and the Future of Nursing. As president, I presented the State of our Chapter with a summary of our membership, strategic plan, chapter accomplishments and our financials, as prepared by Karen McKenny, our treasurer.The rest of the presentation included:
Review of the many events Kappa Tau put on for the year:
□Induction in October
□2nd Annual Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Symposium in November
□Pizza Party for new Inductees in December
□Research Night with Alexis Ressler and Robert Nash presenting Scholarly Personal Narrative in January
□Heart of Leadership Dinner in February
□Global Leadership Night “A View Through A Different Lens: Health and Nursing in Bangladesh Presented by UVM Nursing Students: Christi Burke, Cynthia McCormack, Meghan Madden in March
Kappa Tau had three service events this year:
□American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Walk
□Respite House Dinner in March
□Multiple Sclerosis Walk in April
Kappa Tau also supported:
□Four board members to attend the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Summit inIndianapolis in October
□A nursing student to attend the Student Nurse Association Annual Convention
□Global Initiatives in Bangladesh and Haiti
□Region 15 International Nurses to obtain theirSTTI Membership
We also had an induction ceremony this year andinducted Rosemeryl Harple as a nurse leader. Other nurse leaders inducted but not present wereJoelyn Niggel, and Ann Griffith as well as Anna Leavey and Emily Striegel as nursing students.
Kappa Tau Awards presented this year went to:
□Dr. Sharyl Eve Toscano - Folta-Deck Award
□Mari Cordes for Nursing Excellence in Practice
Research Grants awarded to:
□Rycki Maltby for her research titled, “Development and application of cultural competencies from nursing student to nursing professional.”
□Celia Dalton Meyer for her research, “Culturally Congruent 4th Grade Puberty Education for Somali-Bantu Students”
Student Project and Thesis awards went to:
□Christin Elizabeth Bland - graduate thesis - "Thyroid Cancer Incidence in Vermont“
□Irene Bonin - graduate project - "Vermont Alternative Program: Increasing Recognition Awareness Through Educational Presentations“
□Christine Burke - senior Honor’s thesis - "Using Photovoice to Explore Maternal Perceptions of Child Health Issues in Bangladesh"
Re-elected Board Members included:
Sally Kerschner, Vice President
Rycki Maltby, Leadership Succession
Cathy Muskus, Faculty Counselor
Gene Hicks, Membership Involvement Sally Kerschner, Vice President
Rycki Maltby, Leadership Succession
Cathy Muskus, Faculty Counselor
Gene Hicks, Membership Involvement
Welcome Newly Elected Board Members:
Lila Fuller, Secretary
Chris Kasprisin, Leadership Succession
Delaine Farnum, Newsletter Editor
Rachel Doran, Awards Chair
Sarah DeSilvey, Student Rep
Terry Powers-Phaneuf, Governance Committee
The highlight and crowd pleaser for each Annual meeting is the Silent Auction. Ruby Merali out did herself again and organized a fabulous selection of community and member donations to make a lively and competitive event.The last few items were professionally auctioned off byLouise Moon-Rosales, our own past president. Over $2000 was raised and this money will support future research grant submissions.
I would like to take the opportunity to publicly recognize and thank our dedicated board members this year. It was a pleasure and honor to work with each of you:
Ruby Merali, President Elect
Sally Kerschner, Vice President
Karen McKenny, Treasurer
Alexis Ressler, Secretary
Ruth Willis, Student Rep:
Christina Melvin, ChairFaculty Counselor
Cathy Muskus,Faculty Counselors
Hendrika (Rycki) Maltby , Chair Leadership Succession
Annie Parker,Leadership Succession
Jean Beatson, ChairGovernance Committee
Julie Jones, Governance Committee
Vicki Torsch, ChairAwards Committee
Louise Moon-Rosales, Past President
Mari Cordes,Newsletter Editor
Gene Hicks, ChairMembership Taskforce
Finally, mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice Symposium,November 11 and 12, 2011. Better yet submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation, deadline is August 15th. See this website for further details.
Have a wonderful and safe summer!!
Ann Laramee
President of Kappa Tau