Psi Chi (pronounced "Sigh
Kye") is the National Honor Society
in Psychology and was founded in 1929 for
the purpose of encouraging, stimulating, and
maintaining excellence in scholarship and
advancing the science (to the chagrin of Mr.
Jung) of psychology. Membership is open to
both undergraduate and graduate men and
women who make the study of psychology one
of their major interests and who meet the
minimum qualifications (those for UIC can be
found here).
Psi Chi is a member of the Association of
College Honor Societies (ACHS) and is an
affiliate of the American Psychological
Association (APA) and the American
Psychological Society (APS).
Psi Chi operates as
a federation of chapters, which are
located at over 900 senior colleges and
universities. A National Council,
composed of psychologists who are Psi
Chi members and who are elected by the
chapters, guides the affairs of the
organization at a national level and
sets policy with the approval of the
chapters.
What does Psi Chi do?
The
immediate product of membership in Psi Chi
is recognition of academic excellence and
scholarship upon induction. The intrinsic
value of membership in Psi Chi is an
acknowledgment of the accomplishments made
throughout a college career, an
acknowledgment that is intended to further
stimulate the inductee to even higher
goals and achievements.
Another
function carried out by Psi Chi is the
responsibility of each local chapter to
nurture and add to the climate that will
produce these accomplishments. Local
chapters make it easier for students to
interact with faculty, often through Psi
Chi-organized presentations and
colloquiums. Chapters hold research
"matchmaking" meetings at the beginning of
each semester to steer students interested
in research toward the ongoing research
programs that fit their interests. A
chapter may also establish a scholarship
fund, organize a research symposium,
sponsor career workshops, perform
community services, and work with other
local psychological organizations.
Concrete
advantages of membership in Psi Chi:
- The
Documents: a membership certificate and
card which give tangible evidence of
membership.
- Recognition:
includes an induction ceremony, in which
an inductee receives an honor cord which
may be worn at graduation.
- Experience:
it is difficult to obtain that first
managerial and creative experience. The
experience gained by working with Psi
Chi is excellent for building a strong
résumé.
- Professional
Growth: opportunities are made available
to members for promoting their research,
receiving national and international
recognition, meeting and interacting
with leaders in the field, and meeting
Psi Chi leaders and members of other
chapters.
- Federal
Service: The United States Government
recognizes membership in Psi Chi as
meeting one of the requirements for
entrance at the GS-7 level of Federal
service.
- References:
active participation in Psi Chi will
provide the member with references that
last a lifetime.
At the national
level, the organization holds national and
regional conventions and supports research
award competitions, certificate
recognition programs, national and
regional chapter awards, and national
service projects. Also, the Society
publishes Eye on Psi Chi, helping
to inform and unite the members and to
recognize their contributions and
accomplishments. Psi Chi also publishes
the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate
Research, a national, fully
reviewed, quarterly journal dedicated to
the publication of student research.
For
more information on the Psi Chi National
Honor Society, see the National Web Site
at http://www.psichi.org/
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