How to become an advisor
If you are interested in becoming a chapter advisor of an existing Psi Alpha chapter at your high school, please click here to contact Jacquelyn Hamby, the director of chapter relations to request an advisor account, username and password. Chapter advisors must have an account in order to register new student members of Psi Alpha, update contact records, and access other password-protected information. If your college does not have a Psi Alpha chapter, see information on Starting a New Chapter.
Benefits of Becoming a Psi Alpha Faculty Advisor
A message from Psi Beta Executive Director Jerry Rudmann,
Much has been said and written about students’ benefits through membership in honors societies like Psi Alpha and Psi Beta. Much less has been said or written about the faculty advisors of Psi Beta. Teachers have plenty to keep them busy. Teaching a full slate of classes, serving on various committees, and maintaining office hours provides a sufficiently busy schedule. Club and honor society advising is a completely voluntary activity; there is no financial compensation, and such work falls outside of the teacher’s contractual obligations. And most, if not all, advisors have experienced the frustrations of red tape and bureaucratic procedures encountered while trying to help their students put together a fundraiser, conduct a service project, or do some other worthwhile activity. Regardless of the number of students eligible for Psi Alpha at a school, there will be no chapter if no one comes forward to be an advisor. Obviously, chapter advisors are Psi Alpha’s lifeblood. There are now more than 150 Psi Beta chapters at the nation’s 1,086 two-year colleges. I expect to see the similar numbers with Psi Alpha as it grows.
My Psi Beta story began while I was attending the annual American Psychological Association conference in San Francisco about ten years ago. My wife and I stumbled into a Psi Beta chapter exchange meeting. Within minutes we were welcomed into a group of faculty and students. As we sat in a large circle, different people shared how their chapters had raised money, gone on some educational field trip, recruited new members staged a successful social event, and so on. While the group was exchanging stories, I realized just how much the students in the group were gaining from Psi Beta and how their learning experiences simply couldn’t be provided through the regular classroom experience. The very next academic year, I started a Psi Beta chapter at Irvine Valley College.
Years of Psi Beta involvement has rewarded and enriched my professional life in a number of ways, many of which were totally unexpected. Below I list the ways I thank all those taking on the responsibility and privilege to advise a Psi Alpha chapter at your school, and hope advising brings you a renewed energy as you lead your students towards a greater understanding and appreciation of psychology.
This message is dedicated to the Psi Alpha and Psi Beta faculty advisors across America. Thank you for your contribution.
Making the classroom connection
Opportunities to learn about and try new teaching strategies and techniques
Bringing positive, well-deserved recognition
Resumé enhancement
If a Psi Alpha advisor should ever write a grant proposal, or seek a teaching position at another institution, Psi Alpha advising experience may certainly bolster the application’s strength. Furthermore, through conference attendance, Psi Alpha Advisors have many opportunities to present talks or posters on teaching techniques or their research. This is also possible with Psi Alpha, and we encourage you to follow in their footsteps! This sort of involvement gives you a competitive edge for participating in many different ways. Because of the contribution of the generous women and men serving as chapter advisors across America, and even overseas – Psi Alpha students reap many benefits, but as you can see Psi Alpha advisors enjoy many benefits as well! Contributing to the growth and progress of our field and our student’s success by participating in Psi Alpha is a win-win for students and faculty. Thank you for your interest!
