Looking for a sense of belonging at UBC—and to connect with other students? Join a student club to find like-minded people in your community.
Learn more about UBC Psychology’s student clubs and the people involved.
The Psychology Students’ Association (PSA) of UBC is a student-run organization that seeks to enhance the personal, professional, and academic success of Arts and Science undergraduate students who are interested in psychology.
UBC Psi Chi Chapter is part of the Psi Chi International Honour Society in Psychology, which aims to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship, and advance the science of psychology.
We invited the PSA president, Jimmy Chokmeesuk, and Psi Chi co-presidents, Kateryna Voznyuk and Jeevan Sran, to tell us how to get involved in these two student societies.
I am Jimmy Chokmeesuk (he/they), a fourth-year Psychology major and interpersonal development minor student, and I am currently the President of PSA.
Can you give a short history of the club and its achievements throughout the years?
Here at PSA, our mission is to enhance the personal, professional, and academic success of psychology students at UBC by working together with the Department of Psychology. We do this in large part by holding academic and social events throughout the academic year.
Some highlighted events include CV Workshops, Proftalks series, Hanging Out with a Prof series, Student/Faculty Socials, the Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (PURC), and the Year End Gala – just to name a few.
With 200+ members annually, the PSA acts as the student council of the Psychology Department.
What can students expect from PSA this year (e.g. in-person/online events)?
In addition to our highlight annual academics event and PURC, this year, we are moving most of the social events back to in-person to allow the students to have more opportunities to get to know each other, including getting to know the faculty.
What are some ways students can get involved with PSA?
The students can get involved with PSA by becoming PSA members. Please visit the website for membership benefits details here.
Additionally, the students can also apply to become a mentee in our Adopt-a-first-year mentorship program, which is the PSA program where a well-recruited group of Psychology upper-year students provides mentorship to new incoming students at the UBC Vancouver campus.
We hope to provide supportive academic and social opportunities and provide a smoother transition to their first year at the UBC Vancouver campus. You can apply here.
Is there a tip that you would like to share with new incoming students?
Being a new student on such a big campus is challenging and can be extremely overwhelming from time to time. I highly recommend everyone attend PSA social and academic events to connect with like-minded people on campus! I actually made lots of friends throughout the year from PSA events.
Additionally, please feel free to reach out to me or any other executives if you have any concerns or questions. We would love to connect with you!
“Attend PSA social and academic events to connect with like-minded people on campus! ”
Follow PSA Instagram and PSA Facebook, and sign up for their mailing list to get the most up-to-date information and events.
I’m Kateryna; I’m a 4th-year Behavioural Neuroscience Major and research assistant with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Lab on campus.
My name is Jeevan, I am a 4th-year Psychology Major with a Minor in Law & Society.
Can you give a short history of the club and its achievements throughout the years?
Psi Chi’s chapter at UBC was chartered in November of 2011 and since then, we have welcomed over 450 inductees and awarded $11,950 in undergraduate awards.
We are proud to highlight that Psi Chi has hosted multiple successful events including our Labyrinth Podcast, Expert Talk Series, and Get Psyched Mentorship Program! Through these initiatives, Psi Chi has provided our students with opportunities to support their exploration of possible careers and studies within the Psychology, Cognitive Systems, and Behavioral Neuroscience fields.
What can students expect from Psi Chi this year (e.g. in-person/online events)?
Psi Chi is excited to carry on our work to support students within the Psychology, Cognitive Systems, and Behavioural Neuroscience fields through our variety of outreach and mentorship events.
Namely, our Expert Talk Series invites experts in the psychology field to speak about their careers and experiences which gives students the chance to understand the possible career opportunities with their undergraduate degrees.
Additionally, our Get Psyched Mentorship Program aims to connect high school and undergraduate students with mentors to help them transition into studying psychology at the university and graduate school level to promote studies within psychology.
Our inductions will be in Spring 2023, and we are excited to welcome our next year’s round of members and scholarship applications in the second term. Feel free to also check out our booth at Imagine Day on September 6th!
What are some ways students can get involved with Psi Chi?
Psi Chi offers many unique opportunities for students to get involved.
Firstly, we are excited to announce that Psi Chi is recruiting executive coordinators for our External, Internal, and Marketing teams!
As an executive coordinator, you have the unique opportunity to work alongside the vice president in developing and executing our various events and marketing goals. If you are interested in how to apply, please visit our Psi Chi Instagram page for further details by September 18th.
Additionally, Psi Chi opens our membership intake during the second semester of the 2022/2023 academic year. This membership opens individuals to exclusive access to research and publication opportunities, as well as over $400,000 in scholarships! Check out our website for more details.
Is there a tip that you would like to share with new incoming students?
For any incoming students, we highly recommend taking the time to understand the abundance of resources available to you through UBC as you navigate undergraduate life.
These UBC and peer-based academic, health, and financial supports, paired with the wide variety of social and recreational events on campus will connect you with your community and help you tailor a unique and valuable experience at UBC.
As our university’s motto goes: “Tuum Est”— your university life is yours to enjoy and explore all it has to offer.
“Take the time to understand the abundance of resources available to you through UBC as you navigate undergraduate life. Tuum Est — your university life is yours to enjoy and explore all it has to offer.”
Stay updated on Psi Chi events and opportunities by following Psi Chi Instagram and Psi Chi Facebook, and check out their website for more information on the benefits and requirements of a Psi Chi membership.
By Viktoriia Tian
