About CSI

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.

Learn more about ACHS and certified honor societies by visiting the ACHS website, including the characteristics of a credible honor society.

Chi Sigma Iota's Symbols and Colors

Our symbols and colors were chosen to reflect our mission and values. The Greek letters for Chi Sigma Iota were selected to denote that we are the Counseling Society International. The wreath was chosen to encircle the Greek letters as a symbol of honor earned and promise for continued commitment to high ideals.

CSI's colors include white to represent Virtue (goodness; general moral excellence; right action and thinking) and blue for Trustworthiness (honesty, integrity, reliability, and justice toward others is affirmed). Integrity is implicit within these as well.

Chi Sigma Iota's Activities

Our goals of Chi Sigma Iota are achieved primarily through the activities of local campus based chapters, and secondarily, through efforts of the Headquarters' staff, officers, and committees.

Local campus based chapters serve as links within their respective communities to promote interaction between counselor educators, students, alumni, and local professionals. The chapters provide a forum for interaction, sharing of concerns, discussion of issues, and support for common interests. Many chapters schedule meetings and solicit speakers on a variety of topics relevant to counselors, serving as a resource for continuing education. Chapters have conducted service activities and have organized social gatherings to facilitate interactions between members.

CSI is open to alternative methods of serving our members (students and graduates) but we are resolved that every member must have readily available access to their chapter faculty advisor and regular activities of their chapters including opportunity for mentoring, participation in chapter service projects, nomination for offices, awards, grants, fellowships, etc. Chapters may be deactivated for failure to do so.

International Headquarters Activities include the functions of the CSI International Headquarters Office, which is responsible for maintaining the records of the Society, facilitating the delivery of new member certificates and pins to chapters, and distributing information about the Society. The International Headquarters is responsible for the dissemination of the Exemplar, the quarterly publication of the Society.

The Headquarters also serves as a networking source to link CSI chapters and members throughout the world. This has been an especially valuable resource for students who have moved to new locations after graduation and seek to affiliate with the nearest CSI chapter.

International Meetings of CSI are held annually. CSI Days events include an Executive Council meeting, leadership training for Chapter Faculty Advisors and chapter leaders, the Annual Delegate Business Meeting, an awards ceremony, and an informal gathering of members for exchange of information and socialization. The Annual Delegate Business Meeting is open to all CSI members. Chapters must send a voting representative (i.e., an active CSI chapter member) at least once every three years in order to maintain active status.

Since the time of its chartering, CSI as an organization, and many of its individual members, have assumed leadership roles at the state, regional, national and international levels in promoting the counseling needs of persons of all ages as well as the concerns of counselors themselves.

CSI has flourished and has expanded its sphere of professional influence under the leadership of its Presidents and Executive Council Officers. All officers and leaders of CSI donate their time and resources to the work of the Society.

CSI members can be found in leadership throughout professional counseling organizations. This service includes numerous Presidents of the American Counseling Association (ACA), as well as ACA divisional presidencies, regional branch Chairs,and division regional presidencies. CSI members also serve as President and CEO of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and as Chair and as members of the CACREP Board of Directors. Similiarly, CSI members serve as President and CEO of the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) and as Chair and as members of the NBCC Board of Directors. CSI members lead in other innumerable state association and committee leadership positions as well. Members' scholarly publications, projects, and awards are equally significant to the ongoing influence of the counseling profession.

Chi Sigma Iota has a rich history, reflected throughout our ongoing programs, support for counselor education (i.e., CSI's Rebate Program, funding priorities, publications, and Annual Awards Program, working alone and in conjunction with other counseling associations to provide services to members of the counseling profession.

What is a Professional Counselor?

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.