Psi Chi is the International Honors Society of Psychology. The mission of The Psi Chi is to recognize and promote excellence in the field of Psychology, including scientific research and real-world applications. There are over 1,000 chapters of Psi Chi at colleges and universities around the world.

Each year, we induct approximately 30-40 juniors and seniors with strong academic records in Psychological Science into our chapter. We also elect student officers, who serve as community leaders for our chapter. The faculty advisor of Psi Chi at UVM is Dr. Jamie Abaied. Our current student officers are: 

• President: John DePalma 

• Vice President: Teagan Lacoste 

• Secretary: Emma Osborne  

• Treasurer: Emily Clifton  

• Officer at Large: Emily Reardon 

• Officer at Large: Lexie Divers 

Why Should I Apply? 

There are many potential benefits to becoming a member of Psi Chi. Here are just a few: 

1. Graduate programs and employers view membership in Psi Chi as an indicator of academic accomplishment – it looks great on your CV or resume no matter what you do after graduation! It is a well-established and recognizable honor. Employers/grad schools will know what it is and understand its value. 

2. Psi Chi as an organization has many resources available to its members, including a Career Center network for finding job opportunities, a network for finding research collaborators, a database of research materials, advice for getting into graduate school, scholarships, grants, and more.

3. Members who join Psi Chi in their junior year have the option of applying to be a chapter officer. Officer positions provide leadership experience and give you an opportunity to get more involved in our department.   

You are eligible to join Psi Chi at UVM if all three of the following apply to you: 

1. junior or senior standing 

2. a minimum of 15 completed credits in Psychological Science (does NOT include in-progress courses) 

3. an overall GPA of 3.5 or more  

The chapter faculty advisor, Professor Abaied, will email an invitation to apply for membership to students who have been identified as potentially eligible, based on the criteria above, in late January each year. Applications will be due in mid-February. If you believe you may be eligible but do not receive an invitation to apply, please contact Professor Abaied at jabaied@uvm.edu. Please note that we cannot accept late applications. Students may apply in either their junior or senior year.

If you are selected to join Psi Chi, you will be responsible for paying a one-time membership fee of $55 plus a $5 processing fee. The induction ceremony will take place in early April, and you will receive an honor cord to wear at graduation indicating your membership. You will also be invited to attend optional events organized by the chapter officers, such as membership meetings or social gatherings. Your membership is for life, and you may continue to enjoy the benefits of membership (see above) after you graduate.