Psi Beta is an Honor Society/ Club for students interested in Psychology. The Skyline College chapter was established in 2020 and had a difficult time getting off the ground during the pandemic. We found our footing last semester, which set us up for an amazing Fall. Below is a summary of just some of the things we did over the Fall 2023 semester:
Discussions – Students pitched different topics and then voted to choose which ones to explore more completely. Topic-specific sources and discussion questions were created by club members and shared ahead of time so everyone could come to the meeting ready to discuss. This semester’s discussions covered phobias and microexpressions.
Wellness Wednesdays – This series provided opportunities for us to learn about things related to our mental health and well-being. We were fortunate to have two of our amazing personal counselors – Perry Chen and Tessa Kwan – as guest speakers. Perry presented on VAR, or Validate, Appreciate, and Refer, which provided invaluable information about how to interact with someone who is experiencing a mental health challenge. Tessa held a wonderful, activity-filled, hands-on session that allowed us to experience the benefits of mindfulness, specifically mindful coloring/ painting.
Giving Away Psychology (GAP) – This speaker series provided opportunities for students to learn about different aspects of the field and information about earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology. Our first speaker was Skyline College alumni Noreen Singh who is currently in her Graduate Program at CSU, Stanislaus. Our second speaker was Dr. Shaun Perisho, Professor of Psychology at Skyline College, and our third speaker were Psi Beta/ Skyline College alumnus Jewel Ocampo and Vladimir Zeltser. While each session focused on different things, all emphasized the importance of taking the initiative to find and participate in opportunities related to the field.
Community Service – Outside of meetings we contributed to our community by engaging in volunteer events. These included participating in the NAMI Walk, an event designed to raise awareness about mental health, and cleaning up a section of the Bay Trail as part of the California Coastal Cleanup.
Scholarship – We also worked on our scholarship by attending a poster session of the Psychonomic Society. At this conference, we were paired with mentors who taught us how to read research posters and shared other tips that are helpful when attending conferences. This opportunity was presented to us via SPARK, an organization whose mission is to diversify the field of cognitive psychology.
We are pleased with what we accomplished this semester and are looking forward to Spring 2024 which includes attending the Western Psychology Association’s annual conference and inducting new members into the Psi Beta Honor Society.
If you would like more information about Psi Beta, please contact Psi Beta President Sebastian Sutjipto at sutjiptos1@my.smccd.edu, or faculty advisor Jennifer Merrill at merrill@smccd.edu.