Recognition & Scholarships
Psi Chi
Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in Psychology. The Society was founded in 1929 for the purpose of promoting excellence in scholarship and advancing the science of psychology. Membership in a chapter of Psi Chi provides national recognition for academic excellence in psychology, an honor that can be noted on employment applications, vitae, and resumes. Members of Psi Chi can compete for 95 annual research awards and grants and are eligible to wear honor cords at graduation.
The Butler University chapter of Psi Chi was installed on April 23, 1997. Membership is open to juniors and seniors who meet academic requirements. The Psi Chi chapter at Butler sponsors several activities each year. In the past few years, the Psi Chi chapter has sponsored various academic programs and speakers, Psych Connection (a mentoring program), and the annual end-of-year psychology gathering.
The Butler Chapter of Psi Chi received the Model Chapter Award from the National Psi Chi office in 2001, 2005, and 2006. In addition, several members of our chapter have won awards. Megan Julian ’06 won an NSF/REU grant for 2005–2006; Megan Mull ’07 won an undergraduate research grant for 2006–2007; and Dr. Morris won a faculty adviser research grant for 2006–2007.
Seitz Award
The Seitz Award is designed to financially assist Natural Science students who desire to study science and conduct research abroad, outside the normal academic classroom setting. All students with sophomore or junior status majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics are eligible to apply. Sophomore and junior majors in Psychology, studying Physiological or Cognitive/Neuropsychology, or in Anthropology, studying Biological Anthropology, Primatology or Archaeology, are also eligible to apply.
Funded by the Katrina Roch Seitz Science Education Fund, the Seitz Study Abroad Experience allows students to extend their science education outside the classroom. Expectations are that a student will have a science educational experience (short courses, special seminars or learning opportunities, etc.) along with an immersion into the language, history, culture, art, and economics of the country. The study abroad experience should provide an opportunity for the student to study, travel, and interact with students and scientists in a foreign country and gain an appreciation for the educational, cultural and economic environment of the country. Butler University’s Center for Global Education is available to help with arrangements for student housing, language instruction and travel, if needed. Students will be selected by a committee including department heads in the natural sciences and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The number of student awards will be contingent on funds available. At the completion of the study abroad experience, the student will submit a written report to the Office of the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences and be available to make an oral presentation to the Seitz family and the Butler community.
Learn more about the Seitz Award.
Merit Awards
Each spring the Department of Psychology honors its outstanding students with departmental awards. We invite others to join us in celebrating their achievements.
The Yeager Award for excellent scholastic achievement and commitment to humanitarian purpose was established as a tribute to Edgar Lee Yeager, associate professor emeritus of psychology and teacher at Butler from 1959 to 1975. This award is made to the student who best reflects high moral values, demonstrates an appreciation of their responsibility to others, and continues the tradition of excellence that Edgar Yeager represented.
- 2024: Anna Foster and Evan Sumner
- 2023: Grace Kurban and Samantha Larson
- 2022: Avery Buck
The Christy Scholarship is awarded in honor of Dr. Pamela Christy, a Butler alumna, to recognize outstanding performance in the psychology major. Undergraduate students enrolled in the psychology major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who are from Indiana, have a 3.3 minimum GPA, and receive financial aid are eligible.
- 2024: Grace Helming and Addison Hensley
- 2023: Yossra Daiya, Tyler Outlaw-Bradley
- 2022: Anna Overman, Elizabeth Trueblood
The award for Excellence in Psychology is presented to a psychology major who has contributed to the quality of the program through their dedication to the department.
- 2024: Elijah Heslop and Keeley Vaught
- 2023: Maya Joseph and Joseph Price
- 2022: Emily Leonard
The Woodruff Diversity Award recognizes a psychology major who by action or personal characteristic promotes multiculturalism at Butler University.
- 2024: Blake Hall
- 2023: Lennox Baker and Quinn Davis
- 2022: Sabrina Stock, Camille Weiss
This award is given in honor of Dr. Beck, professor emerita who served the Butler community for over 40 years. The award is given to a student who has shown dedication to a career in professional psychology.
- 2024: Aedan Levy
- 2023: Avery Buck
- 2022: Abbey Collins
This award honors professor emeritus, Bob Dale, whose research focused on animal behavior. It is given to students whose research at Butler focuses on non-human animals under the supervision of a Butler faculty member.
- 2024: Sydney Lewis
- 2023: Amarpreet Kaur
- 2022: Presley Fletcher, Rebecca Greenberg
The Dr. Burrton Woodruff Undergraduate Research Award was established to recognize psychology students who conduct research that is excellent or innovative in methodology or statistical analysis.
- 2024: Madelyn P. Stine and Kathryn Weil
- 2023: Amarpreet Kaur and Jeremy Serio
- 2022: Abiodun (Abey) Akinseye, Camille Weiss
The Stuart Research Fellowship was established to provide support for psychology majors presenting the results of their own research projects at national or regional professional conferences.
- 2024: Alexandria Archer, Blake Hall, Norah Schlonegar, Madelyn P. Stine, Frances Storgion, and Kathryn Weil
- 2023: Amarpreet Kaur, Anna Overman, Jeremy Serio, and Evan Sumner
- 2022: Abiodun (Abey) Akinseye, Justin Contreras, Allan Schneider, Stephanie Smith, Camille Weiss
The Interdisciplinary Excellence Award in Psychology celebrates psychology students who demonstrate an ability to integrate ideas from multiple disciplines into their understanding of psychology. The award recognizes originality, collaboration, and contribution to the field of psychology through interdisciplinary work.
- 2024: Abi Sipes and Allyson Truax
- 2023: Angie Zara
Psychology Departmental Honors
Departmental distinctions are to reward students for exceptional achievement within their major and are awarded at graduation. A student need not be a member of the University Honors Program in order to be awarded departmental distinctions in their major.
- Distinction: is awarded to a nominee who has a GPA of at least 3.6 in the academic major.
- High Distinction: 3.7+ GPA in our department and successfully complete an honors thesis in our department.
- Highest Distinction: 3.8+ GPA in our department and successfully complete an honors thesis in our department.