Highlights of APA convention programming and special thanks to departing SAB members
By Christopher Cushing
This edition highlights some recent APA convention programming, extends a warm thank you to our departing SAB members, and solicits your help shaping the future of the student member experience within SPP.
2011 APA Convention Student Programming Highlights
Student programming in the APA hospitality suite offered top-notch opportunities for students to network and learn about career-advancement opportunities. This year we enjoyed an at-capacity attendance in our Joint Student Social Hour with Division 53 and 37. We also had a terrific turnout (not to mention great food) at Internships on Parade. I strongly recommend that you find a way to attend the APA convention, and the Internships on Parade, in particular. In addition to these informal events, students also had some wonderful opportunities to learn from established psychologists in semi-formal roundtable discussions. We were fortunate to have a student session co-hosted by the Diversity Committee that complimented Dr. Celia Lescano’s workshop in the main conference program (see Dr. Lescano’s article in this issue for a review). We also had an early-career roundtable featuring Meghan Marsac, Amy Lewandowski, and Christina Duncan. Three of the important global messages about navigating the early-career process was to surround yourself with good mentors, do the best you can with what is in front of you, and be willing to decide what you want your work/life balance to be. I think many graduate students know how to do the first two goals while the third may be new. What was clear from our panel was that there will come a point where you have vastly more options than those available to you now. Each of those options will have different pluses and minuses. None will be good or bad options, but each will be different. As you think about venturing out into your early career, be willing to do a values assessment and make hard decisions about what you really want in your work.
Thank You to our Departing Student Advisory Board Members
Our new SAB members are a capable and innovative group who are already bringing life to many of our initiatives. As always the addition of new members signals the departure of our veterans. I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to: Alli Smith, University of Rhode Island; Christopher Fitzgerald, Marquette University; Elizabeth Schneider, University of S. Carolina; Emily Ach, The Ohio State University; and Josie Welkom, Georgia State University. This group functioned like a well-oiled machine ensuring that we could provide the best possible service to our student members over the last two years. It is a difficult task to add their duties onto coursework, dissertations, and internship applications. However, each one rose to their respective challenges and served their fellow students admirably. Thank you all for your service.
Society of Pediatric Psychology Strategic Planning
The SPP executive committee regularly develops and implements a strategic plan for the Division. These plans are intended to provide direction and spur initiatives. Decisions are made based on data collected by SPP and APA, and board member’s opinions developed by talking with SPP members. I want to make sure that student’s opinions are heard during this process. Certainly, the Network of Campus Representative and the Student Advisory Board will provide input, but I would love to hear from individual student members.
If you have questions, concerns, or just good ideas about ways SPP can support students, please
contact me. The executive committee is extremely interested in maintaining, improving, or expanding student member benefits based on need. Please contact me with your thoughts.
