February 7, 2024
College of Education to welcome Kappa Alpha Tau chapter of Chi Sigma Iota honor society
Submitted by Amy Levin Plattner
The College of Education's special education, counseling, and student affairs department announces its imminent induction into the Kappa Alpha Tau chapter of Chi Sigma Iota honor society.
The mission of Chi Sigma Iota is to promote scholarship, research, professionalism, leadership and excellence in counseling, to encourage the pursuit of personal excellence by members, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in the profession of school counseling.
Lorraine Dinkel, teaching associate professor of counseling and faculty advisor for the group, said the chapter opens valuable opportunities for leadership, research, service, awards and financial resources for graduate students in school counseling. Membership in the honor society provides a national platform for K-State alumni and students pursuing the Education Specialist Degree in school counseling and the counselor education and supervision doctorate.
"While earning my Ph.D. at the University of New Orleans, I had great experiences as a member of our Chi Sigma Iota chapter including networking and presenting at events, and being published in the organization's award-winning newsletter," Dinkel said. "We also hosted professional development workshops with national leaders in the counseling field as a service to our community. I am quite excited about the opportunities that await our talented students."
Chi Sigma Iota is an invitation-only organization, and the executive committee will review students and alumni to initiate to the first membership cohort during the spring 2024 semester.
Chi Sigma Iota is a national organization of elite professional counselors, all coming from Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, or CACREP, accredited programs. CACREP is the gold standard in the profession for the development of counselors. K-State has had a CACREP accredited program since 1999 but this will be the first Chi Sigma Iota chapter.
Chi Sigma Iota, the Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International, was established Jan. 1, 1985. The impetus for the formation of an international honor society in the profession of counseling came from a desire to provide recognition for outstanding academic achievement as well as outstanding service within the counseling profession.