Psychology | Psi Chi
Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, was founded in 1929 with a mission to encourage excellence in scholarship and advance the science of psychology. More than three-quarters of a million lifetime members have joined in this worthwhile cause including Distinguished Members such as Drs. Albert Bandura, B. F. Skinner, and Phillip Zimbardo. A few popular Membership Benefits include international recognition for academic excellence, as well as access to three publications and more than $400,000 in annual awards and grants.
The Rutgers University-Newark chapter of Psi Chi invites you to apply for membership. Membership is dependent upon class standing and academic achievement. Membership is a lifetime honor, and our members enjoy an array of benefits. Membership is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, transfer students, full-time faculty members, and alumni who graduated before our chapter was reinstated in 2016.
To apply for membership, please visit the Psi Chi website:
You can reach us at [email protected] or find us on Instagram at @runpsichi
Applications are reviewed and new members are inducted every Spring semester. In the meantime, please join us for our fun and educational events this semester as they are open to ANYONE!
MEMBER INFORMATION
Member meetings take place on select Mondays from 11:30 – 12:50 p.m. Please join us and get involved in planning our upcoming events, getting to know other members, and exploring the field of psychology!
Members are asked to attend a minimum of 2 events (meeting, community service, and/or educational event) every semester; however, we want to see you at all of our events this year! We have some great things planned; please join us!
MEET THE TEAM
President, Maro Mikhaeil:
Hi everyone! My name is Maro Mikhaeil and I will be President of the RU-N Chapter, Psi Chi of the 2025-2026 academic year! I am a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Cognitive Neuroscience. My career aspirations are to become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, but don’t know which one I’’ll be working towards first! I’ll be applying to both ABA and Mental Health Counseling grad programs and making the decision then! A fun fact about me is that I have four jobs where I work as a Registered Behavior Technician at Circle Care Services and LinksABA, a Trained Peer Graduate on mental health anonymous platform called Togetherall, a Mental Health Ambassador for NJ OSHE, and a Peer Coordinator for the RU-N SASN Office of Academic Services. I’m really EXCITED to be serving as this upcoming year’s President and hope to bring many events that will appeal to Psychology students and set them up for success when applying to grad programs in Psychology!
Vice-President, Anne Auguste:
Hello all! My name is Anne, Vice President of RU-N Psi Chi. I am a currently a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in chemistry. My future goal is to be a physician-scientist. Fun facts about me are: I am a published writer, I was accepted into TFA corps and will be an IGNITE fellow this fall, I have been a stats learning assistant twice, a TA for psych 102 once, and will be a TA for two chem labs this fall. I have done research for about five years now, coauthored multiple papers (in review), and have a first author systematic review in the works! I am looking forward to making connections, mentoring, and learning from this awesome community!
Secretary, Elaria Ghabras:
Hello everyone! My name is Elaria Ghabras, Secretary of RU-N Psi Chi. I am a senior majoring in Psychology and have future plans to become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a focus on children and adolescents. Some fun facts about me: I speak two languages, English and Arabic, and will be an LA for the Psychology of Statistical Methods course this upcoming fall semester! I am so excited to be this year's secretary and welcome new members to this wonderful community. Looking forward to a great year!
Social Media Chair, Fabiana Ayala:
My name is Fabiana Ayala, and I am this year’s Social Media Chair! I am a rising Junior majoring in Psychology. I am currently a part of the Women’s Volleyball team at Rutgers Newark and a captain of the team. My ultimate goal is to receive a PhD and become a Forensic Psychologist. Some things I love are playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with my family! I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and being a part of Psi Chi!
Faculty Advisor, Christina Zambrano:
Hi everyone, I am so excited to be one of the Co-Faculty Advisors of Psi Chi! I joined Psi Chi when I was an undergraduate at Caldwell University, where I majored in Psychology and minored in Spanish and Art. This was just the beginning of my love for the field of Psychology. I then received my Ed.M. and M.A. degrees in Psychological Counseling and later my Ph.D. in Psychology. After spending a couple of years working as a Mental Health Counselor, I felt called to teach psychology and I continue to feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with all of the amazing students at RU-N. I have 2 daughters, who can’t wait to join Psi Chi when they grow up! I’m really looking forward to an amazing academic year and can’t wait to work with all of you. – Dr. Z Ψ
Faculty Advisor, Ramona Ross:
As a School Psychologist, I believe having community at school is essential for students. As a Psi Chi co-faculty advisor, I’m excited to support that mission through Psi Chi and all the great work our e-boards do for our students. I was an undergraduate at Rutgers University, New Brunswick where I double majored in Psychology and Criminal Justice. I went on to earn my PsyD in School Psychology at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). I look forward to fostering community with Psi Chi members and all the great Psi Chi things to come!
WHAT WE DO
Check out some of our events that we plan to have this upcoming year:
- E-Board Meet and Greet
- How to Apply to be an Inducted Member of Psi Chi
- Potential Career Paths in Psychology
- Psychology Opportunities to Apply for
- Destress Fest
- Graduate School Panel
- Research Assistant Panel
- Tips and Tricks on Applying to Grad Schools
- Induction Ceremony
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I become a member of Psi Chi?
Undergraduate students
- Be enrolled as a major or minor in a psychology program or a program psychological in nature
- Have completed at least 3 semesters or equivalent of full-time college coursework
- Have completed at least 9 semester credit hours or equivalent of psychology courses
- Have earned a cumulative GPA that is in the top 35% of their class (sophomore, junior, or senior) compared to their classmates across the entire university or the college that houses psychology (minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale)3
- Have a minimum 3.5 GPA average for psychology courses
Graduate students
- Be accepted into and enrolled in a psychology or closely related graduate program
- Have completed at least 9 semester credit hours of graduate psychology courses in that program
- Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in all graduate courses including psychology courses
- Meet their graduate program's requirements (e.g., if specific courses require an A or B, students must meet those requirements even if their cumulative GPA is above 3.0)
Transfer students
- Be enrolled in the institution where they apply and meet the same Constitutional and chapter requirements as undergraduate students who completed all coursework at the institution
*Credits and grades from a transfer student’s previous institution(s) may be applied toward membership requirements.
Transfer students who are already members of Psi Chi:
May elect to contact the Psi Chi faculty advisor at the new institution to complete an online transfer of membership form!
Can I participate in events even if I am not a member of Psi Chi?
YES!!! Anyone can participate in events hosted by Psi Chi, even if you are not a member. People from any major or minor can join us! We look forward to seeing you at our events.
How much does it cost?
You will pay a one-time membership fee of $55. This grants you lifetime membership in Psi Chi. There are no dues collected after this one-time fee.
What if I can't afford my membership dues?
We offer two scholarships each year, based upon financial need. You can contact Dr. Zambrano for more information at [email protected].
Does my membership expire?
No, membership in Psi Chi does not expire. You will be inducted into this honor society as a lifetime member.
Can I transfer my membership if I change schools?
Yes, existing members can transfer to another chapter with the approval of the Psi Chi faculty advisor at the new school.
Can I be a member if I’ve already graduated?
Because Psi Chi is an honor society, admission is based on scholastic achievement. Therefore, in most instances, the answer is no.
What if I have other questions?
Please contact us! You can reach us at [email protected] or find us on Instagram at @runpsichi