With several thousand members, the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) is one of the largest constituency groups of the APA, as well as the largest organized group of psychology graduate students worldwide. Similar to the APA, APAGS implements governance initiatives and policies, provides direct member contact and support, develops resources to meet the information and advocacy needs of members, provides leadership opportunities, and provides special convention programming and other distinct training.
Five issues of the APAGS Campus Representative Bulletin are available for download at: http://www.apa.org/apags/advocacy/campreps.html#bulletin. The Bulletin was launched in November 2003 as a means to enhance communication between APAGS and graduate students. It is disseminated electronically to the APAGS Campus Representatives so that they may print the bulletin and post it in their department. The bulletin includes highlights of APAGS activities including science, practice, education, diversity, and legislative issues.
APAGS Committee Updates
APAGS operates on an academic year, transitioning leadership each August at the APA Convention. The APAGS chair serves a three-year term, as chair-elect, chair and past-chair. The six elected APAGS members at large serve two-year terms, each with a specific foci. APAGS subcommittee chairs are appointed and serve two-year terms.
The following are updates on the activities and initiatives of the APAGS Committee and Subcommittee members:
Education and Training
APAGS is currently developing a "Succeeding in Practicum" resource guide for students. The guide is a collaborative effort between students and psychologists and will address a variety of issues related to practicum from finding a practicum to the link between practicum and internship.
APAGS has successfully advocated for changes in the APPIC Application for Psychology Internships (APPI) and for the inclusion of additional information on the internship match clearinghouse list of unfilled positions. The Member-at-Large Education Focus contributed several articles for the APPIC Newsletter.
APAGS representatives attended the APA Education Directorate's Education Leadership Conference in September 2004 as well as the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC) meeting.
Practice
APAGS collaborates on special projects and programs with the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP), the Board of Professional Affairs (BPA), the BPA Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance (AACA), and the APA practice Directorate. APAGS will send up to 16 delegates to the Practice Directorate's State Leadership Conference in March 2005.
Diversity
APAGS collaborated with the APA Office on Disability Issues in Psychology to create a new Resource Guide for Psychology Graduate Students with Disabilities. The guide is available online (http://www.apa.org/pi/cdip) and is also available in hard copy upon request.
APAGS has been involved with the planning committee for the 2005 National Multicultural Summit set to take place on January 27-28 in Hollywood, CA. The APAGS Member at Large-Diversity Focus, Member at Large-Practice Focus, CEMA Chair, and an APAGS staff member will represent APAGS at the Summit.
Communications
The APAGS Division Student Representative Network (DSRN) was launched at the 2004 Division Leadership Conference. The DSRN provides a forum for student representatives to discuss the challenges of recruiting student members, while building leadership skills within each division. The network is currently working on the creation of a formal mission statement.
The APAGS Campus Bulletin, designed to enhance communication between APAGS and graduate students, continues to be a useful resource to inform students of activities, resources, and member benefits available.
GradPSYCH, the APAGS Magazine, continues to provide psychology graduate students with cutting-edge information on innovative psychology careers; financial information, training and supervision; graduate student lifestyle issues; and emerging trends in psychology practice, research, and education.
Science and Research
APAGS collaborated with the Federation of Behavior, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences to host a full day science forum titled 'Non-Academic Careers in Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences.' APAGS also continues to work with the Science Student Council (SSC) on a variety of issues important to students.
Member Recruitment and Retention
The Member at Large, General Focus position has been changed to the Member at Large, Recruitment and Retention Focus. The purpose of this new position is to increase the number of APAGS members and retain an existing membership that reflects the diversity of psychology.
Initiatives have been created to increase graduate student membership through the use of current resources and coordinated recruitment activities through APA offices and directorates. APAGS recently contributed a page in the 2004 APA Membership Toolkit. Additionally, a working group of the APAGS Committee has been formed to create a product/presentation that will allow our members to conduct APAGS informational sessions on their campuses.
APAGS Subcommittee Updates
Convention
The APAGS Convention Committee and APAGS staff met in Washington, DC December 10-12, 2004 to select APAGS substantive convention programming for the 2005 annual APA Convention in Washington, DC. The Committee has agreed on a tentative schedule for 12 allotted programming hours as well as the programming that will be offered in the APAGS Suite. The Committee also discussed scheduling and other special events (e.g. Food for Thought Breakfasts, Internship Breakout Groups, Ambassador Program, social events, etc.)
APAGS will again host the pre-convention APAGS Internship Workshop at the 2005 Convention. The workshop is designed to help students successfully navigate the internship application process. All attendees receive a copy of Internships in Psychology: The APAGS Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Match (APA, 2004).
Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT)
The Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT) works to advance psychology's legislative agenda at the state and federal levels and serves to facilitate communications throughout APAGS. The ACT Committee recently created and is in the process of disseminating The Faculty Mentor Handbook. The book is intended to educate faculty mentors about ACT and APAGS, highlight CR responsibilities and encourage faculty member support.
ACT continues to highlight exceptional leadership abilities through the monthly Excellence in Leadership Awards to State Advocacy Coordinators and Campus Representatives within the Network. APAGS has been actively promoting the use of legislative tools included in the APA Practice Portal (www.apapractice.org).
Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA)
The APAGS Committee recently approved a three-part program related to the development of a CEMA Peer-Mentoring Program for Ethnic Minority Graduate Students. CEMA will first gather information on the current status of mentoring programs for ethnic minority graduate students in psychology. Based on this report, a 1 year pilot program will be conducted. Ultimately, APAGS-CEMA plans to develop a national peer-mentoring program that pairs interested first and second year ethnic minority students with upper level, ethnic minority students in order to facilitate their development and advancement.
CEMA is also working to promote the Ethnic Minority Student Organization Network (EMSON). This Network was created to disseminate information and facilitate communication between ethnic minority graduate students and APAGS-CEMA.
CEMA recently conducted an online CEMA Student Survey. Over 500 students completed the survey between April and October 2004. The survey collected information regarding the needs, interests and training experiences of ethnic minority students. The data are currently being analyzed and will be posted to the APAGS website when the results are available.
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC)
The APAGS Committee recently endorsed the development of a resource guide that will address the unique experiences of LGBT students. This LGBT Resource Guide will include information about overcoming obstacles inherent in having an LGBT identity in graduate school as well as the importance of utilizing the strengths characteristic of individuals with diverse identities. CLGBTC is currently seeking contributors that address 1) heterosexist biases in graduate training, 2) the unique issues of LGBT individuals in, for example, coursework and practica, 3) advocacy for a LGBT-affirmative institutional climate, 4) the establishment of a support network in graduate schools, 5) seeking a mentorship relationship, and 6) conducting LGBT-related research in graduate school.
Highlights of APAGS' Services
Listservs
APAGS Listservs are targeted to a variety of student interests including:
APAEMGS, concerning ethnic minority issues;
APAGSABILITIES, concerning disability issues;
APAGS-DISHELP, a community of support for completing the dissertation process in psychology;
APAGS-DSRN, a closed list specifically for student division leaders;
APAGSINTERNSATIONAL, for international students studying psychology in the US;
APAGSLGBT, for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students;
APAGSINTERNSHIP, concerning internship issues;
APAGSWOMEN, for women striving for balance between their graduate studies and the rest of their lives;
CLINAPAGS, for students studying clinical psychology;
COGAPAGS, for students studying cognitive psychology;
GRADPSYCHTALK, a forum for discussions among APAGS members and APA/APAGS staff and governance about articles featured in gradPSYCH;
MENTORS, connecting students with practicing psychologists; and,
PSYCGRAD, a general discussion list for graduate students of psychology.
Resource Guides
APAGS provides several resource guides specific to graduate student needs. Highlights include:
Resource Guide for Psychology Graduate Students with Disabilities, provides insider perspectives on critical issues and concerns that today's students with disabilities face.
Networking with APAGS in State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Associations, contains material helpful in generating ideas to solicit more student involvement and subsequent professional membership in SPTAs.
APAGS Survival Guide for Ethnic Minority Graduate Students, created through a survey of ethnic minority graduate students, this guide provides advice and recommendations for navigating the graduate school experience.
APAGS Mentoring, Balance and Self-Care Especially for Women: A Collection of Articles and Resources, provides information geared toward female psychology students.
APAGS Prescription Privileges for Psychologists: Implications for Students, provides students with the conceptual framework for understanding the key issues related to prescriptive authority.
Liaisonships that Benefit Students
APAGS committee members and staff represent students to many boards and committees in and affiliated with the APA. This involvement helps students have a voice in shaping the policies and initiatives that will affect them and their future. Some of these boards and committees include the:
