The Psychology Club sent the most students ever in its approximately 20-year history at Cerritos College to the National Psychology Conference over the recent Labor Day weekend.

Selected from among other club members, nine were chosen to go because they are the most active members and they are also members of Psi-Beta, the national honors society for psychology students at the community college level.

“All their hard work paid off,” said Dr. Kimberley Duff, Professor of Psychology, and co-advisor of the two clubs. “They got to hang out in San Francisco and meet professional psychologists, and also represent Cerritos College.”

Among the activities at the conference, the students got the opportunity to listen to research presentations given by professional, as well as student researchers; attended honors society meetings, where awards were given; and networked with other students, as well as with, “famous professors who gave different presentations in the area of psychology,” said Dr. Todd Gaffaney, professor of psychology, and the other co-advisor to the clubs. They also attended the 20th- anniversary birthday party for Psi-Beta.

Duff said that by attending the different presentations, the students were able to, “see what it’s like to present at a conference.” She added that, “every once in a while, some of our students from Cerritos College will actually present their work at national conferences. So it’s good for them to get a little practice before they have to do that themselves.”

In October, two students will be presenting research at conferences around the country. Duff is hoping some students will have work they can present in the spring at the Western Psychological Association in Irvine.

Club Vice President, Krista Poilolo said, “I really enjoyed the trip . . . a lot of the speaker sessions that we saw were very interesting.”

She was particularly happy about having seen “Zimbardo,” who is a well known social psychologist.

Lupe Dupuis, a member of the club since last spring, said, “The trip was really informative. I felt it was a privilege to attend it. Students at the J.C. level rarely get to attend these types of conventions. It’s usually (people) at the graduate and doctorate level.”

In talking about one particularly exciting moment of her trip, Dupuis said, “there was a doctor from Yale who presented a theory and they all just thought we were doctors and graduate students too.” She added, “it really motivates you as a student. It just reinforced that I’m majoring in the right discipline.”

Last year, the Cerritos College chapter of Psi-Beta was chosen No. 1 in the entire nation. It is an award that is based mainly on community service. “We do a lot of community service,” said Gaffa-ney,”It’s not just (activities) on campus, but also community service outreaching.”

As an example, Gaffaney said the students go to Metropolitan State Mental Hospital in Norwalk, where they work with patients there.

Second-year member of the club, David Boss said, “we have a speaker series where people from different fields talk. So (students) get a pretty eclectic taste of psychology as a whole, and this can help them decide their major.” that.”