Eastern Regional Spring 2013 Letter
Dear Psi Chi Faculty Advisor:
Welcome back to a dynamic 2013 spring semester! This is my second spring semester (2013) serving you as Vice-President of the Eastern Region for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi International will be holding an election in March for President-Elect and the Eastern Regional Vice-President. On February 1, the election ballot will be sent to chapters. Candidates are strong and formidable psychologists from the Eastern Region. I encourage your chapter to vote in the 2013 election.
The spring semester offers many exciting opportunities for you and your chapter members to attend events, present research at conferences and network with other psychologists and student peers.
The first event is the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA, http://www.easternpsychological.org) that will take place at the Marriot Marquis on March 1–4, 2013. Registration remains open and early registration is encouraged. Avoid late registration fees and renew your membership soon. This year EPA had the greatest number of submissions ever, and the program is full with outstanding psychological speakers, workshops, symposiums, and students' research contributions.
At this year's EPA, Psi Chi will open the conference with Debra Zellner (EPA President) introducing the opening ceremony keynote speaker—Linda Bartoshuk, PhD (University of Florida). Dr. Bartoshuk's opening address is Why Do We Like/Hate Foods? and will be delivered on Friday, March 1 (6:30–8:30 pm, Westside 1&2). Psi Chi's program at EPA on Saturday and Sunday is filled with sessions that will benefit your students' graduate school considerations and the development of leadership skills.
Kindly encourage your students to attend Psi Chi sessions and program events. The complete schedule of Psi Chi sessions is at http://www.psichi.org/Conventions/default.aspx?con=10050. Further details can be found at this link to the EPA convention website, including a downloadable version of the full program: http://www.easternpsychological.org
This year at EPA, Psi Chi will have an exhibition booth that will be staffed by Psi Chi advisors, students, and officers. This booth will provide current information and merchandise about Psi Chi International and be a networking area for peers to meet. If anyone would like to volunteer on Saturday or Sunday please contact me, and I will let you know the available timeslots.
Psi Chi is recognizing EPAGS (Eastern Psychology Association of Graduate Students) at EPA. EPAGS has worked well this year to have an information station available at EPA. They have organized several programs of academic and social interests. Please stop by their station to learn more about their presence at 2013 EPA and how you may join their organization.
While we always appreciate attendance by students and faculty advisors at the Psi Chi sessions, we especially encourage you to join us at our annual Psi Chi Advisors Recognition Breakfast from 7:30–8:50 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013 (Crossroads American Kitchen). All faculty advisors and chapter student presidents are invited. Space is limited to the first 45 invitees that respond. If you would like to attend, please email your RSVP to Debbie Garvich at the Central Office at Debbie.Garvich@psichi.org by Friday, February 15, 2013, to ensure that we reserve a space for two people only per chapter—you and your chapter president or an officer.
As has been done the past few years at EPA, selected students will present their posters within the larger content-oriented sessions (such as Social, Developmental, Clinical, Animal Learning, and Cognitive). I hope you will encourage all of your students to attend these poster sessions, as student presenters love to have the opportunity to talk about their research.
Of course, the highlight of the program will be the Psi Chi Awards Ceremony to recognize our Psi Chi members presenting research. This year we had a large number of student submissions, making the review process for the Regional Research Awards very competitive. We ask that all student researchers plan to attend the Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 3 at 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm (see program for room designation), where we will announce the winners of the Eastern Regional Research Awards (each of whom receives a $300 check!) If you know you will be unable to attend this ceremony because of a scheduling conflict, please notify Dr. Mercedes A. McCormick in advance (by Friday, February 22) at mmccormick2@pace.edu
While EPA approaches in early March, there are several, more local spring and summer conferences to which Psi Chi members are invited:
- April 21, 9 am–6 pm: The 41st Hunter College (NYC) Psychology Convention presents a full day of presentations and other activities, including a buffet lunch and evening reception. All are welcome. For details, visit www.HunterPsych.com or contact jason.young@hunter.cuny.edu
- May 4, 9 am–3:30 pm: The 21th Pace University Psychology Conference offers a full day of presentations and other activities, including a buffet lunch. Call for submissions will be posted at the start of the 2013 spring semester. All are welcome. For details, contact Psychology Department at 41 Park Row, 13th floor New York City, NY 10038 (212-346-1506).
- Any chapter seeking an expert speaker can view the APA national speaker network at http://rvelayo.com/Div52Announcements/Speakers.html
Psi Chi is also in the process of submitting programs at the two national-level psychology conventions. These conventions include the 25th Annual Convention of Association for Psychological Science (APS) in Washington, DC, from May 23–26, 2013 (www.psychologicalscience.org); and the 121th Annual Convention of American Psychological Association (APA) in Honolulu, Hawaii from August 2–5, 2013 (http://www.apa.org/convention). Details on both of these events are available on the Psi Chi website at http://www.psichi.org/Conventions/
KEY ALERT for APA Convention: You are invited to attend the APA Div. 52 and Psi Chi Symposium: Building Bridges Between Division 52 & Psi Chi, International Honor Society to Promote Student Leadership and Excellence in Today's Global World.
Psi Chi International is forecasting into 2013 fall semester. Please plan to attend the 53rd Annual Meeting of the New England Psychological Association (NEPA) to be held on October 18, 2013, at Houstaonic Community College, Bridgeport, CT. Contact NECTOP for more information at http://nepa.cloverpad.org. Highlights of the upcoming conference will be available on the NEPA 2013 Newsletter (www.NEPsychological.org).
Please consider presenting at the NEPA. The 2013 Call For Submissions—priority deadline is June 2013 for papers, posters, and symposia; after this deadline NEPA will continue to receive and review posters on a space-available basis through September 2013. This Call also covers posters and participant idea exchanges for the Northeast Conference for Teachers of Psychology (NECTOP) that will be received and reviewed through September 2013. Please check exact deadline dates on the respective conference sites.
Be sure to look for me and say hello at EPA. This is a great opportunity to brainstorm on future Psi Chi events. Also, because we are pairing with Psi Beta, we encourage our Psi Chi chapters to contact and collaborate with Eastern Region local Psi Beta chapters. EPA proves to be a great place for Psi Chi members to find support as a student and future professional.
One more important reminder: as a Psi Chi chapter advisor, please encourage your students to apply for a travel grant to the EPA convention. Go to http://www.psichi.org/regions/east/TravelGrantInfo.aspx and click Apply Here at the top of the page.
Last but not least, I want to recognize the members of my awesome Steering Committee, who have contributed greatly toward the success of the 2013 EPA/Psi Chi program. I applaud Drs. Carlos Escoto (Eastern Connecticut State University), Katherine Marsland (Southern Connecticut State University), Deborah Harris-O'Brien (Trinity College, Washington, DC), Joyce A. Jagielo (Edinboro University of Pennsylvania); and my student representatives Joseph Giardino (Fordham University) and Annie Chai (Pace University), each of whom has helped with specific events in Psi Chi’s EPA program.
Finally, on behalf of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society of Psychology, I thank you for your dedication and generosity in being a Psi Chi chapter. Your professionalism and advisement of Psi Chi students are greatly appreciated and commendable. I look forward to hearing from you to learn how Psi Chi in the Eastern Region may better meet your chapter's needs.
Mercedes A. McCormick, PhD
Psi Chi Eastern Regional Vice-President(2011-13)
Adjunct Associate Professor
Pace University, NYC
mmccormick2@pace.edu