The Pivotal Role of Students in International Psychology: A Past, Present, and Future Overview

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The Pivotal Role of Students in International Psychology: A Past, Present, and Future Overview

Daniel Balva , Harold Takooshian

Abstract

In 2022, the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division 52 (International Psychology) marked the long-anticipated 25th anniversary of its foundation on February 21, 1997. This is an apt time to review the important and often overlooked roles of students within international psychology. This concise, yet panoramic overview explores the roles of students in international psychology, in APA's Division 52, and in student-led organizations in five parts: (1) prehistory of Division 52 prior to 1997; (2) early years of Division 52; (3) recent years of Division 52; (4) the current rise of a new student-led organization; (5) future directions for international psychology.

Key words: APA, global, history, international psychology, students

Аннотация

Роль студентов в развитии интернациональной психологии: обзор прошлого, настоящего и будущего

Д. Балва , Г. Такушьян

21 февраля 2022 г. 52-е отделение «Международная психология» Американской психологической ассоциации (АПА) отметило долгожданное 25-летие со дня своего основания. На взгляд авторов, это подходящий момент, чтобы проанализировать важную и часто упускаемую из виду роль студентов в развитии интернациональной психологии. Представлен краткий, но панорамный обзор, посвященный исследованию вклада студентов в развитие интернациональной психологии, как в 52-м отделении АПА, так и в студенческих организациях. Обзор включает пять частей: 1) предыстория 52-го отделения АПА до 1997 г.; 2) первые годы существования 52-го отделения АПА; 3) современное состояние 52-го отделения АПА; 4) нынешний рост новой организации, возглавляемой студентами; 5) будущие направления развития интернациональной психологии.

Ключевые слова: интернациональная психология, студенты, история, глобальный, Американская психологическая ассоциация

Introduction

On February 21, 1997, the American Psychological Association (APA) finally approved the petition for a bold new division, Division 52, “International Psychology.” After the APA Council rejected an earlier petition in 1974 for a “Division of International Cooperation in Psychology,” it took 23 years for some determined petitioners to overcome resistance and reach the required number of 764 signatures (1% of current APA membership) to charter a new division, Division 52 (Takooshian, Bais, 2017).

Select highlights of student leadership in organized psychology

This 25th anniversary of APA's Division 52 in 2022 is an opportune time to look back at the impressive roles of students within international psychology. Certainly, students have been a valued and important part of Division 52 since its start in 1997, yet students have not always been perceived as such. Across time and place, psychology students have often been seen as “unready” people who “should be seen but not heard” until they complete their training to become credentialed psychologists (Boring, 1929, pp. 10-11).

But for 25 years, Division 52 has encouraged students to thrive and actively shape their international arena.

This article offers a concise, yet panoramic overview of the roles of students in international psychology, APA's Division 52, and within student-led organizations in five parts: (1) prehistory of Division 52 prior to 1997; (2) early years of Division 52; (3) recent years of Division 52; (4) the current rise of a student-led organization, and (5) future prospects for international psychology (Table).

International psychology overview prior to 1997

1879. Once Wilhelm Wundt formed the first “psychology laboratory” in Leipzig in 1879, this new science did not remain a solely German field. Instead, this new science spread like wildfire around the globe. This was due to a flood of adventurous young students from all corners of the planet - from Chile to Russia, who were drawn to study in Leipzig and take this new science back to their homeland (Misiak & Sexton, 1966). Of 184 doctoral theses that Wundt supervised between 1879-1920, 70 were completed by international students from 20 nations (Tinker, 1932).

1889. Just 10 years after Wundt formed his lab, Paris hosted the first International Congress of Psychology. This remarkable gathering that took place between August 6-10, 1889, hosted an estimated 204 delegates from 20 nations (James, 1889). Records are unclear how many of these delegates were students, however, it is clear the lasting impact the Congress must have had on these students to participate in the sessions and receptions with such diverse global luminaries. These included Binet from France, James from the United States (U.S.), Sechenov from Russia, Wundt from Germany, Galton from the United Kingdom (UK), and even young Sigmund Freud from Vienna.

1929. Back in 1927, two students at the University of Kansas - undergraduate Edwin B. Newman and graduate student Frederick Howell Lewis, raised the possibility of a national student fraternity in psychology. They formed a team of students who conducted a national survey, which found mixed feelings - from avid support and indifference to fervent opposition. These students convened from September 1, 1929 - September 7, 1929, at the Ninth International Congress of Psychology at Yale University - a historic gathering of 826 psychologists from 21 nations. Sadly, their strongest opposition came in a famously scathing three- page letter from the esteemed E.G. Boring of Harvard University: “Forgive me if I seem harsh, but I must make myself quite clear... What functions could a psychological fraternity subserve?.. I shall not send your letter to any member of our [Harvard] staff. One does not bother colleagues with things that they would scorn” (Boring, 1929, pp. 10-11). Undaunted, these intrepid students proceeded to form what soon became Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. Could these determined students in 1929 have imagined where their vision would lead? As of 2019, Psi Chi was, by far, the world's largest psychology organization, and largest international honor society, touching the lives of over 700,000 life members across 1,150 campuses in 18 nations (Takooshian, 2019), and starting the careers of many of the most eminent psychologists of the 20^th century (Heitner & Denmark, 2000).

1963. In 1963, the 17^th International Congress of Psychology in Washington D.C. was the second to meet in the USA. At the time, the 1963 Psi Chi President was Roger W. Russell, who was also the Executive Officer of the APA (1956-1959) and Secretary-General of the International Union of Psychological Science (1960-1966). To mark the occasion, Russell celebrated the “International Year” with a historic 14-page edition of the Psi Chi Newsletter on “Psychology Abroad,” assembling 10 students from seven nations to publish detailed essays on the diverse indigenous psychologies in their nations. This was 13 years before the first classic volume on “Psychology around the world” (Sexton & Misiak, 1976), thus setting the tone for years within Psi Chi to be attentive to psychology students in other nations.

1988. For most of the 20^th century, the APA has been emphatic about credentials - that only doctorates can join APA as “members,” while students may join as non-voting “affiliates.” Back in 1987, two students sought some way to increase student voices within the APA. These two graduate students - Scott Mesh at St. John's University in New York and David Pilon at the University of Waterloo in Canada, petitioned the APA for a bold new student association within the APA (Dittmann, 2003). Though five past attempts had failed, Mesh and Pilon received a unanimous vote of approval by the APA Council in 1988 to form the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), which has now grown into a major voice within APA - with its own officers, bylaws, and awards. As of 2022, APAGS has reported having 31,181 students, including many international as well as U.S. students (I. King, personal communication, June 2, 2022).

1992-1999. Starting in 1992, Psi Chi became more active by appointing a committee to explore the status of students in international psychology, with Vice President Harold Takooshian as its chair. He collaborated with Joan Buchanan in the APA Office of International Affairs to survey 70 national psychology associations.

Findings indicated that barely five of the national psychology associations allowed students even as affiliates. For the great majority, students had no status until completing their degree. In 1994, Takooshian travelled to the International Council of Psychologists (ICP) conference in Lisbon, Portugal, to speak about “Psi Chi: The impact of a student honor society on a nation's psychology,” Takooshian, H. (1994). Psi Chi: The impact of a student honor society on a nation's psy-chology. Presentation to the International Council of Psychologists, Lisbon, Portugal. and quickly found that colleagues outside the USA had no concept of a student honor society, but were, in fact, open to such a possibility. In 1998, two Psi Chi Presidents, Harold Takooshian and Slater Newman, co-authored a data-based article in the International Journal of Psychology, which familiarized international students and faculty with the Psi Chi concept. At the APA's annual Convention in 1999, Newman and Takooshian organized a forum on increasing students' roles in international psychology. Psi Chi Past-President John Davis (2019) later chronicled how these many activities eventually led the 1,050 Psi Chi chapters in the USA to vote to become an “international honor society” in 2009.

Looking back over the first 120 years of psychological science from 1879-1999, it is evident that psychology students have played decisive and growing roles at several points to actively shape the field of psychology - something students have continued to do once the APA's Division 52 started in 1997.

Division 52: The early years

From its start in 1997, APA's Division 52 was highly encouraging of students in international psychology. In the inaugural issue of the International Psychology Reporter (IPR), Editor Ivan Kos (1997) noted, “The Division... is particularly interested in nurturing students' engagement with national and international students and psychologists. During the Convention at its yearly social hour, students will be able to communicate with psychologists from other countries. Students interested in the international arena will be able to present their research at symposia as well as at paper and poster sessions. In the future, there will be a students' research award(s). Student members enjoy reduced dues and may obtain a special discount on rooms at the conventions” (p. 4). While annual dues for psychologists at the time were just $12, student affiliate dues were even lower at $5. Why was APA's Division 52 so remarkably student friendly? It is notable that four of the first six Division 52 Presidents were also prior Psi Chi national officers: Psi Chi Past-Vice-President Ernst G. Beier (1997), and Psi Chi Past- Presidents Florence L. Denmark (1998), Charles D. Spielberger (2002), and Harold Takooshian (2003) - all of whom have been avid supporters of students.

In 1998 at the APA Convention in Chicago, Division 52 hosted its first business meeting and established its first Student Committee (McCaslin-Rodrigo, 2002). The Student Committee Co-Chairs, Shannon McCaslin-Rodrigo of the University of South Dakota and Kristen Lang of Loyola University at Chicago oversaw and fostered opportunities for students to engage in meaningful discourse about international related topics in psychology, while also providing space for students to publish their work in the Division's newsletter (McCaslin, 2003). Not only were students able to seek mentorship from senior members of the Division, but they were also able to contribute to the Division's website, serve as liaisons to other student organizations across the globe, and foster participation from fellow students within the Division's newsletter, online discussion forums, and at annual APA Conventions (McCaslin-Rodrigo, 2002; McCaslin, 2003).

Like many students over the years, Giulia Landi was moved to tell other students how thrilled she was to “discover” such a friendly home in Division 52, when she attended a session at the Eastern Psychological Association: “Instead of anxious presenters and passive listeners, I saw 30 smiling professionals and attentive students in lively conversation... I joined immediately” (Landi, 2010, p. 9).

2000-2003. In these early years of Division 52, remarkable student initiatives were established. At a July 2000 conference in Stockholm, Sweden, McCaslin- Rodrigo partnered with three other students - Edward Van Rossen of the University of Leuven (Belgium), Nana Opoku Owusu-Banahene of the University of Cape Coast (Ghana), and Malin Gustafson Wiking of the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) to explore the launch of a new global student-run association. From 2000 to 2003, this team worked to develop a bold new independent student organization, with its own bylaws, officers, membership, and website, which is currently inactive (for example, www.psychologystudents.org). With active support from Division 52 (Van Rossen et al., 2002), Psi Chi (Van Rossen et al., 2003), and other professional associations (McCaslin, 2003), their numbers grew to over 200 students across 65 nations, who voted to name their new group the “International Psychology Student Organization” (IPSO). Sadly, IPSO eventually dissipated around 2004 in the face of a few challenges, but not before many of its student officers went on to complete their graduate degrees and proceed to solidify respective careers in psychology - including McCaslin-Rodrigo and Edward Van Rossen, who took an active role in the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA) and was later elected Vice-President in 2011.

In the time since IPSO's discontinuation in 2004, increasingly advanced technology became more widely available and accessible. In fact, thanks to new “Internet-based technologies students from different locations are [now] able to collaborate on projects and groups can interact across the globe toward a common goal” (Velayo & Thrush, 2012, pp. 17-18). For example, the rise of social media platforms create new possibilities today that were unthinkable in even the final years of the 20^th century. In two appendices at the end of this article, Van Rossen (Appendix 1) and McCaslin-Rodrigo (Appendix 2) look back to share their seasoned perspectives on their work with IPSO.

Division 52: Recent years

Since 2020, the Division 52 Student Committee has grown increasingly more active - despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought new challenges and opportunities to connect students from across the globe (Balva et al., 2022). Particularly, in 2020, the Division 52 Student Trio placed focus on advocacy for international students within the U.S. by means of surveying international student members about a national federal ruling at the time that had significant and detrimental implications for international students.

As such, the Student Trio was able to obtain feedback from the Division's students about ways in which Division 52 and the APA could better advocate for international student members. Continued student advocacy that year also resulted in the establishment of the Jean Lau Chin Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in International Leadership Contributions, in honor of Dr. Jean Lau Chin, which recognizes student leadership contributions to the field of international psychology.

This meaningful award has received numerous applications to date by wonderful student leaders across the globe, and it will continue to recognize outstanding students for years to come, in honor of Dr. Jean Lau Chin.

In 2021, the Division 52 Student Trio re-established the Student Committee, which was open to all student members of the Division and resulted in 20 motivated Student Committee members - all of whom were actively engaged in new initiatives aimed at advancing student programming within the Division. Through momentous advocacy, and in collaboration with Student Committees from other APA Divisions and international associations, the Division 52 Student Committee successfully proposed student voting privileges and decreased student membership dues, which resulted in student members being allowed to vote in all elections pertaining to Division affairs at the onset of the Division's 25^th anniversary, effective January 1, 2022. As a result of this advocacy, Division 52 also decreased Student membership dues from $32 to $18 and established needs-based scholarships, including ten annual student membership scholarships for international students (within the U.S. and outside of the U.S.), five Registration Scholarships to the annual APA Convention with priority being given to international students and students located outside of the U.S., and two scholarships for international students who are not members of Division 52 or the APA, but whom are interested in getting more involved within international psychology. Division 52 student scholarships. https://div52.net/awards/student-awards-and-scholarships/ american psychological association student

In addition to this advocacy, the Student Committee actively collaborated with the Division's Webinar Committee and hosted a plethora of student-focused webinars to support students in international endeavors within the profession. Such programs included webinars focused on connecting students with cross- cultural exchange and immersion programs, providing important information about funding sources and involvement opportunities for students across the globe, opportunities for psychology students to get involved in the United Nations, ways that training programs and the profession at large could better advocate for, and support international students, and important perspectives from student leaders in international psychology across the globe. Division 52 2021-2022 student focused webinars. https://div52.net/members/students- 2/students/students/

Additional programming included “Dine and Discuss” meetings for students to connect with established psychologists from different countries and learn more about meaningful topics within international psychology (e.g., sexual orientation, gender identity and expression legislation, policy, and transnational concerns; transnational activism; cross cultural research; and human rights). Division 52 2021-2022 Dine & Discuss recordings. https://div52.net/members/students- 2/students/students/ The Division 52 Student Committee also hosted meaningful virtual programming at the 2021 APA Convention including presentations from students across 11 countries focused on internationalizing psychology and COVID-19 related topics, a Global Psychology Leadership Panel with leaders of psychological associations from each region of the world, and a Global Student Network Event with 75 students from numerous countries and regions across the globe. Division 52 2021 APA Convention student programming recordings. https://div52.net//2021- d52-suite-program/

To ensure a repository of resources for students interested in international psychology, the Student Committee worked hard to provide an accessible and beneficial webpage to better support students around the world who may be pursuing interests, studies, clinical practice, or research within international psycho- logy. Division 52 2021 recordings of APA Convention student programming. https://div52.net//2021- d52-suite-program/ Such resources also included the establishment of an International Research Database with a collection of various online research databases located in different countries across the globe. Division 52 2021 Student Committee International Research Database. https://div52.net/students/;

see also: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PPWMVlgGcZYI_LCOvYV-1YQeee3-

n8AS/edit#gid=152663104

As a byproduct of the aforementioned pursued initiatives, the Division 52 Student Committee established meaningful collaborations with a number of organizations including the International Section of APA's Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology), the Interamerican Society of Psychology Students Workgroup (SIP), the European Federation of Student Psychology Associations (EFPSA), Division 15 (Students and Early Career Psychologists) of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN), the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), the Global Student Psychology Committee (GSPC), and many more. Through its collaborations, efforts, advocacy, programs, and initiatives, the Division 52 Student Committee has worked hard over the years to support psychology students in international endeavors while also fostering a more supportive space for students to flourish. Given that student involvement and initiatives within Division 52 have fluctuated over the years between inactivity and active student programming, it is the hope of these authors that the historical and recent accomplishments of the Student Committee will provide a warm welcome to the 25^th Anniversary of Division 52 and pave the path to continued student support and successes within the Division and international psychology for years to come.

The rise of a new student-led international organization

As previously described, throughout the end of 1999 and beginning of 2000, several important dialogues were held that resulted in a significant student-led movement within the field of international psychology. This included Dr. Slater

Newman's symposium, An international student group for psychology: Desirable? Feasible? during the annual APA Convention on August 21, 1999, with student leaders from the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), APA's Division 52, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), and the American Psychological Society Student Caucus (APSSC), in addition to discussions at the International Council of Psychologists' meeting in Padova, Italy and at the International Congress of Psychology in Stockholm, Sweden (Van Rossen et al., 2002). These invigorating conversations resulted in peaked interest from students to establish a psychology organization for students across the world that would aim to provide information about study abroad and exchange programs, initiate meaningful international discourse by means of mailing lists, and foster participation in research and congresses (Van Rossen et al., 2002). As noted above, under the collaborative leadership of Shannon McCaslin-Rodrigo (Presiding Division 52 Student Committee Co-Chair) from the USA, Nana Opoku Owusu-Banahene from Ghana, Edward Van Rossen from Belgium (Presiding President of the European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations, EFPSA), and Malin Gus- tafsson Wiking from Denmark, and with the support of more than 100 students from approximately 25 countries and professional leaders of various psychology associations, the International Psychology Students' Organization (IPSO) was established (Van Rossen et al., 2002; Van Rossen et al., 2003).

Although the International Psychology Students' Organization ended a few years after its inception, December 2020 saw the founding of another impactful student-led organization, the Global Student Psychology Committee, GSPC Global Student Psychology Committee. https://gspcommittee.wixsite.com/home (Balva et al., 2022). At the time of this article, the GSPC has student members from more than 30 different countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania. The GSPC is dedicated to advancing the field of international psychology through the development of student networks, research collaborations, professional and academic exchanges, congress and conference participation, and resource sharing to better address barriers and gaps between countries (Balva et al., 2022). The opportunity for students to participate in student-led initiatives and within international spaces, especially during challenging global times in the COVID-19 pandemic, have been beneficial - both for personal and professional development, and for the advancement of the future of international psychology (Balva et al., 2022; see also: Atalar, 2020; Bullock, Ober, 2018). Nearly 20 years after the creation of the IPSO, it is apparent that continued efforts to support collective and global student development and initiatives through student-led organizations - such as that of the GSPC, are still warranted and very much desired by the future psychologists of the world.

Future directions

As delineated in this article, student involvement and support of students within respective international psychology associations have been vital in further advancing international psychology across the globe. While this article has placed focus on select associations - specifically the APA's Division 52 in honor of the Division's 25^th anniversary, the authors recognize the significant contributions of student involvement within other international psychology organizations not mentioned in this paper, in addition to the wonderful impact students have had across the globe at the university level as well.

When looking at psychology associations and organizations in different regions of the world, these authors would be remiss not to comment on the continued need of increased support for students in respective organizations and within the profession at large. Literature has chronicled the impact that students can have in further developing and enhancing the field of psychology, and as history has shown, student-led organizations can also provide a powerful means of offering students meaningful opportunities for discourse, collaboration, and student-driven advocacy and initiatives European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations (2021). Introduction. Re-trieved June 21, 2022, from http://efpsa.org/introduction/ (Gallegos, 2014; Zhang et al., 2018) that may not always be afforded to students within professional organizations. The profession of psychology is encouraged to further support student efforts, initiatives, and programming - both by means of advancing the rights of students within psychology and by fostering global and collaborative leadership opportunities for students to work together. Along these lines, there is wonderful potential for global and equitable student-led organizations and endeavors that value the perspectives and contributions of students from across the globe (Balva et al., 2022). The history of student contributions to international psychology has been rich, and the future of student advances, leadership, and contributions to international psychology has the potential of being even richer. As such, these authors are eager for the future of international psychology!

References

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Appendix 1

Retrospection by Edward Van Rossen, MA

Mental Health Group Coordinator at GIBBIS, the Association of Health Institutions in Brussels, Belgium

The active role of students in international psychology is a topic close to my heart, as is its complement: the role of international psychology in students' introduction to the field of psychology. In the years 2000-2003, we invested a lot of time in trying to bring the two closer together through the formation of an international organization of psychology students, linked closely to academic and professional organizations and providing assistance and support for (international) research projects and other exchanges. Even if the end result has dissipated shortly after, a few important lessons remain to be learned.

Firstly, a key characteristic to keep in mind when trying to undertake such a challenge as creating or running an international student network, is the transitory nature of the student status, and the implications thereof. Student-run organizations experience an extremely high turn-over in membership and leadership, making them agile but also fragile. Safeguards must be put in place to provide stability and continuity. An important nuance is that not too much time should be spent on writing bylaws and the like, since time is precious and what is done in practice matters more than what is put on paper. In extreme cases, a legal registration as NGO (non-governmental organization) for instance may even become a burden, when the disadvantages of legal requirements (e.g., a legally formalized transmission of power at every change in leadership) start to outweigh the benefits.

A second important lesson to draw from the 2000-2003 years is on the pivotal role of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in spanning international borders. At the time, websites and e-mail were still in their infancy, not to mention chat applications and user-friendly platforms for online networking, promotion, and data sharing. Smartphones and tablets were still (just) beyond the horizon. Meantime, the world has changed into a global village, and we saw some major developments in technology supporting online meetings and interactions generally. If applied correctly, these can play an enormous facilitatory role.

The third and last lesson drawn that I would like to refer to as essential, is on the crucial impacts of face-to-face meetings between like-minded individuals. Such meetings are essential for building a shared vision, as well as mutual trust, not to mention the motivation to put in some hard work from time to time. A thriving international body of psychology students needs not only brains but also a heart. In other words, the time spent working should be balanced by enough time spent more socially, team building as it were.

It is my sincere hope that with these lessons in mind, the current and future students of our wonderful field will succeed in building an international network of psychology students that will soon make the memories of IPSO fade into the dim corners of history!

Appendix 2

Retrospection by Shannon McCaslin-Rodrigo, PhD The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States government, or Stanford University.

National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine

It is difficult to believe that twenty years have passed since my colleagues and I enthusiastically worked on forging stronger connections among psychology students globally.

The excitement of connecting with those who were pursuing similar work across diverse and varied contexts was invigorating. We were aligned with mentors, including Drs. Takooshian and Newman, in seeing the potential benefits - both to students and the field of psychology, of facilitating communication and stronger international ties.

Increased awareness of the perspectives and accomplishments of students and professionals outside of our respective nations and cultures continues to promise to enrich and improve the work of all.

Echoing Edward Van Rossen's commentary (Appendix 1), the growth in options to communicate across distance has been truly incredible.

The ability to meet virtually can overcome barriers like those our earlier student organization faced.

Developing new groups and organizations depends so heavily upon frequent communication and, as Edward Van Rossen noted, the social relationships that develop out of in-person meetings. It will be fascinating to see what directions such means of communication will take in the future.

Exploring new and innovative ways to use technology to engage students - particularly in ways that include those that may have less access to such resources and may be underrepresented in the organization, is an important priority.

Providing technology-based options for conferences allows for participation of members of marginalized groups, including members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) community, who may not be able to safely travel to some countries or regions. Harvard Global Support Services. (n.d.). LGBTQ+ Travel Guidance & Resources. Har-vard Global Support Services. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from

https://www.globalsupport.harvard.edu/travel/advice/lgbtq-travel-guidance-resources

Finding ways to support the participation of those in developing nations, such as through virtual options and grants for memberships, travel, or research/program support may also help promote inclusiveness.

Now, perhaps more than ever, there is a need for stronger global connections among future psychology professionals.

Given current global concerns such as the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing conflicts, the ability of psychologists to communicate and provide support across boundaries is critical.

For example, there is a need for mental health professionals to collaborate internationally to address the mental health- related impact of climate change including health inequities, climate-related anxiety, and the expected increase of mental health disorders resulting from climate-related natural disasters. Patz, J.A., Frumkin, H., Holloway, T., Vimont, D.J., & Haines, A. (2014). Climate change: Challenges and opportunities for global health. JAMA, 312(15), 1565-1580.

Students - professionals of the future, are ideally situated to address such global concerns in the decades to come. Learning from one another and the work that is being conducted internationally across academic settings has the promise to create change. Seritan, A.L., Hasser, C., Burke, M.G., Bussmann, G.L., Charlesworth, A., Cooper, R., Fortuna, L.R., Herbst, E.D., Jayaratne, A., Richards, A., Stuart, B.K., & Epel, E. (2022). The cli-mate change and mental health task force: One academic psychiatry department's efforts to heed the call to action. Academic Psychiatry (pp. 1-2).

The support and guidance provided by established international psychologists was essential to forming the earlier organization (IPSO), and students currently engaged in this work should continue to seek out mentors who can provide this valuable support.

It is amazing to see the progress that student leaders have made since our efforts began so many years ago. I look forward to following the progress that is sure to be made by these young leaders in the future.

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