December 6, 2018

The end of a chapter is a fine time to reflect. As this chapter, my presidential year, comes to close, I’m reminded of the best leadership advice I ever received. Diane Halpern told me, “Surround yourself with good people, and get out of their way.”

On the STP leadership page, in addition to the 10 members of the executive committee and the executive director, there are 46 people – directors, editors, and chairs – who are responsible for publications, services, committees, and conference programming. I’m not sure where or how to start counting, but there must be a couple hundred people who serve as reviewers and committee members. Every year, STP has working groups and task forces. Dozens of people serve on those. When we put out the call for help (see the Get Involved page), you step up and give back to an organization that provides so much to the teaching of psychology. 

In addition to these formal roles, we have all of you who contribute to public discussions via the STP Facebook group, Twitter, and our listservs (Diversity-Teach, Div2PsychTeacher, Early Career Psychologist, and Div2GSTA). Your willingness to share your experience, your solutions, your advice, your guidance – and, yes, your own questions – is to be commended.  

I am, indeed, surrounded by good people. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has freely given their time to help your fellow psychology instructors.

When I think about the thousands of people STP helps in any given year – and the thousands of students who have a better experience as a result… Let’s just say that stepping into the president’s role could have been daunting, except I knew that I was surrounded by good people and had every intention of staying out of their way.

You make it all happen. If you like what the Society for the Teaching of Psychology does, but are not yet a member, please join us. Only $25/year supports everything that STP does for the teaching of psychology and, for you, it opens up professional development, professional service, and funding opportunities.

It has truly been an honor to serve as your 2018 president.

Now, please join me in welcoming your 2019 president, Rick Miller (Texas A&M – Kingsville).

Sue Frantz
President, Society for the Teaching of Psychology