Student Associations & Honor Societies

Alpha Phi Sigma is the only nationally recognized honor society for students in the criminal justice sciences. The society recognizes academic excellence by undergraduates and graduate students alike.

Alpha Phi Sigma-Kappa Xi is dedicated to fostering active and inclusive chapters focused on promoting excellence in criminal justice scholarship and performance. As one of over 350 chapters, Kappa Xi is committed to contributing in both a scholarly and civic capacity to improve our community.

Alpha Phi Sigma Kappa Xi is dedicated to developing a diverse membership base, capable of incorporating a range of scholarly perspectives. We are focused on showcasing the contributions of our members and recognizing their scholarly achievements. We focus on engaging members and the community through workshops, networking and research opportunities.

We encourage and develop lifelong learners and professionals, of high moral and ethical standards, with strong analytical and intellectual skills, who focus on the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

Membership

Undergraduate and graduate students who are in the criminal justice field are encouraged to apply for membership in this organization. To be eligible for membership, students must have completed one-third of their total hours required for graduation.

Undergraduate students are required to maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA and 3.2 CJ major GPA. Student must have completed a minimum of four courses within the criminal justice curriculum.

Graduate students are required to maintain a minimum of a 3.4 GPA in both criminal justice courses and overall. Students must have completed a minimum of three courses within the criminal justice curriculum.

Law students must have completed one academic year in law school with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

Apply for Alpha Phi Sigma - Kappa Xi membership.

Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Regalia for graduating students

Current members of Alpha Phi Sigma who are graduating can order special Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Regalia. Complete the Honor Regalia form to submit your order. 

It is highly recommended students submit the Honor Regalia Form at least 8 weeks in advance of when they would like to receive the regalia. Honor Regalia will be mailed directly to the student address provided on the form.

The University of Colorado Denver International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) Student Chapter is comprised of students of all levels across the University. The ICMA Student Chapter engages students about the profession of city & county management.

Our purpose is to:

1. Introduce and integrate graduate and undergraduate students to the local government management profession;
2. Familiarize students with ICMA, the premier local government management association, its members, resources, and policies;
3. Establish connections between local government management theories, practices, and applications through tangible and actual examples; and
4. Create a foothold at CU Denver for students who aspire to work for local governments through networking events and other professional development opportunities.

The ICMA Student Chapter meets monthly on the first Thursday at 11 a.m. Meetings are held both in-person in the Lawrence Street Center, Room 525X, and virtually via Zoom. For more information visit https://linktr.ee/ICMACUDenver.

The Master of Public Policy Student Association (MPPSA) promotes the interests of Master of Public Policy (MPP) students at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) School of Public Affairs (SPA) by providing events, forums, and other opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, and support, as well as academic and career development.

Officers for the 2025-2026 Academic Year:

• Lorena Espinosa, President
• Dylan Howard, Vice President
• Kira Delong, Treasurer

For more information, email Chris Vandijk at [email protected].

 

Pi Alpha Alpha is the Global Honor Society for public affairs and administration. There are more than 160 chapters located around the world at NASPAA member schools, including CU Denver School of Public Affairs.

The purpose of Pi Alpha Alpha is to encourage and recognize outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration. Its objectives, such as fostering integrity, professionalism, and effective performance, promote the advancement of quality in the education and practice of the art and science of public affairs and administration. PAA membership identifies those with the highest performance levels in educational programs preparing them for public service careers.

Eligible students may submit a request for membership as soon as they meet the criteria, with application deadlines of October 15th and March 15th. Approved applications are submitted to Pi Alpha Alpha headquarters twice a year, shortly after application deadlines. The cost of member is a one-time $50 application fee, paid directly to Pi Alpha Alpha headquarters.

Current members of Pi Alpha Alpha may order graduation honor regalia to wear at commencement. Orders are placed directly with Pi Alpha Alpha headquarters. If you are interested in ordering honor regalia, but are not yet a member, please first submit your request for membership. Please do not order honor regalia until you have received confirmation that your request for membership has been approved.

The School of Public Affairs’ PhD Student Association (SPAPSA) mission is to establish a community of students who support each other through the sharing of experience and knowledge across PhD cohorts. SPAPSA has three main functions: academic enrichment, social and interpersonal engagement, and new student orientation and mentorship. 

SPAPSA supports the academic development of students through information and resource exchange and through the organization of relevant academic and social activities. To encourage further cross-cohort interactions, SPAPSA assigns student peer mentors to incoming students each year. Additionally, a SPAPSA representative serves on the faculty PhD committee. The faculty committee and association members make a concerted effort to coordinate activities and share ideas about program needs.

SPAPSA is open to all SPA PhD students, who are strongly encouraged to participate in meetings and events. The elected SPAPSA leadership board is made up of two Co-Presidents, a Treasurer, and Secretary, and they typically hold at least one formal meeting per month.

2025-2026 Leadership

Co-Presidents: Anna Crawford & Emma Scheetz
Secretary: Seth Kelly
Treasurer: Britnie Smith