Department of
Psychological and Brain Sciences

PSYCHOLOGY CLUB

Who would pass up a session of glowga? That’s glow-in-the-dark yoga – and one of several social activities the Psychology Club organizes for its many members.

Open to any IU student interested in psychology, regardless of their major, the Psychology Club has about 660 official members. Syd Porter the outgoing president observes that this year alone, 250 new members joined the club. General body meetings are monthly, but members of the three different committees – social, academic/professional and philanthropic – meet more frequently to plan events that usually occur twice a month.

Social events might include such activities as glowga, pumpkin painting for Halloween, or bowling to de-stress during finals. Academic/professional events include a grad school panel of professors and grad students, an internship night, and a workshop on resumes, interviews and headshots. For philanthropic activities: a candy gram sale for Valentine’s Day with donations going to Middle Way House, fundraising for Community Kitchen, or participating in a Mental Health Walk.

As president of the club and former member of the social committee, Porter’s emphasis has been “above all, building community and making members feel like they belong. To do this, I try to remember people’s names and have one-on-one conversations at meetings. It’s been awesome to play such a big role in creating this community.”

Porter, who graduates this spring, plans to take a gap year to explore career options, but thinks she will most likely go to graduate school to become a therapist. She was a member of the Psychology Club throughout her college career, and she has now passed the torch on to others. “I really love this club. It’s enriched my college experience so much. I’m extremely confident this club will continue to thrive for years to come. I know the leadership will be absolutely fantastic. I think they will keep the vision, keep the community.”

NEUROSCIENCE CLUB

The Neuroscience Club is open to all students with an interest in neuroscience, no other qualifications needed. Those with majors in psychology and computer science, in addition to neuroscience, are common. Experiences the club offers range widely: from volunteering at ScienceFest to putting naloxone kits together for the Indiana Recovery Alliance to pumpkin carving in the fall. Dissecting sheep brains and learning to use EEG machines are part of the mix as well. Through it all co-presidents Meredith Cox and Alexis Hanna agree that it is the bonds they’ve made with other board members and general members of the Neuroscience Club that really stick with them.

A senior double majoring in neuroscience and art history, Cox has standout memories of her time engaging with kids at the ScienceFest, where members can “really let loose and explain our concepts to kids through coloring, corn hole games and other fun, hands-on activities.” For Hanna, it was the discovery of the Indiana Recovery Alliance as she organized the building of Narcan kits, with its focus on community and harm reduction that really made an impression. While Cox will be graduating and taking a gap year to decide what’s next, Hanna will make way for two new co-presidents, while staying on the executive board.

Both will also take with them the leadership skills they have gained through this opportunity: learning how to build an organization that was in post-covid decline, to delegate authority effectively so as to allow committee chairs both freedom and useful guidance; learning how to deal with conflict effectively and to keep track and manage numerous details.

As Cox describes it, the club “gives us neuroscience from a variety of different views and experiences.” And the social aspect, says Hanna, “keeps people together and wanting to come to events.”