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NASP Student Leader Program

NASP recruits a Student Leader (SL) from school psychology training programs across the country in order to increase communication between graduate students and NASP. The SL program provides a leadership opportunity to select graduate students, helps to expand NASP student resources, supports existing local student organizations, and helps programs create local student organizations if they wish. This initiative also provides an avenue for future involvement as a leader in the Association. NASP Student Leaders are nominated by Faculty Sponsors from their training programs, and are invited to attend the Student Leader Annual Meeting at the NASP Convention.

NASP Student Leader Position Description

The 2010-11 term begins on July 1, 2010 and will run through June 30, 2011.

Characteristics of an Ideal Student Leader:

1. Student member of NASP (required)
2. Interest in becoming a leader in the field (at state and national levels)
3. Second, third, or fourth year school psychology graduate students enrolled in courses on campus, enabling regular ongoing contact with all students and faculty in the program (i.e., students on internship would not be ideal to fulfill this role)
4. Ability to establish rapport with students, faculty, and community members
5. Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills
6. Record of meeting deadlines in a timely manner
7. Highly motivated, hard-working, enthusiastic, responsible, and reliable

Notes: Current NASP Student Leaders are welcome to serve another year with faculty sponsor approval. Programs with a local student organization (e.g., SASP, SPA) may wish to consider creating an elected position.

Position Responsibilities:

Essential Tasks:

1. Serve as a liaison between NASP and graduate program.
2. Send monthly e-mail updates to fellow students in their program about important NASP initiatives. The Student Development Workgroup will provide SL draft text for the monthly e-mails.
3. Share the importance of membership with fellow students and personally encourage them to join NASP by utilizing the NASP Student Membership presentation to educate fellow students on the value of NASP membership and distributing membership brochures and applications.
4. Develop and participate in School Psychology Awareness Week activities in the fall.
5. Promote attendance at the NASP Annual Convention.
6. Develop and participate in school psychology advocacy activities in the spring.

Additional Opportunities

1. Contribute to NASP printed and online student resources, including the Student Connections column in Communiqué, fact sheets, podcasts, and blogs.
2. Contribute to Student Development Workgroup-sponsored sessions at the Annual Convention.
3. Provide feedback to the Student Development Workgroup and NASP staff on the concerns of fellow graduate students, the Student Leader role, and needed resources.
4. Participate in conversations or moderate discussions in the NASP Student Online Communities.

Initiate and/or participate in projects specific to local and state needs (identified by Student Leaders within regions).

Time Commitment: 
The time commitment for this position is variable and dependent on each SL’s level of involvement in current projects. Minimal involvement requires approximately one hour per week to read and respond to emails and communicate with students and faculty in his or her graduate program. More time is required for SLs who choose to be on committees, participate in outreach activities, write, edit, or gather information for fact sheets and Student Connections articles, and attend and participate in the NASP annual convention.  

Click here to go to the nomination form.