By Richard M. Suinn, PhD
APA President

Both of my initiatives, ethnic minorities and cancer, are ultimately about people. For minorities, it's about the individual who aspires for the summit, who experiences the frustration of obstacles that can't be seen, who feels the need to believe that dreams are reachable. For cancer patients, it's about the dread of an alien presence, the need for help in a world gone askew and the will to believe there is hope.

This year, two events in particular have evoked a positive emotional response from participants: the National Multicultural Conference and Summit in January and the Council of Representatives meeting in February. Participants at both meetings have described experiencing an almost joyous feeling and the inspiration of accomplishment.

Those at the summit knew they were going to hear presentations about ethnic-minority issues. What they ultimately experienced was a sense of a homecoming, a welcoming, a validation and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood with all other participants, whatever their color. Those at the council meeting knew they were going to debate and vote on policy issues. They experienced an energizing of mutual understanding, a discovery of collaboration, a recognition of diverse values and a respectfulness for differences.

Many factors enabled these events to release such powerful human emotions and the consequent positive outcomes. The organizing chairs established the overall tone, and the process that followed set a constructive and unifying standard. Individual participants voiced their views and were open to those of others.

The spirit of my presidential year is one of collaboration and working together to better the human experience. At the core of this spirit is the notion of people helping people. I hope that you will participate in one or more projects. (In future columns I will invite your participation in other projects, so please keep reading each column!)

Grassroots effort: mentoring directory

Grassroots involvement is an important emphasis of this year. APA is not just the president, council or central office; APA is all the members. When major outcomes are achieved, it is with the energies of such members. As part of my initiative on ethnic minorities, I am calling on you to identify psychologists who could serve as mentors for ethnic-minority psychology students.

Minorities in academic programs often lack access to mentors who can offer insights and understanding. I ask you to submit the names and addresses of psychologists from the community who might be willing to serve as mentors for minority students in programs with limited faculty mentors. These volunteers would be "mentors without portfolio," with no faculty appointment, but with the willingness to help meet students' needs. Volunteers need not be restricted to ethnic-minority psychologists.

Please submit the following information about each possible mentor: Name, address, e-mail address, ethnicity, and doctoral specialty. Please send information to: Nancy Forest, APAGS Office; e-mail: apags@apa.org. APA staff will contact all nominees before including their names in the directory that will be made available on the APAGS web site.

Grassroots effort: award nominations

Some graduate programs are already models of success in making a grassroots commitment to the training of students of color, and the time has come to recognize their work.Three programs will be recognized at APA's convention in Boston, based upon their success in recruitment and graduation of minorities. I call for nominations, to be submitted by a minority student in the program, with documentation from the department.

Please submit nominations by June 15 to Bertha Holliday, PhD, Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, (202) 336-6029, e-mail: bholliday@apa.org. Please send the following information in support of each nomination: name of university program; number and percentage of ethnic-minority graduate students enrolled; within the last five years, number and percentage of minority students who have earned their doctoral degrees; a brief description of what the program provides that contributes to its success. (Recruiting steps, mentoring programs for enrolled students, added funding, etc.)

The Div. 12 (Clinical) Section VI (Ethnic Minorities) is establishing a mentor award to be given to a faculty member in recognition of his or her support of ethnic-minority students. The recipient will be recognized at the Div. 12 meeting at convention. For more information and to submit nominations, contact Gordon Nagayama Hall, PhD, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-3104, (814) 863-1752; fax: (814) 863-7002; e-mail: gch3@psu.edu. The deadline is May 31.

You can make a difference. Your help in establishing these programs can enhance the human spirit of ethnic-minority students and bring hope within their reach.



Read our privacy statement and Terms of Use

Cover Page for this Issue

PsychNET®
© 1999 American Psychological Association

APA Home Page . Search . Site Map