Outgoing message from Christopher Cushing, PhD, student representative (2011–2012)

It has been my pleasure to serve as student representative. As I have written before, my work in this position has been remarkably easy thanks to the hard work of our dedicated SAB, and tremendous commitment to student/trainee development shown by our Board of Directors and general SPP membership.

We recently received external validation for SPP’s commitment to students in the form of the 2012 APAGS Outstanding APA Division Award. This award recognizes SPP’s commitment to students through: 1) devoting significant time to studentoriented programming at conferences; 2) subsidizing student conference registration; 3) providing formal mentoring in both professional development and manuscript reviewing; 4) providing financial support for student scholarship through grants and awards; 5) highlighting student research; and 6) remaining open to student input and issues through the student advisory board and network of campus representatives. This external validation codifies my belief that SPP is a terrific place for students.

Our SAB has added a Facebook page that now boasts 114 members — A huge thanks to Megan Crawford Cohen, Jason Van Allen, Nicole Wightman, Janet Sanez and the rest of the SAB who contributed to this resource. We have continued to host student/trainee events at conferences such as “lunch with the leaders” and our recent grant writing roundtable at the APA convention — A huge thanks to Stephanie Hullman, Melissa Cousino and Kimberly Canter for their efforts to provide programming. Finally, we continue to work to find ways to help increase the visibility of students within SPP — thank you to Bonney Reed-Knight, Shana Schuman and Brigitte Beale for their efforts.

I want to sincerely thank the students and mentors who have contributed their time, energy and intellect to SPP over the last two years. I have been enriched by this work, and I hope that I will have an opportunity to serve SPP again in the future. I leave this office in the capable hands of Jennifer Lee, who has a wonderful vision and passion for her work with SPP. Keep your eye on SPP, the best is yet to come.

Incoming message from Jennifer Lee, MS student representative (2013-2014)

I am honored to have been selected as the student representative for SPP. Currently, I am a fourth-year clinical psychology student working with Ron Blount, PhD, at the University of Georgia. Thus far, my research career has focused on domains of pediatric pain, health behavior adherence in pediatric transplantation and pediatric oncology.

I am consistently impressed with all the SPP Board of Directors does to make certain that student concerns and issues are addressed and that our progress is supported by the board actions. This is apparent in the division’s receipt of the APAGS Outstanding APA Division Award. While it is important to have designated leaders and prominent researchers in pediatric psychology as members of SPP, the future of the organization lies in the development of competent researchers, clinicians and leaders through the involvement of students.

Together with the SAB, I hope to achieve a number of goals in the coming years. I will continue highlighting the work of fellow students, as I believe this provides a critical communication point for all members about the latest research being conducted by students. With plans to make the NCPP Conference an annual event, I can think of no better way to get to know your fellow students, our leaders in the field, and expand your knowledge than to be present. I would encourage you all to submit your abstracts to the upcoming conference in New Orleans, as planning for a number of student-focused events is already underway.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your student representative. I will work diligently to maintain SPP’s reputation of as a division that cares about the concerns of students and is dedicated to developing competent researchers, clinicians and leaders through the involvement of students from their undergraduate and graduate careers into their early professional lives

I look forward to the coming two years, and encourage you to contact me with thoughts and opinions.