Alpha Phi Sigma, The National Criminal Justice Honor Society, invites you to join the thousands of prominent people who have become members of this established honorary. Today, Alpha Phi Sigma (APS) has over 170 chapters. Each chapter is made up of people, like yourself, who share with us the commitment to learning and improving the criminal justice field. Alpha Phi Sigma is the nationally recognized honor society for students in the criminal justice science. The society recognizes academic excellence by undergraduate, as well as graduate students of criminal justice. Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1980. Usually we have weekly meetings during the Criminal Justice Club meetings so keep on the look out for flyers with current dates and times.

The Mission of Alpha Phi Sigma is to promote analytical thinking, rigorous scholarship and lifelong learning; to keep abreast of the advances in scientific research; to elevate the ethical standards of the criminal justice professions and to sustain in the public mind the benefit and necessity of education and professional training.

The Goals of Alpha Phi Sigma shall be to honor and promote academic excellence; service; leadership and unity.

For further information about APS constitution, bylaws, policies, scholarships, national conferences, and other resources please visit the national website.

The first thought most of us have when we hear “Honor Society” is that it would be a great resume builder. Although this is true, Alpha Phi Sigma (APS) has much more to offer to its members. APS offers leadership and group organizational experience to those students interested in doing a little more. Each local chapter contains four elected officer positions (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer). The National Officers are elected annually at the National Convention. These positions are open to nomination of active members.

Adding to the benefits, APS sponsors an Annual Call for Papers competition in which students present papers pertaining to the criminal justice field. These papers are judged and awards are presented at the National Convention. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best undergraduate and graduate papers.

Several scholarship funds provide eligible students with the opportunity of receiving financial assistance. Applicants must apply through the National Office for the scholarship money.

Local Alpha Phi Sigma chapters can be as fulfilling an experience as its members decide it to be. The chapter can be a forum for guest speakers, organized trips, touring of facilities, and becoming involved in community service projects. Some examples of activities engaged in by WNMU’s chapter include trips to prisons, law enforcement agencies and training facilities, crime labs, and criminal justice conferences. The chapter has also sponsored speakers from numerous criminal justice agencies. And the chapter conducts Identi-Kid twice a year in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Club.

For further information on scholarships, competitions, and conferences please visit the rewards and scholarships information at the national Alpha Phi Sigma website.

Regular membership shall be limited to both undergraduate part-time and full-time students who have a minimum of a 3.2 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, who are in the top 35% of their class, have declared a major, minor or equivalent in the criminal justice or related field, have completed three full time semesters or its equivalent, and who are of good moral character.

Currently enrolled graduate students are eligible for membership based upon their undergraduate major or based upon their enrollment in a graduate program in Criminal Justice or related field. Graduate students shall have completed at least 12 hours of graduate work with a 3.4 grade-point average in their major, have a minimum 3.4 cumulative grade-point average, and be within the top 25% of their class. Upgrading these guidelines shall be at the discretion of the local chapters.

Contact Dr. Damon Bullock at (575) 538-6187 | Phelps Dodge 237 or by email at bullockd@wnmu.edu for more membership information. For applications and information on Faculty, Honorary, Professional, and Alumni membership please refer to the by-laws at the Alpha Phi Sigma national website.