This month, I quietly celebrate something very special—my 20th year anniversary as a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. It’s not just a milestone measured in years, but in memories, growth, and deep gratitude for those who helped me walk this path.
I remember that April day in 2005 so clearly, when I was formally inducted into Sigma through the Iota Sigma chapter at Azusa Pacific University. That opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without the encouragement of Dr. Cindy Leigh, then head of nursing school of Australian Catholic University, whom I met in Sydney in 2004 during the 1st Asia Pacific Nursing Congress organized by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation. I was there as a conference scholar, filled with wide-eyed wonder and questions about my place in global nursing. When the community nurse leader membership pathway was introduced, I was among the first to apply from the Philippines—and to be accepted. It was a bold leap into unfamiliar terrain, but one I took with hope.
I was the only Philippine-based nurse in Sigma at the time. It was lonely in some ways, but I never felt isolated. Instead, I felt called. Called to invite others in. To help other Filipino nurses dream a little bigger and to belong to something global. I began reaching out to nursing leaders across the Philippines, telling them about Sigma—not for prestige, but for possibility. For connection. For lifting the voice of Filipino nurses into spaces where we had long been absent.
In 2008, something extraordinary happened. With generous support from the Iota Sigma chapter, I helped organize the very first National Nursing Research Conference in the Philippines. I still remember the energy in that room. The passion. The hunger to contribute. That single event became the birthplace of the Philippine Nursing Research Society Inc, which eventually expanded into the Global Society of Philippine Nursing Research Inc, more than a decade later. We were no longer waiting to be recognized—we were taking our place.
That momentum continued. With mentorship from my chapter, and encouragement from colleagues, we began shaping a future for Sigma in the Philippines. I remember with gratitude our Iota Sigma chapter president, herself a proud Filipina and alumna of the University of the Philippines College of Nursing, who never failed to believe in our potential. Through the years, Sigma’s presence grew: three chapters now exist in the Philippines, including a virtual one that connects nurses regardless of geography. Asia, once a quiet presence in Sigma’s global map, now has nearly 20 thriving chapters.
Before I migrated to Australia, I was honored to be part of Sigma’s pioneering Asian Regional Committee, under the leadership of inspiring figures like Professor Claudia Lai of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Professor Ito Misae of Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare. I remember the long conversations about inclusion, about how Asian nurses—especially those from low- and middle-income countries—could step into more visible roles. We didn’t have all the answers, but we had each other, and we had purpose.
I think often of the Filipino nurses who are now part of Sigma—not just as members, but as leaders, scholars, and presenters. I smile when I see their names on international conference programs or among recipients of awards and grants. Our narratives, once marginal, now echo in Sigma’s most important halls. The world is finally hearing what we have always known—that Filipino nurses are a force for good.
And yet, in full honesty, I do miss hearing the Society’s original name: Sigma Theta Tau International. While I understand the decision to rebrand as simply “Sigma,” to reflect simplicity and global appeal, I still hold a fondness for the heritage behind the Greek letters. They represented not just prestige, but a shared tradition of scholarship, service, and excellence. To me, those three Greek letters carried a kind of reverence, a reminder of the roots that shaped this journey.
Looking back at these twenty years, I’m overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude. For those who believed in me. For the chapter leaders who opened doors. For the Filipino nurses who said yes to Sigma after hearing my story. For my mentors, collaborators, and co-dreamers. None of this was done alone. And I never wanted it to be.
My membership in Sigma has always been about more than me—it’s about us. About creating a legacy where Filipino nurses are not only present, but heard. Not only invited, but leading. I’ve seen us rise, and I know we’re only just beginning.
As I look ahead to the next 20 years, I carry the same vision that stirred my heart in 2005: a world where Filipino nursing excellence is recognized, supported, and celebrated. A world where our research, compassion, and leadership shape policies, practices, and global health outcomes. I know Sigma will continue to be a platform for that. And I hope to keep walking this journey—with you, with more Filipino nurses, with all who believe in what we can offer the world.
Thank you, Sigma, for the space. And thank you to everyone who helped me fill it with purpose. Here’s to twenty years of service, scholarship, and solidarity—and to many more.
Jerome Babate, RN, MBA, PhD, LCLP is currently the executive director of the Filipino Nursing Diaspora (FiND) Network, an international organization of Filipino nurses based in Sydney, Australia.
