The Eta Phi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. is celebrating 60 years of service this spring.
Founded in 1932, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. is a service organization comprised of more than 9,000 professional and student nurses. The Eta Phi Chapter of the organization, which was founded in 1965, has remained dedicated to representing both male and female nurses and nursing students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, according to the website.
“Our mission is to grow our service, elevate the plan of nursing and to increase interest in the nursing fashion,” said Rosalyn Brown-Perry, president of the Eta Phi Chapter. “This mission is accomplished through the encouragement of the pursuit of continuing education, recruitment programs for health careers, simulation of a close and friendly relationship among members, development of working relationships with other professional groups and identification of a core of nursing leaders who can access agents offering social changes at the local, regional and national levels.”
The Eta Phi Chapter is dedicated to serving Indianapolis and Central Indiana, Brown-Perry said. The organization provides year-round community health services, resources and information through participation in various health fairs, aiding in blood pressure checks and health screenings and awarding scholarships to nursing students.
Though the organization’s membership is primarily Black women, Rhonda Hampton, the chapter’s financial secretary, said the sorority is open to everyone and includes a few men and racially diverse members as well.
In an effort to give back to the community and support the future generation of nurses, the Eta Phi Chapter hosts an annual scholarship luncheon each spring. Hampton said fundraising events, like the luncheon, help fund community outreach and the two regional scholarships they award to nursing students attending a college or university in Central Indiana.
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However, since the organization is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Hampton and Brown-Perry said the decided to make a little more noise surrounding the scholarship winners.
“The reason that we’re doing that this year is because this is our 60th anniversary for Eta Chi, and (we) want the community to know more about who we are, to also help us celebrate what we’re doing,” Brown-Perry said. “Even though we’re celebrating that, we still are going to be utilizing proceeds for those nursing scholarships. That’s something that is very important to us.”
The 60th-anniversary gala will take place from 5-9 p.m. on May 3 at the Madam Walker Legacy Center and include live entertainment from Alaina Renae, a silent auction, dinner, dancing and a cash bar.
“The theme is going to be a derby theme, because it is the day of the Kentucky Derby,” Brown-Perry said. “But because it’s evening, it is going to be a gala. So, we’re encouraging people to kind of dress like they do in the derby with the hats and fedora and etc.”
Tickets for the event are $100 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. For more information, visit chietaphi.org.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
