Psychology honor society maintains designation as Model Chapter

Psychology honor society maintains designation as Model Chapter

The Northwest Missouri State University chapter of Psi Chi, an international honor society for psychology, is a Model Chapter for 2025-26, marking the seventh time in nine years that the chapter has received the recognition.

Among more than 1,150 chapters throughout the world, the Northwest chapter is one of only 45 to receive the Model Chapter status this year.

Psi Chi's purpose is to encourage, stimulate and maintain excellence in scholarship and to advance the science of psychology. Students must major or minor in a psychology program and be in the top 35 percent of their class, based on cumulative GPA, to be eligible for membership in the chapter. Being a part of the organization also helps students further their development as scholars.

Associate Professors of Psychology Dr. Keely Cline and Dr. Jason McCain are co-advisors of the Northwest Psi Chi chapter.

"Being recognized as a Model Chapter for the seventh time out of the last nine years illustrates that we are building strong traditions of living out the Psi Chi mission of 'Recognizing and promoting excellence in the science and application of psychology' at Northwest," said Cline, who serves as a member of Psi Chi's Midwestern Region Steering Committee and its Chapter Support Advisory Committee.

Psi Chi annually honors chapters as recipients of the Model Chapter award, a recognition of healthy and active chapters that demonstrate communication and cooperation within their chapters and with the Psi Chi headquarters. Model chapters must meet nine objectives, which include inducting new members, voting in annual Psi Chi elections and fulfilling other chapter responsibilities.

In meeting their objectives, the Northwest Psi Chi chapter organized and participated in several events throughout the academic year, including its annual research information session, a scholarly showcase and a "Playtime with Puppies" event in collaboration with the New Nodaway Humane Society to provide students with a break from studying and help reduce stress during the week of final exams. Psi Chi also organized social activities, fundraisers and member induction ceremonies in the fall and spring.

Additionally, the Northwest chapter collaborated in February with the Psi Chi chapter at the University of Toronto Scarborough to host a panel discussion, "Science in Film," featuring Dr. Chase O'Gwin, a Northwest Associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Aarthi Ashok, a biological sciences professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

In April, Northwest Psi Chi members Gursheen Sood, Ana Giraldo, Nathaniel Thompson and Ashlee Limbach presented their research at the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference in Chicago; Limbach and Giraldo were awarded Psi Chi Regional Travel Grants to support their travel to the conference. Psi Chi members also attended the 73rd Annual Nebraska Symposium on Motivation with the support of a Psi Chi Chapter Activity Grant.

Alexa Wastell, who graduated from Northwest this spring with a bachelor's degree in psychology, served as the organization's president and was a member of the chapter during the last two years. A native of Lexington, Missouri, she has begun work as a victim advocate at North Star Advocacy Center in Maryville and is pursuing a master's degree in school counseling at Northwest.

"I am so proud and grateful that we received this honor," she said. "The biggest way Psi Chi shaped me was by exposing me to academic conferences, which I otherwise would have been unable to attend."

Limbach, a native of Odessa, Missouri, who graduated from Northwest this spring with bachelor's degrees in psychology and writing, served as the chapter's vice president. Other officers of the Northwest Psi Chi chapter were Secretary Marshall Pask, Treasurer Malia Noel and Social Media Coordinator Daniel Sherchan.

Click here to learn more about psychology programs at Northwest.