ECP corner

As early career psychologists (ECPs), many of us are interested in getting involved in Div. 18. Our division, especially our respective sections, can serve as a professional home by providing a community of like-minded psychologists from whom we can learn and grow. It can be difficult, however, to figure out how to get involved. As your Div. 18 ECP representatives, we wanted to share some of our thoughts and ideas for increasing ECP involvement in Div. 18 and invite you to contact us with your suggestions.

One of our first initiatives is to start a recurring ECP Corner column in the division newsletter. In the upcoming issues, we hope this will provide a forum to discuss issues important to ECPs, share information about programs offered by Div. 18 and APA, and highlight contributions by ECPs to the division. A second initiative is to work with section chairs to identify an ECP representative in each section; although many of our section leaders are ECPs, they are not always in a position to represent the interests of ECPs alone. We envision working closely with the section ECP reps to identify ECP interests across sections to inform initiatives that we bring to the executive committee. Over time, we hope to develop a divisionwide network of ECPs in which we can support and guide each other through the different stages of our early careers.

As almost 20 percent of our membership is comprised of ECPs, we want to hear from you. In the coming weeks, we will be sending out a survey asking for your feedback about being a Div. 18 member and how the division can better serve you. We also want to know your thoughts about the future of the division and ways in which you would like to get engaged. In the meantime, there are several ways to get involved with ongoing programs. We encourage you to consider mentoring a Div. 18 student affiliate. This is a great way to build connections with the ECP members of the future and help build our network. Email us if you're interested. Another great way to find out about programs in your section or ways to get involved is to email section leaders about upcoming projects or initiatives. Or just email us: Amee or Shannon. We can help you contact section leaders or discuss other opportunities for division engagement. And we are always interested in your suggestions for enhancing the ECP experience in Div. 18.

Thank you for the opportunity to represent you. We are excited to work with you to develop our community and strengthen our division.