The Fellow distinction is a means by which APA recognizes members who have received a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from a regionally accredited institution and demonstrate evidence of unusual and outstanding contributions to the discipline of psychology. Fellow status requires that an APA member’s work has had a demonstrable impact on the discipline that is national or international in scope.
Division 44 requires members who receive Fellow status to have made outstanding contributions in research, practice, education, or policy/advocacy related to the lives and issues of 2-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-binary, Queer, and other sexual orientation and gender diverse (2SLGBTQ+) individuals and communities. It is important to underscore the breadth of contributions that our division will consider as criteria for Fellow status. These contributions need to have had national or international impact.
How to apply
Initial Fellow status through Division 44 requires demonstration of unusual and outstanding contributions to 2SLGBTQ+ issues in psychology and completion of the APA Fellow Application. All applicants must be at least five years post-doctorate. These contributions may take the form of innovations in practice, theory-building, important research, development of public policy, and/or distinguished service to the division and other 2SLGBT+ organizations in psychology.
Initial Fellows Applications
Members may apply for initial status only if they are not Fellows in any other division of APA. To apply for initial Fellow status, members need to use the APA Fellows Online Application Platform. All application materials—including those from applicants and from their endorsers—must be submitted through this platform. See the Fellows webpage. An applicant’s three endorsers must currently be APA Fellows (though not necessarily Fellows in Division 44).
The Division 44 Fellows Committee will announce due dates for application materials each year, traditionally after the annual Convention.
How to Succeed: Some Hints for Initial Applicants
Your personal statement should be a detailed account of your contributions. It is not the time for modesty. Be explicit and direct about the contributions you have made and how they are unusual and outstanding ones. Focus on the impacts of your contributions. Ask your letter writers to be similarly specific and detailed. It can be very helpful to have letters from people who do not know you well personally, but who are familiar with your work, thus attesting to the impact you have had beyond your immediate professional network. The prestige of a letter-writer is secondary to the depth and specificity of what they can write.
Applications by Current APA Fellows
Members of the Division who are already Fellows of APA may apply for Fellow status in Division 44.
These applicants are known as current Fellows. Current Fellow applicants are required to submit a curriculum vitae and a letter stating the reasons the applicant meets the APA criteria for Fellow status in Division 44. Applicants for current Fellow status have the option of also having a single letter of endorsement sent in support of their application. This optional letter might be especially important when an applicant is applying for Fellow status based on activities that are based in educational or policy/advocacy work that are not typically well-represented on traditional CVs. Application materials for current Fellow status in Division 44 should be e-mailed to Fellows Committee Chair or Co-Chairs.
If you have any questions about the process, or if you wish to discuss the question of whether to apply for Fellow status, please feel free to contact the Division 44 Fellows Committee chair or co-chairs listed on the committees page.