Ten Reasons Why You Should Join Psi Chi
1. You will receive international recognition for academic excellence in psychology, an honor that can be noted on employment applications, vitaes, or resumés.
2. Over $400,000 are available annually in awards and grants (including travel grants!) for undergraduates, graduates, faculty advisors, and chapters.
3. Psi Chi’s Career Center features thousands of psych-related job openings. As a member, you can upload your resumé or create automatic Job Alerts to learn when opportunities appear that match your unique career interests and location.
4. All members receive free access to three great publications.
- Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research is a quarterly peer-reviewed publication found in both PsycINFO and EBSCO databases. The Journal actively publishes empirical research by Psi Chi students and faculty to “foster and reward the scholarly efforts of psychology students.”
- Eye on Psi Chi magazine provides valuable articles by professionals and scholars about psychology, graduate school, career advice, and more.
- Psi Chi Digest keeps members informed about Psi Chi news and opportunities.
5. Involvement with a chapter promotes five major advantages.
- Leadership Experiences—You can gain leadership experiences that last a lifetime. For example, consider running for a chapter officer position.
- Valued Friendships—A strong sense of community with others in psychology is created through various chapter meetings and activities with fellow students and faculty.
- Personalized Education—Membership makes it easier for you to learn outside of the classroom through closer relationships with professors who encourage an interest in psychology, involve students in research projects, and write meaningful letters of recommendation.
- Mentoring Involvement—You can, for example, help first-year students become accustomed to college life. You may also go on to become a faculty advisor and even form future chapters in order to teach younger generations.
- Community Service—You can gain recognition and take great pride in having helped others in your community through a variety of creative service projects.
6. Local, regional, national, and international psychology conventions allow you to
- gain research presentation experiences;
- receive certificates recognizing your accomplishments at regional and national conventions;
attend educational programming about psychology, education, and career opportunities; - meet leading psychologists, students, and officers from other chapters; and
- learn from our distinguished lecturers and speak with them in person during a conversation hour after their lectures.
7. Psi Chi’s online store allows you to purchase graduation regalia, apparel, jewelry, chapter supplies, and more to display your Psi Chi pride!
8. All Psi Chi memberships are for life! In fact, your one-time membership fee grants you a personal login account to help you stay connected to the organization and your specific chapter, even after you graduate. With your login, you can
- view your chapter’s latest materials including a calendar of upcoming events, photos, and a blog maintained by your officers and advisors;
- manage your Psi Chi subscriptions;
- see special Psi Chi offers;
- download templates for member invitations, induction ceremonies, and poster sessions; and
- update your profile information.
9. Social media platforms provide limitless networking opportunities through Psi Chi’s membership-exclusive LinkedIn group, and public Facebook and Twitter pages.
10. The U.S. government accepts membership as one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level for numerous professional and technical occupations.