By Sarah Vick
After a few years of hiatus, Salem’s psychology club is back in action. Senior Mikaella Bruce, known by most as “Bruce,” is spearheading the project to bring the club back to life.
“During my very first year at Salem, a group of other students tried to introduce a psychology club and at that time I was really interested and felt like it could be of great benefit to me personally,” says Bruce. After having experiences with other organizations on campus, specifically honor-oriented ones, I wanted there to be an opportunity for psychology students to potentially get National Psi Chi Psychology Honors. Salem’s psychology department is ever expanding, especially with the large incoming class, and I wanted to create a space for forming strong working relationships with current and former Salem psychology students for mentorship, studying, research projects, and career and higher education connections.”
Psychology club hosting their first movie night (Sarah Vick/Salemite)
Approximately 15 students attended the first interest meeting for the new psychology club, and Bruce is optimistic about participation for the coming year. After the mania of Fall Fest subsides, the club will hold elections for leadership. To avoid another period of inactivity, Bruce hopes to implement a two semester system of leadership where elections are held in the spring semester so current leadership can train incoming officers for the following year.
This year, the main goal of the psychology club is to maintain active club status in order to apply to be an official chapter of the National Psychology Honor Society, Psi Chi. The club is also working to showcase films and events, as well as fun game and trivia night activities to bring awareness and discussion to mental health on campus. For the fall 2016 semester, the psychology club plans to host a Personality Quiz Night and fun memory and stress-reduction sessions during midterms and final exams.
Bruce is happy to answer any questions about the club. “Anyone should feel free to approach me about joining or ideas for the club,” she says. “Also, most if not all events and activities are open to all students, not just psych majors and minors.”
Students interested in joining the psychology club can reach Bruce at mikaella.bruce@salem.edu.
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