STP Civic Engagement Award

The Society for The Teaching of Psychology (Division Two of APA) is pleased to announce the STP Civic Engagement Award. Consistent with our Mission Statement and the Statement on Addressing Systemic Racism and Inequity in STP (located in the STP Policies and Procedures Manual), we encourage applications from colleagues who are from underrepresented groups and have diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Consistent with APA's Citizen Psychologist initiative, this award recognizes leadership and engagement in applying psychological science to make a difference in communities at the local, national, or global level. This could be done directly through community involvement or indirectly by incorporating civic-engagement pedagogies (e.g., service-learning) into teaching. 

Call for Applications

2024 Award Recipient

Fanli Jia, Chair of the award committee, is pleased to announce that the 2024 recipient of the Civic Engagement Award is Dr. Gabrielle P.A. Smith. Dr. Smith received her B.A. in Psychology from Spelman College and her M.S. and Ph.D. from Alabama University. She is an associate professor at Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Smith’s initiatives include the LeadHerShip project to empower women in leadership and her efforts to champion diversity and inclusivity within the psychological community. She also encourages students to apply psychological principles to address real-world social issues.

Past Recipients

2023: Michael Figuccio, Farmingdale State College - SUNY
2022: Karen Z. Naufel, Georgia Southern University
2021: Justina Oliveira, Southern New Hampshire University
2020: Bethany Fleck Dillen, Metropolitan State University

Call for Applications

Applications will be reviewed by STP’s Civic Engagement Award Committee. The awardee will receive a monetary award of either $1500 or up to $1500 in travel reimbursement for attending STP's Annual Conference on Teaching during the award year and a plaque.

The award is open only to STP members. STP reserves the right not to make an award if the STP Awards Committee believes no applicant is qualified in a particular year.

The deadline for applications is January 15 of the award year. Applicants will receive notification of award decisions no later than March 1st of the award year. The award recipient will be invited to receive the award during STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching of the award year (typically held in October each year).

Policies regarding STP grant programs can be found here.  

Required documents for applications:

• A 2 pages cover letter describing the applicant's contributions and impacts to psychological teaching, advocacy, research, and/or practice which directly benefits the local, national, or global community via civic engagement.
• A current C.V.
• Two letters of support that exemplify the applicant's contributions to civic engagement.

All materials must elaborate on perspectives and values added through their civic engagement, and letters of support need to complement the applicant’s contribution. 

Examples of Significant Contributions.

Please note that this is a list of examples, and it is not intended to be exhaustive.

• Applicants should be able to show their impact on students and/or their community, reflecting a significant commitment to the needs of the local, national and/or global community and/or a long-term commitment to incorporating civic engagement pedagogies (e.g., service learning) into coursework or curriculum.
  
• Applicants should have experience working in their community and should have engaged in civic learning in the field through coursework or a degree program both in and out of the classroom.
  
• Applicants should have experience with meaningful community partnerships and knowledge-sharing. They should have documented records on the partnership’s impact and be able to share how new information from the partnership can be used for teaching and or scholarship.

For further instructions on how to apply, click here (requires login).

Please contact the Chair of the Committee on Civic Engagement Award (Dr. Fanli Jia) with questions at civic-award@teachpsych.org 

Civic Engagement Award Committee