Gabby Kearney ’24 was honored to be invited to join Fairfield University’s Mu Chi Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society in Nursing. A second degree nursing student in the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies in Austin, she would be the first from her campus to be inducted. Though Kearney was already eager to accept membership into the society, her enthusiasm swelled when she was asked to attend the induction ceremony at the University’s campus in Connecticut.

The travel invitation came from Mu Chi Chapter President Kathryn Phillips, PhD, APRN, associate professor of nursing. “The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Mu Chi Chapter was glad to support Gabby’s visit to Connecticut for the induction ceremony,” said Dr. Phillips. “Gabby earned a place among the top academically performing nursing school students through her diligent work and passion for entering the profession.”

Kearney was proud to have the opportunity to represent Austin at the induction ceremony and to visit the Fairfield campus.

A member of the inaugural second degree nursing cohort at the Austin campus, Kearney was certain she was getting the same top-notch education as her peers eight states away. Nevertheless, she could not help but wonder how the nursing facilities varied between campuses. After a personal tour with the dean, Kearney wonders no more.

As Kearney toured the 70,000-square-foot building, her first reaction was that the facility was a scaled-up version of the Austin campus. “The nursing school in Connecticut has a couple different skills labs and a few more classrooms to accommodate the larger number of students and programs,” she said, “but otherwise it is very similar to ours.”

While the size of the Fairfield facility impressed her, Kearney maintains that its grandeur is offset by the newness of the Austin campus, a newness that is not only reflected in its factory-fresh furniture and equipment but also in its updated design. Following her tour, Kearney remained steadfast in her knowledge that students at both campuses receive the best nursing education available.

One of the highlights of Kearney’s trip to Fairfield was her visit to the downtown bookstore. Because the Austin campus does not yet have a spirit shop, she was happy to browse the selection of Stag apparel in person. She was especially appreciative of the customer service she received. The employees at the bookstore helped her find the right gear to display her Fairfield pride in Texas.

After unloading her gear haul and exploring campus with her family, Kearney returned to the Egan School for her Sigma induction, where she met her fellow inductees and received her certificate and honor cords. “It was a beautiful ceremony filled with kind and encouraging words by chapter members,” she said. “I was honored to sign my name in the book alongside members past and present.”

Student nurses are invited to join Sigma after completing half of their nursing curriculum. They must rank in the top 35 percent of their class, have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), and exhibit the highest level of academic integrity. It is worth noting, however, that the top 35 percent at the Egan School have GPAs much higher than the minimum qualification.

“I am so thankful that I was invited to the Connecticut campus to take part in the induction ceremony,” Kearney reflected. “Everyone on campus and in the community made me feel so welcomed!”