Frequently Asked Questions |
What do I have to do to become a general member?
Simply attend our meetings! There are no requirements for being a general member. We encourage our members to attend to all of our meetings and learn valuable information about graduate school and cultural competency. If you cannot make a meeting, just join us the next week and asks for notes from the previous week if you would like!
Are there any membership fees?
All LSPA information is free! We fundraise to help fund all LSPA events. No membership fees!
Where can I get help with my academic portfolio?
LSPA executive board members are more than willing to help our members. We are all more than willing and encourage all of our members to meet with our board members to see if there is something we can assist you with (i.e. what classes to take, programs to get involved with, research opportunities, etc). Check out the executive board members tab and feel free to email any of our board members that have interests similar to yours. If you have any general questions feel free to contact Anacany Torres our Graduate school/ research chair at anacanyt@uci.edu and she will be glad to help.
Who can apply for an Executive Board position?
Any member can apply for an Executive Board position. You will have to prepare your speech and deliver it in spring quarter, which is when elections will take place. You will be a stronger candidate if you have attended most of our meetings, socials, community service and other LSPA events.
What are the qualities do you look for in an Executive Intern?
We don't have a set of qualities we look for in an Executive Intern. We look for an intern that is determined and excited to promote the importance of higher education and has shown their commitment to LSPA. Like for the Executive Board position, same thing applies to the Executive Intern position, that you have attended most of our meetings, socials, community service and other LSPA events.
Do I have to be a Latina/o in order to become part of LSPA?
No, you do not have to be a Latina/o to become part of LSPA. The organization as a whole is open to anybody regardless of his or her gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.
Do I have to be a declared Psychology major in order to be an active member of LSPA?
No. LSPA is open to all individuals including those from other majors as well. This means that, undergraduate students who are majoring in other fields of interest other than Psychology are also welcomed. For instance, a student who is majoring in Biology within the school of Biological Sciences is more than welcome to become a part of the organization, as is a student who is a majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering within the school of Engineering. In other words, LSPA is open to all students from various multidisciplinary fields of study.
What do I need to do to prepare myself for graduate school?
Work on the 5 educational pillars. Take relevant courses that involve your research interests or career goals. Get involve in research, such as summer programs (SAEP, SERP, or UROP), find a faculty that is doing research that is similar to your interests. Gain practical experience, such as finding internship opportunities that are relevant to your interests, become involved in the community, join an organization or programs that will help you gain leadership skills, become part of a board, for example.
How can I obtain letter of recommendations from faculty/staff?
In classes, ask questions, attend professor's office hours. Also, read their published articles/work and ask questions about it. Form a relationship with them and let them know your interests. Eventually, you will have to prepare a binder with your personal statement and all the information they will need to know about the program you're applying to or the reason for the letter with deadline dates and so forth.