Membership
Pi Sigma Alpha is a national Political Science Honor Society. One purpose of PSA is to stimulate scholarship and interest in the subject of government by providing tangible recognition to students who have excelled in the field. A more important purpose of PSA, especially the ND Chapter, is to promote public awareness and interest in government. An honors student should devote himself or herself to spreading their knowledge and helping others in a field they love and are experts in.
Membership expectations transcend attending meetings and being in a committee; it is about dedication and commitment to this organization and the ideals of being an honors student. Pi Sigma Alpha is not a resume builder; to be an honors student, you should earn the title through dedication, leadership, and service; so please do not apply unless you have every intention of upholding those ideals.
To join ND PSA you have to get an invitation by the Political Science Department, which you have already received, and have to pay an enrollment fee of $45. $30 will go to the national organization and this will give you lifetime membership in the honor society. $15 goes to the Notre Dame chapter. Please hand in these dues, with the Dues form, to the Pi Sigma Alpha mailbox in 315 LaFortune.
After officially joining the club, there are requirements you have to follow to keep your membership. These requirements are:
- Each member is required to join at least one committee or have an approved role in the club.
- Each member has to adhere to an hours requirement of 10 hours for the whole school year along these lines:
- A member should do 5 hours each semester.
- Within these hours, a member shall attend most committee meetings, about 5 hours worth, AND attend and help with PSA sponsored events with that committee, another 5 hours worth.
Pi Sigma Alpha has many benefits. In this club, you can do community service, teach others about the field that interests you, and even help shape discussions on campus. PSA can help you acquire internships, jobs, and meet faculty. Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is lifelong and can always help you gain recognition of academic excellence in political science. Also, since U.S. Office of Personnel Management recognizes PSA as a national honor society, a member is guaranteed a higher entry-level pay grade in any government job.