All about APAGS

The American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) is the voice of student concerns within the APA. APAGS develops, endorses and disseminates information to students about relevant education and training issues, legislative positions and developments, and future directions or changes in the field, through printed resources and the Web site; and APAGS creates and supports opportunities for students in the form of scholarships and awards, association advocacy work, and a host of development activities.

What is APAGS?

• APAGS is the largest group of organized graduate psychology students worldwide. Founded in 1988, APAGS is now over several thousand members strong making APAGS one of the largest constituency groups within the APA.
  


• APAGS mission is to be the voice of psychology students within the APA and in the psychological community at large.
  


• APAGS is governed by nine officers elected by APAGS members along with five specialized subcommittees, and supported by an Associate Executive Director and professional staff at the APA headquarters in Washington, D.C.
  


• The nine elected APAGS officers include a Chair, Past-Chair and Chair-Elect, as well as six Members at Large who have particular foci for advocacy and representation, that include practice, research/ academics, education/training, communications/public relations, diversity, and general student interests.
  

The Mission of APAGS is:

• to promote the highest standards in the research, teaching, and practice of psychology in order to further the education and development of all psychology students
  


• to represent all graduate study specialties of psychology, and to facilitate the exchange of information between these groups
  


• to promote graduate student leadership development in order to communicate and advocate the concerns of psychology students
  


• to establish and maintain channels of communication between APAGS and schools, universities, training centers, institutions, and other members of the psychological community.
  

Voice

• APAGS is a Strong Voice for Graduate Students in Psychology.
  



• Members of the APAGS committee and their designees liaison with key Boards and Committees both within and affiliated with the APA, including the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, the Board of Scientific Affairs, the Board of Educational Affairs, the Board of Professional Affairs, the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), and many others.
  



• APAGS has representation and/or full voting membership on the APA Committee on Accreditation and Ethics Code Task Force, the APA Board of Directors, the APA Council of Representatives, and the Psychology Executives Roundtable.
  

APAGS' Specialized Subcommittees:

Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) is the subcommittee of APAGS that represents and advocates for the perspectives and concerns of ethnic minority graduate students within the discipline of psychology. APAGS-CEMA’s main goal is to ensure that the specific interests and needs of ethnic minority graduate students are given a voice within the large domain of APA. APAGS-CEMA attempts to achieve this goal by increasing the membership and participation of ethnic minority graduate students within APAGS through the development and advertisement of various educational and training opportunities for ethnic minority graduate students in psychology. CEMA promotes cultural competency and sensitivity, and encourages the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority students in psychology by developing ethnic minority student resources, providing small grants for regional student-organized multicultural training events, and engaging in other advocacy activities to increase awareness of multicultural issues.

Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT) is composed of psychology graduate students who primarily engage in legislative advocacy work on behalf of the science and profession of psychology, in the interest of individuals studying, researching, and practicing psychology, and on behalf of individuals who are the recipients of psychological services. ACT members promote the welfare of graduate students and the vigor of the profession by their participation in legislative lobbying efforts. APAGS-ACT represents all sub-fields of psychology equally in its legislative and advocacy efforts. Members and designees of the ACT committee assist with the recruitment, organization, and administration of the Campus Representative network to help facilitate the flow of communication between the APAGS Board and its constituents.

Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC) works to end heterosexism in graduate psychology programs. By examining incidents of homophobia and bias in graduate education and training environments, CLGBTC works to educate faculty, trainers and administration regarding the prevalence and danger of prejudice in psychology. CLGBTC facilitates communication among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender graduate students in psychology by providing forums to discuss common issues or difficulties. CLGBTC also helps to educate psychologists, faculty and students of the concerns and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

APAGS Convention Committee Each year, graduate students have the opportunity to chair and present APAGS convention programs at the annual APA Convention. The APAGS Convention Committee works closely with APAGS Central Office and staff to plan student programs and events for the annual APA Convention to provide APAGS members with the opportunity to present their research, ideas or work at this prestigious national convention. The Convention Committee reviews and rates proposals, selects programs, and plans special activities, student social events and networking opportunities for convention. The Convention Committee selects programming to ensure that timely, relevant, and cutting-edge information is made available to students each year. The Convention Committee collaborates with other APA Boards and Committees, APA Offices and Directorates, and allied groups to plan convention programs that address important and emerging broad professional development issues for graduate students in psychology.

Learn more about the Benefits of Joining APAGS.