MISSION STATEMENT
Our overarching mission is to provide a supportive brotherhood for students pursuing the biological sciences professionally and academically and to further the advancement of biology as a science and as a profession. We are committed to serving the needs of students and thereby the community. Beta Psi Omega aims to provide passionate students with opportunities, insights, and guidance to success.
Our members have the benefit of having access to class resources, organic chemistry tutoring, exposure to labs on campus, professional development workshops, volunteer experiences, and an exceptional support system. We welcome all majors to get involved (biology, kinesiology, public health, psychology, pre-health, etc), as the skills one will gain are transferable to any field.
OUR HISTORY
Beta Psi Omega was first established at the University of Maryland - College Park on March 9, 2010. It was originally named Beta Iota Omicron. The founding class was frustrated that there were no professional resources available for students in the biological sciences who were pursuing careers in research, while there were ample resources available for students in health sciences and chemistry. Thus, Beta Psi Omega was born. In the Spring of 2010, the fraternity became recognized by the Student Government Association and in Fall 2010, and the first officers were elected.
In the Fall of 2011, the members of Beta Psi Omega voted to change the name from Beta Iota Omicron to Beta Psi Omega, in order to improve notoriety, as well as to better identify with the professional Greek community.
In the Summer of 2014, a National Board was created to oversee the recruitment and development of new chapters, to discuss and vote on local and National Constitution improvements, and to organize National meetings and conventions. Alumni from all chapters will be eligible for board positions.
On September 12, 2014, a group of 13 students was initiated by the National Board into the Beta Chapter at California State University, Fullerton. Thus, Beta Psi Omega became a Nation-wide organization.
OUR PILLARS
Beta Psi Omega thrives on five core values, which are upheld within the members, officers, and fraternity events. Our organization strives to achieve excellence in the following areas:
Intellect: We aim to extend beyond the normal realm of education and allow its members to approach learning with a unique attitude. We would like our members to learn how to think, not what to think and be able to apply this knowledge in a real-world, practical facet.
Service: We are a community based organization with the basic goal of helping students help themselves. In addition to serving the professional needs of students in the biological sciences, BΨΩ extends its helping hand to other service-based projects.
Unity: We believe that the power of the sum is greater than the individual parts. The organization, therefore, aims to foster connections not only with its members, but with resources on campus, and the surrounding professional world at large.
Diversity: This organization is a representation of the varied perspectives in the biological sciences. Since biology has such an eclectic foundation, we aim to expose students to this diversity within the field and within their career options. Therefore, there is no particular student template we are searching for, but rather students who simply love what it is that they do. We encourage all majors to be a part of this organization.
Proactivity: A key feature we would like our members to encompass would be to approach problems and issues constructively. That being said, we are constantly seeking improvement within the organization and within our lives to ensure the survival of the best and brightest versions of ourselves. If we can achieve that, it ensures that BΨΩ is progressively evolving to something better than it had previously been.