AASP Newsletter - January 2017

Stacy Gnacinski, M.S., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Joanna Foss, M.A., University of Missouri

As an organization, AASP has historically been, and continues to be, increasingly committed to student development and professional training. We are making continued progress on the Strategic Plan, which includes a number of student-focused items. As you will read below, AASP currently serves the largest number of student members since the organization’s founding. Our continued focus on how to best serve students and the field as a whole will continue to grow with our membership. 

New Record for AASP Student Membership

We are pleased to announce that student membership continued to grow and thrive through the final quarter of 2016. As of November, membership statistics indicate that AASP currently serves a total of 1,006 student members, reflecting a 7.5% growth in membership from 2015. We believe this growth in student membership reflects not only a growing interest in our field as a whole, but also that this generation of student members finds value in belonging to our professional organization. We thank each of our student members for their continued involvement with the organization and hope you continue to find benefits in your membership. Visit the Membership Benefits page or the Students' Center for more information on what you can get out of your AASP membership.

For student members specifically, we encourage you to seek ways to maximize existing networking opportunities within the organization – whether that be networking at the annual and regional conferences, participating in webinars, joining special interest groups (SIGs), or serving as Student Delegates. 

Web Resources for Students

Within the AASP Student Center, you will find resources to guide your next steps as students and as professionals. For example, there are over a dozen videos created by the Student Development Committee (SDC) to educate students on topics such as the process of research publication, grant writing, starting your own practice, and choosing graduate programs.  

In addition, through our own student initiatives, we have also created a variety of resources for student members, such as the Best Practices in Research (BPR) guidelines. Visit the page to find resources for a variety of topics, such as finding mentors in graduate school, research ethics, and information on how to start an Institutional Review Board (IRB) application.

Upcoming Regional Conferences and Events

Stay up-to-date with the upcoming Regional Conferences and events supported by AASP. Regional Conferences are a low-cost and high-gain opportunity for students to network with others in the field and gain experience in presentations and research dissemination. Regional Conferences slated for this Spring include the following:

• HBCU Regional Conference (Atlanta, GA, Morehouse College) - March 3-4, 2017
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference (Philadelphia, PA, Temple University) - March 31-April 1, 2017
• Northwest Regional Conference (Bellingham, WA, Western Washington University) - April 7-8, 2017
• Southwest Regional Conference (Denver, CO, University of Denver) - April 7-8, 2017
• Northeast Regional Conference (Springfield, MA, Springfield College) - April 7-8, 2017
• West Regional Conference (Pleasant Hill, CA, John F. Kennedy University) - April 21-22, 2017
• United Kingdom Regional Conference (Winchester, United Kingdom, University of Winchester) - May 20-21, 2017

NEW! Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology Journal

As of Fall 2016, AASP has published its first issue in the new Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology journal. Access to this journal is included in your membership. Take a look to get a more in-depth view of consultants’ work with specific athletes and learn more about how to write a strong case study. 

Getting Involved

If you are interested in getting more involved as a student member, we encourage you to consider the following options:

1. Join the virtual conversation on Facebook by sending a request to the AASP Student Facebook Group! This is a benefit to student members only, so if your full name is not visible on your Facebook username, please send a direct request to Stacy or Joanna via email studentrep@appliedsportpsych.org to gain Facebook page access.
2. Obtain the Graduate Program Directory (11th edition). Since its publication in January 2015, nearly 500 prospective students worldwide have purchased the latest directory – more than any previous edition. As expected, prospective students have opted for the online version where they can easily search the database for important program information on master and doctoral training programs. Get your copy today!

If you have an idea to improve the student experience in AASP or would like more information on how to get involved, please feel free to contact either of us at studentrep@appliedsportpsych.org.