Background of the Society for Vocational Psychology

   The Society for Vocational Psychology is a Section in the Counseling Psychology Division (17) of the
   American Psychological Association. Its purpose is to encourage, promote, and facilitate contributions to research,
   teaching, practice, and public interest in vocational psychology and career interventions. The Society became a Section
   in 1996 after a almost a decade of activity as a Division 17 Special Interest Group (SIG). The Vocational Behavior and
   Career Intervention SIG was organized in 1987 by Mark Savickas (Northeastern Ohio Universities College of
   Medicine) who chaired the group until 1996. In 1994, a committee led by Linda Subich (University of Akron) and
   consisting of Nadya Fouad (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Thomas Krieshok (University of Kansas), Ellen Lent
   (George Washington University), Robert Lent (University of Maryland), Scott Solberg (University of Wisconsin-
   Milwaukee), Jane Swanson (Southern Illinois University), Tony Tinsley (Southern Illinois University), Don Zytowski
   (Ames, Iowa), and Bruce Walsh (The Ohio State University) petitioned Division 17 to convert the SIG into a Section.
   Two years later, under the new Section's Bylaws, an election of officers was held. Effective at the APA meeting in
   August, 1996 the Section officers began their two-year appointments: Chair Linda Subich, Chair-Elect Nadya Fouad,
   Treasurer Mark Pope (University of Missouri-St. Louis), and Communications Officer Paul Hartung (Northeastern
   Ohio Universities College of Medicine).
 
   The Society sponsors a conference series entitled "Advances in Vocational Psychology. The first conference
   "Convergence in Theories of Career Choice and Development" was hosted by Robert Lent at Michigan State University
   in 1992. This was followed in 1994 by a conference "Toward Convergence in Career Theory and Practice" at The
   Ohio State University (hosted by Bruce Walsh). In 1997, Society members and guests came together at Lehigh
   University for the third national conference titled "Vocational Interests: Meaning, Measurement and Counseling Use"
   hosted by Arnold Spokane. The most recent conference was hosted by Nadya Fouad and Scott Solberg. Titled "The
   Context of Career Development" this conferences was held at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee during the
   Spring of 1999.

   In addition to national conferences, the Society has sponsored three international meetings. These meetings were each
   co-sponsored by the Career Psychology SIG in the Organizational Psychology Division of the International Association
   for Applied Psychology. The First International Seminar on Career Psychology was organized by Karl Seifert from the
   University of Linz and hosted by Jose Marques at the University of Lisbon in September, 1991. The Second
   International Seminar on Career Psychology was hosted by Rita Claes at the University of Ghent in July, 1992. The
   Third International Seminar on Career Psychology was hosted by Lou Hawkes at the University of Toronto, in August,
   1993.
   In November, 1996, the Society sponsored a working conference on "The School-to-Work Transition: Defining the
   Role of Vocational Psychology" organized by Ruth Fassinger, Robert Lent, and Karen O'Brien -- all affiliated with the
   University of Maryland. Also, at each American Psychological Association conference since 1988, the Society has
   sponsored a symposium and a set of roundtables as well as conducted a business meeting.

   Members of the Society have written three books, with all royalties donated to the Society. Convergence in Career
   Development Theories (1994), Handbook of Career Counseling Theory and Practice (1996), and Vocational Interests:
   Meaning, Measurement, and Counseling Use (1999) are available from Davies-Black Publishers (order by phone: 1-
   800-624-1765).