Psychology Student Organizations

Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, works to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship, while advancing the science of psychology. Membership is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who have a major/minor interest in the study of psychology, and who meet the minimum qualifications listed below. Members are chosen based on academic excellence.

To be inducted into Psi Chi, you must:

• Be enrolled as a student
• Have established a GPA at UIndy, and have a psychology GPA of at least 3.0
• Have an overall GPA in the top 35% of your class
• Be at least a second semester sophomore
• Be enrolled as a major or minor in psychology
• Have completed at least 9 semester hours of psychology courses

Psi Chi serves two major goals. The first goal pertains to the Society's obligation to provide academic recognition through membership. The second goal is the obligation of each of the Society's local chapters to nurture the spark of that accomplishment by offering an atmosphere conducive to student development. Members of the University of Indianapolis Psi Chi chapter must make active attempts to stimulate their professional growth through fundraising, service and other University-wide events. Psi Chi also encourages students to engage in research and present their findings at various conferences.

Psychology Club is a student-run organization on campus that allows both psychology and non-psychology majors to come together to discuss how psychology plays a role in current events and campus initiatives. The club actively participates in community service and outreach, professional mentorship, and campus research. Meetings are typically held twice a month and anyone is welcome to attend.

Member activities

As a member of Psychology Club, here are some activities in which you may be involved:

• Attending seminars or lectures by professionals in the field of psychology or other related fields, on topics aimed at getting into graduate school or focused on specialty areas (e.g. sports psychology, criminal profiling, intimate relationships)
• Participating in the Mid-America Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference (MAUPRC). You have the option to present research or attend as a spectator; either way you will be learning about what is currently going on in the field of psychology.
• Attending presentations about careers for people with a bachelor's degree in psychology, how to write a resume, interviewing for a job or graduate school, and many other helpful topics
• Assisting with fundraising that benefits organizations serving those in need
• Sponsoring our own social activities on campus

ABPSI-UIndy SC was created for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in psychology or a related field to promote and advance the profession of African/African American Psychology. The UIndy student circle was founded in 2020 by PsyD students. The National ABPsi was established in 1968.

Membership Requirements

• Be an undergraduate or graduate student studying psychology or a related field (social work, sociology, human services, criminal justice, etc.)
• Be currently enrolled as a UIndy student
• Pay National ABPsi dues*

Benefits

Some of the many membership benefits/activities:

• Access to scholarship opportunities via the National ABPsi*
• Acess to the Journal of Black Psychology*
• Opportunities to participate and attend discussion panels, community service events, game nights, student presentations, etc.
• Academic and professional resources
• Mentorship opportunities

Overall Goals

• To provide educational resources to members
• To support the community
• Empowerment
• Networking

*Dues are set by the National Association of Black Psychologists and allow for extended membership benefits. However, students will not be excluded from attending events for non-pay. ABPsi-UIndy SC welcomes students of any race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, to join.

Active Minds is a registered student organization that empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. Active Minds is open to the entire campus community and involves both undergraduate and graduate students. The goal of Active Minds is to change the culture on campus and in the community by providing information, leadership opportunities and training.

Active Minds accomplishes these goals by:

• Creating displays that raise awareness of mental health issues
• Inviting speakers to share about their experiences
• Collaborating with other student organizations and promoting events that fight stigma
• Encouraging students to seek help for psychological distress
• Encouraging student wellbeing during stressful times

The Graduate Psychology Association (GPA) is the student organization for UIndy's graduate psychology students. All MA and PsyD students are automatically members of GPA, though the level of participation in GPA is voluntary.

Goals

GPA has three goals:

• Serve the graduate psychology students by offering practical information as well as social, recreational and volunteer opportunities
• Facilitate communication between students, faculty and staff
• Develop proposals for modifications to the graduate psychology programs

Benefits

Many graduate students are active in GPA. The following are just a few examples of the benefits of participating in GPA.

• GPA's Peer Mentor Program offers incoming and returning students a mentor who can provide guidance from a student's perspective. GPA also offers annual workshops on curriculum vita development and interviewing prior to the practicum application process.
• GPA provides many opportunities for fellowship (holiday parties, happy hours, Indianapolis Indians baseball games), volunteerism (Habitat for Humanity, programs at a domestic violence shelter) and humanitarianism (food, clothing and blood drives).
• A designated faculty member serves as a liaison to GPA in order to gain student input and address any student concerns. Members of GPA also represent graduate psychology students by serving on various faculty committees. The bridge between students and faculty has resulted in positive changes for the graduate programs. For example, the graduate curriculum now includes 1 to 2 credit hour elective courses, which afford students more opportunities to further diversify or specialize their training.
• GPA provides students with leadership experience through positions on the executive committee, faculty committees and as class representatives.
• In addition to organized events and programs, GPA also offers students much informal support, education, and well-deserved diversion!
• a registered student organization that empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. Active Minds is open to the entire campus community and involves both undergraduate and graduate students. The goal of Active Minds is to change the culture on campus and in the community by providing a) information, b) leadership opportunities and c) advocacy training.

The American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) strives to advocate for and establish the best training experience for graduate students in psychology. As a graduate student of psychology, you can be automatically enrolled as a member of APAGS by becoming a student affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA). Undergraduates may join APAGS for a small fee.

APAGS mission

Enriching and advocating for graduate student development is at the forefront of APAGS' mission. APAGS therefore offers all members opportunities to enhance professional development and to help shape the future of psychology.

Benefits of joining APAGS

APAGS serves as the voice for graduate students within APA. As such, APAGS aims to create, endorse and disseminate relevant information to students about legislative issues, education and training issues, and changes in the field that can ultimately impact the future of psychology. Other opportunities created for APAGS for students include advocacy work, development activities, and scholarships and awards.