SPEA
Organizations & Services
SPEA Student Organizations
- Alpha Phi Sigma
- Pi Alpha Alpha
- PASSPORT
- PublicINreview
- SPEA Student Council
- SPEA Ambassadors
- Public Affairs Student Association (PASA)
Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Criminal Justice Honor Society for criminal justice students. The society recognizes academic excellence among undergraduate and graduate students of criminal justice. The honor society is open to those with a declared criminal justice major, minor or graduate concentration. Membership is by invitation only.
Undergraduate students must maintain a 3.2 overall GPA and a 3.2 GPA in criminal justice courses. Students must also rank in the top 35% of their classes and have completed a minimum of four courses within IUPUI’s criminal justice curriculum.
Graduate students are required to maintain a minimum of a 3.7/4.0 GPA in both criminal justice courses and overall courses and must have completed at least 50 percent of their public administration, public policy or sub-degree coursework.
Since 1988, Alpha Phi Sigma has sponsored IUPUI’s annual Criminal Justice Career Information Day, bringing a variety of agencies and organizations to campus, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the F.B.I., the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local probation departments and private security companies.
Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honorary society for schools of public affairs and administration. The society acknowledges outstanding scholarship and contributions to these fields. It was founded in 1972 by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) to honor those whose performance in public affairs has been distinguished. The Indiana chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha is a charter chapter. Membership in Pi Alpha Alpha may be compared to membership in Phi Beta Kappa for liberal arts graduates. A person evaluating credentials in the various fields of public service should recognize the professional quality such a membership represents.
Undergraduate students are eligible for Pi Alpha Alpha membership when they are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in at least 15 credit hours of SPEA courses, when they are in the last semester of the junior year or in the senior year, and when they have earned a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all course work.
Graduate students shall achieve and maintain a 3.7/4.0 GPA, and have completed 50% of their public administration, public policy or sub-degree coursework.
Alumni are eligible for membership if they meet all the requirements of student membership, even if they graduated before induction by the Indiana chapter.
Honorary membership is available to any person who has achieved distinction in public administration and who has the distinguished qualities that Pi Alpha Alpha fosters.
Passport, which stands for Patrons Addressing SPEA Students Participating in Overseas Research and Travel Programs, is a student organization dedicated to furthering interest in studying abroad. Participants educate classmates on the value of international travel and share experiences from past study abroad programs by holding panel discussions and representing SPEA at campus-wide involvement events.
publicINreview is a student-run, online journal published by SPEA at IUPUI. The journal focuses on regional issues in the broad area of public affairs, discusses realistic application of emerging theory, and shares best practices with local practitioners and professionals. publicINreview is a forum where students can connect with practitioners in the Midwest area. In addition to student-written articles, the journal periodically includes interviews with local public figures and job postings, and it serves as a resource for networking opportunities, local events, presentations, and trainings in SPEA’s areas of interest, including public affairs, criminal justice and public safety. www.spea.iupui.edu/publicINreview
SPEA Student Council is a great way for students to get involved and effect positive change in the school. The purposes of the SPEA Student Council are to: assist students in the resolution of issues relating to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), assist and promote SPEA student organizations, allocate undergraduate Student Activity Fees (SAF) according to university and state guidelines, represent SPEA students' interests at faculty committee meetings, represent SPEA students' interests to the IUPUI Undergraduate Student Government (USG), and represent SPEA students' interests to the associate dean.
The SPEA Ambassadors serve as representatives for SPEA during recruitment events with SPEA faculty and staff. Ambassadors speak about their experiences in SPEA both academically and socially.
Public Affairs Student Association (PASA)
Public Affairs Student Association is a social organization that will provide networking and volunteer opportunities for all public affairs undergraduate and graduate students.
