Itawamba Community College (ICC) has welcomed provisional members to its Alpha Delta Nu, the associate degree nursing honor society, for the 2023-24 academic year, with formal inductions scheduled for the spring.

Kayla Arman from Oxford is among the new inductees. Other provisional members span various towns across Mississippi: Tiree Jones and Jodi Minor from Aberdeen; Katie Archie and Emery Browning from Amory; Meranda Magee from Columbus; Shelby Linley from Houlka; Rachel Devaughn and Abby Boutwell from Mantachie; Sianna Downs from Mooreville; Faith Drain and Casey Picinich from New Albany; Sherman Ross, Tucker Cowsert (vice president), Landyn Tutor, and Sara Kitchens (president) from Pontotoc; Evette Mayse from Potts Camp; Mckenna Chisholm from Randolph; Alexis Koonce from Saltillo; Holly Carrington (secretary) from Southaven; Brian Frith, Leah Crosby, and Bridget Tonos from Tupelo; and Karley Matthews from Walnut.

Nursing Honor Society Recognizes Excellence

Established in 2012 by the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN), Alpha Delta Nu aims to recognize the academic excellence of students pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing and advocates for further education within the nursing profession. To be considered for membership, students must have completed their first year of nursing. Additionally, they must have attained a 3.0 overall GPA, and earned a ‘B’ or better in core nursing courses. This honor society acknowledges academic merit, encourages the pursuit of advanced degrees, and emphasizes the importance of continuing education as a lifelong professional responsibility.

Honor Society Initiative at ICC

This initiative is ICC’s first foray into establishing an honors organization for nursing students. Students receive provisional membership after completing their first semester of nursing school. Further, they must meet the other society membership requirements. During this phase, they will plan and implement a service-learning project. Upon completing the project and achieving a ‘B’ grade or higher in their final semester, they become eligible for induction.

Dr. Dana Walker, the director of ICC’s Associate Degree Nursing program, highlighted that the Alpha Delta Nu chapter is a significant step toward acknowledging nursing students’ academic achievements, encouraging the pursuit of advanced degrees and fostering lifelong learning within the nursing profession.