Student Experiences

Iowa State psychology students make connections inside and outside the classroom. Whether you want to plan fun events with Psychology Club or see the world through study abroad, there are many different ways you can add to your college experience.

PsyClone Connect Learning Community

As a new student at Iowa State, you’ll be part of the PsyClone Connect Learning Community, a supportive community designed just for incoming first-year and transfer students. Your small cohort of students will take classes together while getting to know peers and faculty. You will:

•  Learn strategies to foster your personal development and academic success
• Learn about careers and explore special topics
• Enjoy weekly invites to PsyClone Space – a fun, low-key hangout hosted by your peer mentors where you can relax, grab a snack, ask questions, and join in on informal activities
• Earn credit toward your degree through a weekly one-hour seminar
• Take several general courses with your learning community members
• Find tips and support for life at Iowa State from your peer mentors
• Feel the benefits of a small college experience, with the excitement of a major university

During our seminar, you’ll learn about “Psychology in Action” through themes such as the psychology of happiness or creating bright futures for every child. This includes movie discussions, field trips, and service learning in the community, creating a direct impact on those around you.

Psychology Club

Eager to meet other psychology students and faculty in the department? Then you’ll definitely want to check out Psychology Club. As a psychology major or minor, you are automatically a member of the Psychology Club, but you must “activate” your membership by attending a meeting. Psychology Club helps you connect with other students and faculty, and you’ll also have a chance to dive deep into psychology and learn what career path best suits you. It’s also a great way to add leadership experience to your resume – consider joining the club’s executive team and help make a positive impact on campus!

Psychology Club meeting topics vary and include both social events and more formal sessions with speakers in psych-related fields. Popular past events include “Meet the Professors Night,” a Halloween-themed psychology lecture, and our annual trip to Chicago for the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference where you can present research and network with leading psychologists and professionals from around the country. Meeting dates and times are announced in the Psych Undergrad Weekly Bulletin and on the Psych Club bulletin board near the Advising Office (1460 Lagomarcino).

Undergraduate research and internships

Undergraduate research allows you to explore interesting career paths while developing skills to prepare for the workplace or gain acceptance to graduate school. Our many faculty research labs are also places where you can find community and connection. Many labs are small, with five to 15 student researchers. You’ll meet faculty, graduate students, and peers. You could also present your research at our spring symposium, another resume-worthy professional development opportunity.

Psychology majors also gain real-life experience through internships. Popular options include youth social service agencies or industrial/organizational psychology internships.

Psi Chi

Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, was founded in 1929 with the purpose of encouraging academic excellence and advancement of psychology (www.psichi.org). Students interested in participating in Psi Chi must complete an application and meet certain academic requirements:

• Be enrolled as a major or minor in a psychology program or a program psychological in nature
• Have completed at least 3 semesters or equivalent of full-time college coursework
• Have completed at least 9 semester credit hours or equivalent of psychology courses
• Have earned a cumulative GPA that is in the top 35% of their class (sophomore, junior, or senior) compared to their classmates across the entire university or the college that houses psychology (minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale)
• Have a minimum 3.0 GPA average for psychology courses

Through the international Psi Chi organization, students have access to over $400,000 in annual grants, awards, and scholarships. Psi Chi also actively helps members identify and obtain psychology-related careers, gain invaluable one-on-one mentor relationships with professionals in all areas of psychology, and prepare students for graduate school and research participation.

Iowa State’s Psi Chi chapter holds graduate school informational talks each semester to help students learn more about and apply to their programs of interest. We also offer volunteer opportunities throughout the year to get students involved in the Iowa State and surrounding communities.

Where ambition meets opportunity

Outside of the psychology department, the College of Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) also offers plenty of opportunities for leadership and connection. Get involved in the Start Something LAS Academy, where you gain the skills, knowledge, and networks to explore your entrepreneurial ideas. Or grow personally and professionally as a leader through LAS Student Ambassadors or LAS Pulse. No matter your interests, LAS has resources to help you find your fit.

Iowa State is home to 800+ student clubs and organizations. There’s something for every Cyclone here!