Criminal Justice Club
The Criminal Justice Club at Penn State Harrisburg was created to give criminal justice majors and opportunity to interact with each other as well as with people from the local and national community who are employed in the field of criminal justice. The CJ Club also provides students opportunities for field trips to criminal-justice related sites in such cities as New York, Philadelphia, D.C., etc. On several occasions, the Club has sponsored student travel to national and regional conferences associated with professional organizations where they have presented papers and been able to network with federal criminal justice agencies and faculty and students from other criminal justice programs around the nation. If you are interested in becoming a Club member, or if you would like more information about the Club, contact Dr. Barbara Sims, Faculty Adviser at bas4@psu.edu, by phone at (717) 948-6044, or view our club brochure.
Doctoral Student Organization
The Doctoral Student Organization (DSO) established in 1990, is a support group for the students enrolled in the academic program leading to a Ph.D. degree in Public Administration. All Ph.D. students are automatically members of the organization and are entitled to participate in activities sponsored by DSO.
The activities sponsored or co-sponsored by the DSO include:
- Orientation for new students;
- Research and dissertation coloquia;
- Forums for interchange between faculty and other guest speakers.
The membership services provided by the DSO include:
- The dissemination of information on the program and the campus;
- Provision of information on available research resources;
- Other networking opportunities with fellow doctoral students.
For more information, contact David Kitlan, President, DSO
Pi Alpha Alpha
Pi Alpha Alpha shares offices and staff with the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. NASPAA is a professional education association dedicated to the advancement of education, training, and research in public policy and administration. The Association's membership consists of the undergraduate and graduate education programs in public affairs and administration of more than 250 academic institutions in the United States. Affiliated with NASPAA are many federal, state, and local government agencies, university public affairs and administration programs in other nations, and national public interest groups all of whom share a concern for improving the quality of public management.
Collegiate programs in public affairs and administration are represented in NASPAA through the programs dean or director, called the program's "principal representative" to NASPAA. The principal representative may serve as the local Pi Alpha Alpha chapter faculty advisor or another member of the program's faculty may be designated to serve as the advisor. Communications between local chapters and the national office typically flow between the chapter advisor and the national staff.
The national organization of Pi Alpha Alpha is directed by a national president, vice-president, and national council comprised of twelve members elected to four year overlapping terms. The president and vice-president each serve two year terms; the vice-president also serves as president elect and succeeds to the office of president. Officers are elected at the society's biennial meeting, held in the fall of each odd numbered year in conjunction with the Annual Conference of NASPAA. In addition, a national director, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the national council, provides the society with staff support.
Each local chapter is notified of the biennial meeting at least 90 days in advance and urged to send at least one delegate, who can be a student, alumni, faculty, or honorary member, to attend and vote in the session.
For more information, contact Jeremy Plant
Penn State Harrisburg College Democrats
The College Democrats is a student organization devoted to encouraging political activism and awareness. Anyone who is moved by a political issue is welcome
regardless of political affiliation. In the past the College Democrats have worked in conjunction with the College Republicans to initiate a voter
registration drive and sponsor a faculty and student debate. Possible future projects include: a senior citizen's brunch, pet adoption awareness week,
and voter education workshops.
For more information, contact Matthew Woessner
Penn State Harrisburg Prelaw Society
According to the Prelaw Society's beloved mascot, Lionel Hutz, attorney at law (from the The Simpsons), "If there's one thing America needs, it's more lawyers." The Prelaw Society is thus composed of students interested in attending law school. The organization has three main goals: to inform students about the law school application process, to prepare students for life as a law school student, and to expose students to the myriad career possibilities in the legal profession. Each year the Prelaw Society visits Dickenson Law School, in order to give students a first-hand view of life in law school, speak with admissions officials, and discuss the cost of a legal education with financial aid counselors. Overall the Prelaw Society provides students with the tools necessary for evaluating their prospects for a career in the law.
For more information, contact Matthew Woessner