Graduate Students (CPAGS)

What is CPAGS?
CPAGS is the graduate student arm of the California Psychological Association. We are dedicated to supporting fellow students in our collective development as leaders in and advocates for the field of psychology. CPAGS officers work hard to enhance the professional development of all California Psychology students by providing opportunities in leadership, networking, research presentations, and scholarships.

Who is CPAGS?
If you are a student member of CPA, then you are a member of CPAGS! If not, joining CPAGS is easy, and costs only $37 per year. Just click on "Join CPA" above, or click here for a downloadable application. (Please note: Division VIII-Neuropsychology is our NEWEST division, but it is not indicated on the application. If you are mailing in or faxing a hardcopy of the application, please indicate if you would like to join Division VIII)

With a CPAGS membership, you receive all the benefits of a CPA membership, plus special opportunities that are available to students. Benefits of membership include:
1) The CPAGS Listserv
2) The California Psychologist: CPA’s monthly magazine carries news, articles of interest and perspectives on the future of psychology.
3) Access to CPA staff resources
4) Special interest division memberships at a reduced-rate
5) Scholarship Opportunities
6) Discounted/Free admission to CPA Convention and Workshops
7) The satisfaction of supporting student advocacy: Even if you don't have time to take advantage of all of the opportunities available to CPAGS members, your membership fee will help support other students' involvement, which will lead to better professional lives for all of us!

Your CPAGS Officers...
CPAGS is run by a group of officers who are newly elected each year. (For more information on officer positions, see below). We are dedicated to helping student voices be heard, so if you have any concerns, questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact us! Click here to see your officers for the 2009-2010 year.



How do we communicate with you?

The CPAGS Listserve
This online community connects graduate students and professional psychologists, provides professional mentoring, offers important information about legislative and industry changes that affect psychologists, includes postings of internship opportunities, fellowships and post-doctoral training, and is an invaluable resource to graduate students in the state. All CPAGS members are eligible to join. To do so, send an email to LISTSERV@LISTS.APAPRACTICE.ORG with no subject line. Put SUBSCRIBE CPAGS < your name > in the body of the email.

The Campus Representative Network
The CPAGS Campus Representative Network (CRN) is the medium through which CPAGS communicates with students across the state.

Campus representatives are instrumental in: 1) informing students in their department about issues relevant to the field of psychology and graduate students in particular, including job/internship opportunities, scholarships, grants, and conference opportunities; 2) ensuring reciprocal communication between graduate students and CPAGS/CPA; 3) providing a resource for information about legislative issues and processes affecting the field of psychology. The CR position carries many important and exciting responsibilities as well as opportunities to connect with CPA and CPAGS governance and leadership. The time commitment is minimal, but campus reps provide an invaluable service to their fellow students. If you are interested in serving as a campus rep, or would like to find out who the campus rep is at your school, please contact the CPAGS Chair or Chair-Elect.

ANNUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

CPAGS Student Leadership and Advocacy Conference (SLAC)
The CPAGS SLAC,  a free conference usually held in November or December, offers several opportunities for students. Typically a one-day event, the SLAC introduces students to avenues in which they are able to learn how to be independent leaders in their field and role models to other students. The SLAC also offers networking and training opportunities. By having several speakers that discuss topics, such as scope of practice, how to become an effective leader, how to advocate at your local, state, and national levels, and how to increase your visibility and marketability as a graduate student, students may learn the importance of developing their professional identities while in school and how to develop long-lasting professional relationships. Poster sessions, while not currently offered, are anticipated to be offered in the near future. Volunteer opportunities are available. SCHOLARSHIPS and TRAVEL GRANTS are available for those who qualify!! (Submissions are usually due in October or November of each year). For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact the CPAGS Advocacy Chair.

CPAGS Cross-Cultural Conference (CCC)
The CPAGS CCC, usually held in February of each year, is also a student-focused free conference. This one-day event provides opportunities for students to learn about how to work within several diverse environments and with diverse populations. Because CPA strives to address, train, and support all efforts to move towards a more culturally competent and sensitive psychological practice, speakers at this conference are not only well-trained and recognized as competent clinicians in working within various diverse clientele, but the topics presented are geared towards specific clinical, research, and practical issues. Poster presentations, while not currently offered, are anticipated to be offered in the near future. (Submissions are usually due in December or January of each year). Volunteer opportunities are available. SCHOLARSHIPS and TRAVEL GRANTS are available for those who qualify!! (Submissions are usually due in October or November of each year). For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact the CPAGS Diversity Chair.

State Leadership and Advocacy Conference and Leadership and Advocacy Day (LAD)
At this annual conference (usually held in February or March), attendees spend either 2-3 days preparing for the LAD, which is held on the last day of the conference. Although the entire conference is not currently open to all CPAGS members, there are opportunities to attend the LAD. In the morning of the LAD, attendees learning about current bills, advocacy work, and the legislative process. After lunch, attendees break up by county to meet with their local legislators and staff members to discuss current bills and issues related to mental health care. SCHOLARSHIPS and TRAVEL GRANTS are available for those who qualify!! (Submissions are usually due in December or January of each year). For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact the CPAGS Advocacy Chair. This conference is by invitation only, so students interested in attending and/or interested in a scholarship should contact the CPAGS Advocacy Chair immediately before spaces are filled. 

CPA Convention
The CPA Convention, usually held in April of each year, offers several opportunities for students. Throughout the convention, students can gather for networking groups, lunches and dinners with your CPAGS officers and CPA leaders. Students can also present during the Student Poster Session, usually held on Saturday afternoon of the Convention. Additionally, the convention has student-focused and early career psychologist programming, such as enhancing your networking skills, preparing for the EPPP, tackling the AAPI application, and much more!  Poster submissions are usually due in December or January of each year. Scholarships and work exchanges are available to help defray the cost of attendance. For more information about any of these opportunities, contact the CPAGS Convention Chair.

• serves a one-year term as member of the CPAGS Steering Committee, and serves as Chair in the subsequent year;
• functions as treasurer of the student association and represents CPAGS in CPA's Finance Committee;
• coordinates Campus Representative Network;
  
• attends both spring and fall CPA Board of Directors meetings, CPAGS' student-focused conferences, the annual Leadership and Advocacy Conference, and the CPA Convention.

• serves on the CPA Governmental Affairs Committee;
• coordinates state and federal legislative advocacy efforts with the Association’s campus representatives, and thus with the membership;
• works closely with CPA's Division I and CPAGS' Division I student representative to coordinate student involvement and scholarship opportunities and distribution;
  
• coordinates student attendance at CPAGS' Student Leadership & Advocacy Conference and CPA's State Leadership & Advocacy Conference.

• coordinates with CPA's Division VII and CPAGS' Division VII student representative to coordinate student involvement and scholarship opportunities and distribution;
  
• assists in developing opportunities and advertising events geared towards addressing diversity;
• coordinates student attendance at CPAGS' Cross-Cultural Conference.

• serves on the CPA Convention Committee and coordinates all aspects of student participation in the annual CPA convention, including but not limited to:
• distributing the call for proposals for the student track of programming;
• coordinating the selection of proposals and the scheduling of programs;
• runs the student track in coordination with CPA central office on the day of convention (must be able to attend convention in its entirety);
• disseminates all necessary information to convention presenters.

• co-develops and edits the student membership newsletter;
• maintains and updates the CPAGS listserv;
• disseminates student-focused informational fliers or emails to campus representatives for distribution
• co-develops advertisements and CPAGS marketing materials for distribution;
  
• coordinates submissions for the student column of the California Psychologist;
• coordinates the submission of division representative updates for dissemination.