Call for New APA Division 45 Fellows

The Division 45 Fellows Committee is seeking applications from Division 45 members as candidates for Fellow status. The American Psychological Association (APA) grants Fellow status as an honor bestowed upon APA members who have shown evidence of unusual and outstanding contributions or performance in the field of psychology. Division 45 Fellows must meet the criteria for both the APA and Division 45.

Criteria for APA Fellow Status

• Doctoral degree based in part on a psychological dissertation
• Status as an APA member for at least one year (at the time of application), and nomination by a division to which the member belongs
• Active engagement in the advancement of psychology
• Five years of acceptable postdoctoral experience
• Evidence of unusual and outstanding contribution or performance in the field of psychology

Learn more about APA’s criteria and to submit the application online, please see the Fellows application webpage.

Criteria for Division 45 Fellow Status

Division 45’s purpose is to advance psychology as a science and to promote public welfare through research, to apply research findings towards addressing ethnic minority issues, and to encourage professional relationships among psychologists with these interests. Division 45 requires that Fellow candidates demonstrate that a significant part of their unusual and outstanding contributions were made directly in the service of promoting the psychological understanding and well-being of ethnic minority issues. These contributions should be documented and must include at least one of the following:

• Status as a Division 45 member for at least one year (at the time of application).
• Provided national-level, distinguished and sustained ethnic minority-focused leadership and service within Division 45 as well as in other spaces in ways that contributed to the growth and recognition of Division 45. These services may include serving as editor or associate editor over extended period of time for major peer-reviewed journals in psychology in cultural diversity and ethnic minority psychology.
• Developed innovative and nationally-impactful methods or programs of education or training that significantly advanced the psychology of ethnic minority individuals and communities.
• Developed innovative and nationally-impactful assessment tools or prevention/intervention methods for that significantly advanced the wellbeing of ethnic minority individuals and communities.
• Developed innovative and nationally-impactful theories or conceptual models that advanced the field of ethnic minority psychology.

Applications for initial Fellow status through Division 45 must be endorsed by three Fellows of Division 45 (who have current active APA membership). Applications for current APA Fellows to become a Division 45 Fellow must be endorsed by one Fellow of Division 45 (who has a current active APA membership). [Active membership of the APA simply means that the current year’s dues have been paid.]

Pathways to Division 45 Fellow Status

There are two pathways to Division 45 Fellows: Initial Fellows, who are not yet Fellows of any other division, and Current Fellows, who have already achieved Fellow status in another division.

Initial Fellow application

The application process is more extensive for Initial Fellow applicants because qualifications are reviewed for fulfillment of both divisional and APA criteria. To apply for initial Fellow status via Division 45, please submit all materials via the APA Uniform Fellow Application platform. Applicants must be current APA members to access the APA’s Fellows application portal.

Applications for initial Fellow status require: a CV; a personal statement detailing contributions, evidence to substantiate the contributions, and impact on ethnic minority psychology as indicated in the primary criteria above; and letters from three Division 45 Fellows, as well as other materials as described in the APA Fellows online application. The APA Fellows webpage has resources for applicants and endorsers, including a sample endorsement letter indicating the type of information the APA Fellows Committee looks for when evaluating Fellow applications. Please search the APA Fellows Database to ensure that your endorsers are APA Fellows. ask your endorsers to check that their APA membership status is up-to-date and that they are able to login to the APA portal well ahead of the deadline.

All initial Fellow materials including the endorsers’ letters must be submitted to the online system by November 15, 2024 (11:59pm EST). Complete applications are reviewed by Division 45 Fellows Committee. Applications receiving a positive evaluation by Division 45 Fellows Committee are forwarded to the APA Fellows Committee for review. If the APA Fellow Committee recommends election of the applicant Fellow status, the recommendation is forwarded to the APA Board of Directors, and the Council of Representatives for approval. If approved, the change in the APA membership to the Fellows status is effective January 1, 2026.

Current Fellows application

For Current APA Fellows who are seeking Fellow status in Division 45, the process is less involved. The application includes a self-statement highlighting contributions to ethnic minority psychology (with a reference to the mission of Division 45), a copy of the CV, and one letter from a current Fellow of Division 45. The applications are reviewed by the Division 45 Fellows Committee only, and the recommendations are forwarded to the APA. The application for current Fellows is February 1, 2025 (11:59pm EST).

Questions? Please contact Dr. Germine Awad, Chair of the Division 45 Fellows Committee.