Could you ask for a lovelier setting in which to begin your term of office as Psi Chi's National President than amid the palm trees and balmy Pacific Ocean breezes of Honolulu, Hawaii? Dr. Christopher Koch of George Fox University (OR) did just that at the close of Psi Chi's National Council meeting, held in conjunction with APA's 2004 convention (and Psi Chi's 75th Anniversary Celebration).
     Under Dr. Koch's leadership, Psi Chi continued to fulfill its mission to stimulate, encourage, and maintain excellence in scholarship in psychology through the activities and growth of the society.

Continued Growth in Membership
     Membership rolls blossomed from August 2004 through July 2005, as indicated by the number of new members below:

Growth in Awards Available and Presented
     Psi Chi presented students and chapters with a total of $175,957 in award money, providing students with funds for activities such as research projects, student research conferences, and opportunities to study with experts in their chosen area of psychology. This was an increase of 15 percent over the amount awarded the year before. 
     There were five new award programs added during Dr. Koch's tenure to those already available to Psi Chi members. New award/internship programs included:

Implementation of Changes in the National Office
     After coping with the loss of Psi Chi's longtime Executive Officer, Kay Wilson, the position was capably filled by longtime Director of Finance and Awards, and Interim Executive Officer during Kay's illness, Paula Miller. During this transition, the National Council also voted to create a new executive position. Virginia Andreoli Mathie, PhD, was hired to fill the new executive position, initially as Chief Executive Officer, but later renamed Executive Director.
     While our Executive Officer/Chief Operations Officer, Paula Miller, managed Psi Chi's National Office headquarters and staff in Chattanooga, Tennessee, much as Kay Wilson had done in the past, the National Council envisioned a completely different role for the new Executive Director position that Dr. Mathie stepped into. Her mandate was to "bring Psi Chi up to the next level" by spending most of her time meeting with psychological organizations throughout the country in order to seek out and forge new partnerships that could benefit the members of Psi Chi and Psi Chi as an honor society. Her role was seen as part liaison, part visionary, part executive staff, as the National Council asked her to forge a new path for Psi Chi's future. In addition to her traveling on behalf of Psi Chi, Dr. Mathie spends a small portion of her time with the staff in the National Office and serves as associate editor of Eye on Psi Chi.
     As president during this time of change, Dr. Koch oversaw the implementation of the new positions of Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer, as well as the hiring of new staff in the National Office. Four people currently work full time in the National Office in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and a fifth will be hired to fill the position of Director of Finance and Awards.

Establishment of Ties to Other Organizations
     Through the efforts of our Executive Director, Dr. Mathie, and with the leadership of our President, Dr. Koch, several new relationships were forged with other psychological organizations.

An Eye on the Future
     At the National Council meeting held in conjunction with the August 2005 convention of APA in Washington, D.C., the National Council proposed 11 amendments to the National Constitution. Chapters will vote on these 11 proposed amendments during the fall 2005 semester. In addition, planning is already underway for the new Psi Chi National Leadership Conference to be held for the first time in January 2007.

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