KINGSTON, R.I. -- March 31, 2003 -- Twelve undergraduate students and six graduate students at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Nursing have been elected to membership in Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

The members were inducted through the Delta Upsilon Chapter-at-Large at URI in a ceremony held at the Quonset ‘O’ Club in North Kingstown.

Membership in the society is awarded to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral nursing candidates who achieve high scholastic averages and to graduates of nursing programs who have made outstanding contributions to nursing as nurse leaders.

Sigma Theta Tau International is a prestigious organization of nurse leaders, scholars and researchers. The honor society, founded at Indiana University in 1922, currently has 356 chapters at more than 400 college and university campuses worldwide. The honor society is committed to improving the health of the public by advancing nursing science.

The undergraduate inductees are: Veronica Auslander of Narragansett, Kimberly Castro of Coventry, Rachelle Dimedia of Newport, Susan Georgantas of Wakefield, Nancy Gomes of Pawtucket, Emily Huggins of Wakefield, Rachel Klimala of Providence, Joan Lomastro of Coventry, Eric Miller of Narragansett, Karen Murphy of North Kingstown, Kimberly Paon of Bristol, and Xiu Huan Yan of Quincy, Mass.

The graduate inductees are: Laurie Anderson of Wakefield, Nancy Botelho of Bristol, Carlene Page of Woonsocket, Cheryl Perna of North Attleboro, Mass., Barbara Seagrave of Hope, R.I. and Lisa Sullivan of West Kingston.

In addition, the following scholarships were awarded to:

Steiner-Brem Award for Excellence in Parent-Child Health Nursing – Emily Huggins, Undergraduate Scholarship Award, Karen Murphy, Graduate Scholarship Award, Alison Dwyer.

For Further Information: Patricia Z. Stout, 874-5348