By Angelica Martinez
At 3 p.m., on Sept. 24, in the Academic Commons Room 126, Cameron University’s psychology honor society, Psi Chi, and the Psychology Club held a joint meeting featuring a guest speaker and a discussion of upcoming plans for both organizations.
Psychology Club Faculty Advisors Megan Culbert and Dr. Frye-Davies oversee both groups and do the joint monthly meeting since so many members overlap into both organizations.
Culbert is serving for her second year as a faculty advisor and considers the club, “an outlet for a lot of students where they can meet new people, and participate on campus and in the community.”
“Psychology club is a place for any major to connect with others and just share our fascination with the mind and behavior, which is a facet that covers any degree plan,” Culbert said.
She is looking forward to this fall semester for the club, particularly with events and future guest speakers, such as a representative of the Lawton Police Department bringing information on homicide investigations.
“Other than that, we do a volunteer project opportunity every year,” Culbert said, “and this year we plan to volunteer at the Goodwill Adult Daycare and serve Thanksgiving lunch to participants there.”
During the meeting, Psi Chi and Psychology Club members discussed their upcoming event, “Milk, Murder, and Munchies,” scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 in Ross Hall-Johnson Auditorium 111. The event will provide a cozy environment with snacks and conversation centered around various famous crimes and murder cases. They promise a “killer discussion” and encourage everyone to attend.
President Chelsea Castro, Vice President Alexander Weaver and other officers introduced themselves to Psi Chi/Psychology Club.
Sophomore Psychology major and Family Science minor Elizabeth Bowen is the current Treasurer and this is her second year in the club. She has applied for Psi Chi as well.
“I’ve always enjoyed participating in school activities and clubs, so being able to join one that also matched my major was a huge bonus,” Bowen said. “I feel as though by being an officer, I can put more effort, time and care into the club, whereas if I was a member I wouldn’t be able to achieve that as easily.”
Junior Psychology major Abigail Gleaves is participating for the first time this semester and currently working to become the Student Government Association (SGA) Representative for the organization.
“I think the scholarships and the ability to go to the conferences are great opportunities for students,” Gleaves said. “I enjoy psych club as it gives me more opportunities to meet other psych majors, outside of the classes I take, and gives a more relaxed environment to converse and share ideas.”
Guest speaker Cindy Savel, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) presented information on the services the organization provides.
Savel explained the non-profit’s mission is to, “provide specially selected and trained community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in foster care so they may find safe, loving and permanent homes.”
According to Savel, the local system currently faces a critical shortage of foster parents and resources, resulting in an urgent need for volunteers.
CASA trains volunteers to advocate for children in court, ensuring judges have the information they need to make decisions that best support the child’s well-being. Volunteers remain assigned to a case until it is resolved and may submit recommendations and concerns directly to the judge as part of their advocacy efforts.
To become a CASA volunteer, applicants must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, complete an interview, complete 30 hours of pre-service training and observe court proceedings. Once certified, volunteers are able to handle a case that is deemed a good fit for all parties involved. Volunteers must complete an additional 12 hours of training annually to remain in compliance.
CASA also offers an Ambassador Program for individuals aged 18 and older who wish to support the organization in other ways. Ambassadors assist with events and serve as representatives to promote CASA’s mission and recruit more advocates. For more information on volunteer opportunities with CASA, contact them at (580) 248-2272 or visit their Lawton Office at 1001 SW B Ave., Ste. 190.
To join Psi Chi, students must be a psychology major or minor, have completed at least nine credit hours of psychology courses, rank in the top 35% of their class, and hold a minimum 3.0 GPA in psychology courses. Applications are due by Nov. 15, with the induction ceremony for new members planned for early December via Zoom. For more information on Psi Chi, please contact psichi@cameron.edu.