Chi Sigma Iota
Chi Sigma Iota is an international honors society for professional counselors and professional counselors in training. Our mission is to promote scholarship, research, professionalism, leadership, and excellence in counseling, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in counseling. Nova Southeastern University has two chapters, the Nu Sigma chapter for main campus and regional campus students and the Nu Sigma Omega chapter for online students.
Who can join?
Students who are enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration of the M.S. in Counseling program and have an overall GPA of 3.5 or better. Students must have completed at least one full academic term (semester) of counseling courses carrying 6 credits worth of approved graduate credits.
How do I become a member?
If you qualify for membership, you will receive an invitation in your NSU email to join our chapter in the Fall semester.
Faculty Chapter Advisor
Vanessa Teixeira, Ed.D., LMHC, ACS
Assistant Professor
vteixeira@nova.edu
CSI is an honor society dedicated to promoting excellence in the profession of counseling. Because common usage of the term "counselor" can be misleading, professional counselors are distinguished by their preparation at the graduate level in pursuit of both Masters and doctoral degrees. One's highest or terminal degree in counselor education is considered evidence of desire to identify with the profession and through membership to support the mission of the Society.
For purposes of clarity among helping professionals who use counseling as a method or its techniques, the graduate education of members of the profession of counseling are defined by the national standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Individuals whose programs of study in counselor education were accredited by the Council of Rehabilitation Education (CORE) also are eligible for membership.
CSI's commitment to professional counselor identity is reflected in its commitment to chartering chapters in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs.
The CSI Executive Council (5/2010) in an effort to support solidarity in the profession endorsed the ACA and AASCB 20/20 Visions for the Future of Counseling consensus definition of counseling by incorporating it into the following statement to be consistent with the mission of CSI. CSI was a participating organization throughout the 20/20 initiative.
Professional counselors hold their highest graduate degree in counselor education from a nationally accredited preparation program, are credentialed by authorized state and/or national agencies, and adhere to its competency standards on matters of ethics, diversity and behavior in order to contribute to the realization of a healthy society by fostering wellness and human dignity. As a consequence, counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.Chi Sigma Iota Is an ACHS Certified Honor Society
The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), founded in 1925, is the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. ACHS has created standards for organizational excellence and for scholastic eligibility, and not all organizations calling themselves "honor societies" subscribe to the standards of ACHS. Members and the society-at-large are protected by the standards of excellence set by ACHS. Candidates for membership in CSI can be assured that our society meets the rigorous standards of ACHS.