Peru, Nebraska Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology, is proud to announce the addition of the Peru State College Psi Chi Chapter. Peru State's Psi Chi Chapter was installed on April 8, 2017. The faculty advisor of the new chapter is Dr. Kelli Gardner.
The Peru State Psi Chi inaugural class: Aubrey DeBraal (Henderson, NE), Evan Davies
(Omaha, NE), Devin Edds (Farragut, IA), Tanner Fischer (Hartington, NE), Tamra Lynn
Reynolds (Shenandoah, Iowa), Melissa Bonnes (Shenandoah, Iowa), and Jehan Balliet
(Lincoln, NE) with Psi Chi Faculty Advisor, Dr. Kelli Gardner.
17 were inducted into the inaugural class.
The class included:
Keri Andersen (Adams, NE)
Jehan Alyce Balliet (Lincoln, NE)
Shae Belt (Rex, GA)
Melissa Jo Bonnes (Shenandoah, IA)
Tammy Sue Coons (Oneill, NE)>
Evan Thomas Davies (Omaha, NE)
Aubrey Elise DeBraal (Henderson, NE)
Devin Kaylene Edds (Farragut, IA)
Bethaney Anne Fine (Ogallala, NE)
Tanner Fischer (Hartington, NE)
Alaina Michelle Henzel (Lincoln, NE)
Stephanie Elaine Kantor (St. Augustine, FL)
Lindsey A. Kohout (Nebraska City, NE)
Amanda Lee (Winder, GA)
Steven Carron Mitchell (Norwalk, CA)
Taylor Pfeifer (Omaha, NE)
Tamra Lynn Reynolds (Shenandoah, IA)
Gardner writes, "The biggest obstacle we faced in establishing a chapter of Psi Chi on Peru State's campus involved growing our psychology club. In order to show that our campus was ready for Psi Chi, we had to establish a track record of psychology students being engaged outside of the classroom. The 2016-2017 Psychology Club officers stepped up in a big way, holding a series of events throughout the school year. Their efforts strengthened our application considerably."
Psi Chi was founded on September 4, 1929 during the Ninth International Congress of
Psychology held at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The Honor Society’s
stated purpose is to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship,
and to advance the science of psychology.
Many of the Society’s members have gone on to distinguished careers in psychology,
including several presidents of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the
American Psychological Society (APS), numerous national and international award winners,
and various other renowned research psychologists, authors, professors, and practitioners.
Psi Chi is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is an affiliate
of both the APA and APS. Psi Chi has grown over the past 87 years into one of the
largest and most successful honor societies in the world with over 1197 chapters located
at college and university campuses throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada, Ireland,
New Zealand, Barbados, Egypt, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Turkey and Puerto Rico. These
chapters not only recognize academic achievement by granting membership in the Society,
but also sponsor programs and activities which augment and enhance the regular curriculum,
offer an outlet for service to the campus and the community at large, and provide
practical experience and fellowship through affiliation with the chapter.
Psi Chi inductees with faculty (left to right): Dr. Tim Borchers, Dr. Jim Nevitt,
Dr. Jared Bartel, Aubrey DeBraal, Dr. Greg Galardi, Ethan Davies, Devin Edds, Tanner
Fischer, Tamra Reynolds, Melissa Jabonnes, Jehan Balliet, Dr. Kelli Gardner, Elaine
Hanson, Dr. Dan Hanson.
The international organization bestows several regional and Society research awards, sponsors diverse programs at regional and national psychological association conventions (including lectures, workshops, panel discussions, and information exchanges), and publishes the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research (formerly the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research). In addition, Psi Chi’s Society service projects illustrate the Society’s commitment to its mission of “student excellence, reflected in scholarly and professional growth within psychology and the ability to impact society positively.”
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