Expanding Opportunity Travel and Membership Award

APA Division 47 (The Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology) has established a fund devoted to increasing diversity within the field of sport, exercise, and performance psychology (SEPP). As part of this initiative, eligible graduate students and early career professionals--i.e., degree received no more than 10 years prior to the award decision--are invited to apply for an award to support their membership in the society and participation in the annual APA convention.

The award will be offered to one student or ECP and includes $500 to assist with APA convention registration and travel plus free membership in APA Division 47 for the year following receipt of the award.

Accepting the travel award commits the award recipient to attending the APA Annual Convention. At convention, awardees will be required to attend: (a) the society’s business meeting and (b) the society’s student and ECP speed mentoring session where they will receive formal recognition for their award.

To be eligible for this award, the student nominees must currently be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program in sport, exercise, or performance psychology or related field such as clinical or counseling psychology. ECP nominees must have received their degrees in SEPP or a related field no more than ten years prior to the award decision.

The nominee must also be a member of an underrepresented group in SEPP, including but not limited to, ethnic and racial minorities, religious minorities, LGBTQ-identified individuals, first-generation college students, and/or persons with disabilities.

Interested graduate students/ECPs will need to submit an application that includes the following:

1. Cover letter: In a cover letter (single-spaced up to two pages), please describe:
   • Your education, training, and current position, if applicable
   • Why issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice are important to the work of all SEPP professionals and how this relates to your specific professional goals.
   • How attending the APA convention/participating as a member of the Society will help enhance your professional development in SEPP
   • Convention presentation(s) (if applicable)
   • Financial need
   • In your signature, please also include the following contact information: name, address, phone, e-mail address, and APA member number. 
2. Letter of reference: A letter of reference, no more than two-pages, from the student’s advisor/supervisor or ECP’s faculty mentor or colleague who can verify enrollment, provide a general reference about the applicant, and describe the applicant’s commitment and potential for advancing sport, exercise, and performance psychology. 
3. Curriculum Vitae: An abbreviated two-page curriculum vitae that highlights the applicant’s most recent work and research or practice most relevant to sport, exercise, and performance psychology. 

All materials must be submitted to the division email address by April 15.

Applicants will be notified via e-mail regarding the status of their application. All applicants will be notified of selection decisions by May 15th.

Accepting the award commits the award recipient to attending the APA Annual Convention. The awardee will be required to attend the following meetings/events at Convention:

• Division 47 Business Meeting 
  • Awardees will be recognized at the business meeting
  • Division 47 student and ECP speed mentoring session