Getting Involved

Here are some ways you can get involved with the Psychology department on campus:

 

1.)  Events: Make sure you follow PALS (The Psychological Association of Lakehead Students and Psi Chi Lakehead on Facebook! This is the best way to stay up to date about all of the events happening on and off campus. In addition, Psi Chi will advertise for events in the communications bulletin and by hanging posters around campus. Make sure you keep an eye out so you don’t miss any great opportunities to connect with other psychology students insocial settings and through valuable professional development activities. Examples of events you may attend include: movie nights, invited speaker series (talks by local professionals), wine and cheese socials, monthly seminars focused on academic success, volunteering at local shelters or joining in on a hike at the Sleeping Giant Provincial park. 

2.) Volunteer: We are always looking for volunteers from the psychology department to assist with our events. Keep your eye on the Facebook pages or email us at psichi@lakeheadu.ca if you are looking for volunteer experience. One regularly occurring opportunity is our monthly volunteer sessions at the Shelter House. We typically arrive at the shelter at 5:00pm and prepare dinner for around 150 community members in need. Together, we serve the meal and clean the kitchen before leaving at 8:30pm. This has consistently been a fun and rewarding experience for all involved. 

3.) Apply for Membership: PALS is open to all psychology students in the department. There are no membership criteria so simply try to connect with the club on campus and follow their initiatives online. Psi Chi does have requirements for membership given that it is an honor society. In order to be eligible, students must be in second year (or above) with at least 1.5 FCE courses completed in psychology. In addition, the student must fall in the top 35% of undergraduates based on cumulative GPA. Typically, this cutoff is around 80% but does vary year to year. In December, Psi Chi will start advertising for new applicants and applications are due mid-late January. There is NO FEE TO APPLY!  Therefore, everyone is encouraged to apply and eligibility will be reviewed by the department. If you are approved, the executives will guide you through the next steps of membership and the annual Induction Ceremony is typically held in March. Benefits of membership are further described on our webpage and at http://www.psichi.org

4.) Mentorship Program: Psi Chi runs a mentorship program that pairs up graduate students with undergraduate students who share similar interests. This pairing is designed to give students a “safe space” to ask for help and assistance with anything they may need. Students are often unsure where to find certain information and may avoid asking their supervisor due to fears such as “I should know this”.  Several undergraduates over the years have expressed great appreciation for this program and the guidance they received. The relationship is flexible but in the past, we have seen mentees assist with: exploring career options, developing CVs, proofreading applications or letters of intent, studying for the GRES and more. Apply now by clicking “Mentorship Program” at the top of this page.

5.) Research Opportunities: There are plenty of opportunities to participate in research studies for course credit or other forms of compensation. These opportunities can be found through myInfo (SONA/Romeo). Psi Chi and PALS also assist students in networking with faculty members to establish other opportunities for research experience (e.g. volunteering as a research assistant in one of our labs on campus)