After the College of Nursing received National League for Nursing accreditation in 1960, the nursing student body became interested in the formation of a campus Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. Students had attended a national student meeting at which they learned about this honor society. In November of 1960, a group of junior and senior nursing students requested faculty permission to begin work on the installation of an honor society. The faculty approved such action. The students were Cheryl Rhode, Shirley Nagel, Marilyn Thompson, Lola Clark, Helen Herold, and Donna Culver. They formed a working committee and requested Evelyn Peterson as faculty advisor for the task.

The students received information from the Sigma Theta Tau National Office on how to proceed. During January, February, and March of 1961, a constitution and bylaws were prepared, thus meeting all the requirements of the national association. After all the preliminary work was completed, the student committee received word from the national office that Dr. Kathryn McClure, the national vice-president, would visit South Dakota State University (SDSU) campus for two days in May of 1961. This would be the official visit to the College by the national organization.

Dr. McClure met SDSU faculty and toured the campus. Much of her time was utilized in talking and working with students. She reviewed the work that had been accomplished and helped with ideas and suggestions. Dr. McClure emphasized that high grade point alone should not give membership to students, but students considered for membership should be involved in the profession of nursing and active in student nursing groups. The constitution and bylaws which had been prepared by the committee were read and revised with Dr. McClure's assistance. There was discussion on the difficulties the College of Nursing might encounter such as an expected small Chapter campus size working membership. Faculty and students projected years would pass before there would be a large membership in SDSU's Sigma Theta Tau. The majority of members would leave the Brookings area upon graduation so that there would not be a large membership in the state to give active support to the Chapter. 

During the latter part of May, 1961, the original committee graduated from college and two junior students took over the work. They were Jolane Baldwin and Sharon Zumm. During the summer all work was completed on the application for membership. At the biennial meeting in October, 1961, Sigma Theta Tau approved the establishment of a Chapter at South Dakota State University. The Chapter would be Phi Chapter (19th National Chapter Number). Plans for installation of Phi Chapter, and initiation of membership were made for December 16, 1961, in the Bunny Ballroom at South Dakota State University. A banquet and program followed the ceremony. Miss Frances E. Dunning, the national treasurer who resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was sent by the national organization to install Phi Chapter. Dr. Edna Treasure, president of Sigma Theta Tau, was unable to attend the installation of the Chapter. Usually the President installed all Chapter organizations--remember the small number of our Chapter--Phi was 19th.

Thirty-nine members were initiated into Phi Chapter on December 16, 1961. Eleven of these were senior nursing students, two were from the junior class, and the remainder were alumni and faculty. The Chapter was installed in the ceremony as outlined by Sigma Theta Tau. The installation was held in the Faculty Lounge. Then the group moved to the Bunny Ballroom for the banquet and speech. 

The first year of the organization, 1961 to 1962, new members were added in May and December. Cheryl Rhode served as president until fall 1962. When she moved from the state, Joyce Sugrue was elected to the presidency. In 1963, Joyce Sugrue, the president, and Joyce Graber, attended the National biennial convention of Sigma Theta Tau at Vanderbilt University. 

One goal was accomplished, formation of the chapter, but now began the long hard struggle to keep the Chapter functioning. Because of the small membership, the Chapter would at times be difficult to maintain, but with a small and interested core of members it was accomplished. One ironic incident in the formation of the Phi Chapter was that two members of the original committee who were eligible for membership and who had worked hard to establish a Chapter at South Dakota State University, were never able to return for the initiation ceremonies. They were Marilyn Thompson and Shirley Nagel.

In the 1960s and 70s, each year membership increased. The campus core remained small, but activities were carried out and national meetings/conventions were attended. The first Phi Chapter Research Day was held in 1980. 

With the establishment of the masters program in nursing, there was a growth spurt in Phi Chapter. Phi Chapter for ten plus years shared Research Day with Zeta Zeta Chapter, Augustana College. In the later 1980s, Phi Chapter developed a structural method by which the Rapid City Unit of the College of Nursing became a second unit of Phi Chapter.

South Dakota State University, College of Nursing pioneered in its development of this Chapter. Remember it is the 19th Chapter in the organization. The eager, committed students of the 1960s made South Dakota State University College of Nursing one of the first Chapters in Sigma Theta Tau.