Introduction
This report summarizes responses from the MPPAW 2025 survey.
Note: Results currently reflect 74 respondents. Response rate is unknown – over 900 e-mail invitations were sent, but it is unclear how many of those are active, valid, or duplicates.
Current Engagement & Value
engage1 “How would you describe your current level of engagement with MPPAW?”
engage2 “What initially motivated you to join MPPAW? (Select all that apply)”
- networking = Professional networking
- learning = Learning from expert speakers
- development = Career development opportunities
- mentorship = Mentorship (giving or receiving)
- contributing = Contributing to the applied psychology community
- students = Student/early career support
“other” statements
| I was a founder of MPPAW! |
| Wanting graduate students to attend so I need to attend |
| continuing education hours for licensure |
| I like to set a good example for students by going. |
| Showing support! I held many leadership roles early on and currently want to be helpful where needed. Also support MPPAW financially. |
engage3 “Which of these factors, if any, have reduced your participation in MPPAW activities? (Select all that apply)”
- notreduced = I haven’t reduced my participation
- constraints = Time constraints/busy schedule
- timing = Event timing doesn’t work for me
- content = Content not relevant to my current needs
- communities = Prefer online professional communities (LinkedIn, Reddit, etc.)
- distance = Geographic distance/location issues
- covid = Post-pandemic preference for virtual engagement
- priorities = Other priorities took precedence
- networking = Events don’t provide enough networking opportunity
“other” statements
| I haven’t reduced my participation |
| I feel that I’ve stayed fairly active, but sometimes work and life get in the way. |
| I retired at end of 2024. No economically advantageous rate for those of us in that age group. |
| Gearing down some in semi-retirement. Will be an active attendee but less so as a volunteer. |
| Took it more casually because of the online delivery; less attractive to go in person due to fewer attendees |
| Retired from working and while still interested, topics are not always of great interest . |
| cost for continuing education credits-I can find some cheaper elsewhere |
| While the content of virtual meetings was of high quality, I read the literature and am currently up-to-date on most topics. I don’t find the online format engaging at all. I would like to bring my students to in-person events so that they can mingle and get experience interacting with I/O professionals |
| cost |
| Not interested in virtual call format, and last year had multiple DEI topics that are political and polarizing |
| Membership cost has gone from $10.00 to over $150.00. Please find a venue that is less expensive. Also, I can accept not having food at the MPPAW sessions. |
| It is vital for MPPAW to have most of the schedule up right at the beginning of fall. Without this available, it’s incredibly hard for me to sell the value of MPPAW to them. It’s also hard to make an argument when one selling point is networking, and the in-person participation is low. |
| Need more connections to potential roles. |
Future Programming Priorities
Please rank your top 3 program formatting preferences (it is okay to “leave the response blank” if you do not have a second or third preference):
top1, top2, top3 “Which of the following program formats would be most (2nd most, 3rd most) valuable to you?”
- mentor = Expanded mentorship program (structured mentor/mentee matching)
- network = Large annual networking event/conference
- workshop = Quarterly intensive workshops (3-4 per year)
- development = Career development events (panels, job fairs)
- interest = Special interest groups (small, focused topic groups)
- giving = Community service/giving back projects
- virtual = Virtual networking sessions
- certification = Professional development certification programs
“other” statements
| Research presentations |
| ? |
| Every other month meetings |
| Expert presentations by academics and practitioners |
| Quarterly networking events |
| Current format, but potentially only quarterly or every other month. Would continue hybrid option, but would not have option to be only online unless offering option where presenter not going to be local. Largest benefit, beyond many other options already available, is the in person networking. |
| in-person meetings, however frequent |
| Value-add seminars |
| I love the idea of networking events, but I do think in-person is a better format. I find it hard to engage with people online, especially if they won’t even turn on their camera. |
| continue with programs with nationally recognized persons as well as local talent–both applied and theoretical |
Mentorship
The next 6 questions all regard the MPPAW mentorship program
mentor1 “Would you be likely to participate as a mentor?”
mentor2 “Would you be likely to participate as a mentee?”
mentor3 “What mentoring time commitment works best for your schedule?”
mentor4 “What mentoring structure do you prefer? (Select all that apply)”
- 1 = One-on-one mentoring
- small = Small group mentoring (3-5 people)
- large = Large group mentoring circles (6+ people)
- networks = Peer-to-peer mentoring networks
mentor5 “What level of mentoring formality works best for you? (Select all that apply)”
- structured = Structured program with set goals and milestones
- semi = Semi-structured with some guidelines but flexibility
- informal = Informal relationship-building and advice sharing
- event = Event-based networking opportunities
mentor6 “What mentoring format(s) would you participate in? (Select all that apply)”
- virtual = Virtual meetings only
- inperson = In-person meetings only
- hybrid = Hybrid (combination of virtual and in-person)
- asynch = Asynchronous communication (email, messaging platforms)
Community Contribution & Volunteering
contribute1 “How interested would you be in contributing to MPPAW in the following ways?”
- Not interested = 1
- Somewhat interested = 2
- Very interested = 3
contribute2 “What would motivate you to volunteer more with MPPAW? (Select all that apply)”
- clearer = Clearer time commitments upfront
- smaller = Smaller, more defined tasks
- recog = Recognition for contributions
- devel = Professional development opportunities through volunteering
- working = Working with specific people I know
- contribute = Contributing to causes I care about
- network = Building my own network/visibility
- flexible = Flexible, remote volunteering options
“other” statements
| I already volunteer about as much time as I’m willing to volunteer |
| I don’t live within the Twin Cities metro area. I do not have time to travel for mid-week evening events. |
| Once my kids are out of the house, I can consider this more |
| My primary limiter is geographic location, but I did enjoy the mentorship program and wouldn’t mind finding other ways to contribute to MPPAW. |
| Right now I have a lot going on, it would be nice to have one time opportunities to help. |
| I did a fair amount of volunteering with MPPAW over the years. Over the last 30 yrs, I have done a fair amount of volunteering with the Mankato I/O program. That is where my energies are going. |
Organizational Structure & Membership
structure1 “How important is it to you that MPPAW continues to charge membership dues?”
structure2 “Would you support higher membership dues if they enabled significantly enhanced programming and services?”
structure3 “What types of enhanced programming would justify higher dues to you? (Select all that apply)”
- caliber = Higher-caliber speakers and events (e.g., speaker compensation and travel)
- frequent = More frequent programming
- workshops = Professional development workshops
- network = Enhanced networking opportunities
- venues = Better venues and catering
- services = Additional member services (career resources, online platform, etc.)
- subsidies = Scholarships or subsidies for members
“other” statements
| Virtual options (attending in-person is hard) except for a once a year conference would be fun in-person |
| No option for none - no higher fees. As a retired person, fees are sensitive for me |
| Expanded location options outside of MSP |
| in-person programming |
| Different/Rotating Locations |
| Quality over quantity of presenters and topics. If attendance is down then reduce time commitment first and ensure it’s time well spent and not filling in topics each month |
| local speakers with applied topics |
| Scholarships for students would be great! |
structure4 “What would you most like to give back to the applied psychology community through MPPAW?”
- share = Share my professional expertise
- support = Support students/early career professionals
- build = Help build professional networks
- advance = Advance the field through research/practice sharing
- inclusive = Create inclusive opportunities for underrepresented groups
- advocate = Advocate for the profession
- attend = Attend and participate in meetings
“other” statements
| I’m mostly not sure. I got a Masters in IO and am currently a communications professional. I’d be happy to give back but not sure where I would add value. |
Demographics & Engagement Preferences
demo1 “Have you held an active MPPAW membership at least once within the past 3 years?”
demo2 “What best describes your current career stage?”
demo3 “What’s your preferred way to engage with professional organizations?”
demo4 “How have you primarily learned about MPPAW events?”
“other” statements
| I googled professional networks to find MPPAW |
| MPPAW website and emails about the monthly events |
Care to share any other thoughts?
ideal1 “If you could design the ideal professional organization for applied psychology professionals in Minnesota, what would it look like? (2-3 sentences)”
Individual Comments
| Supportive community with a variety of meet ups including circles on specific topics that enable more discussion (vs primarily presentation style learning). Meeting times and types could vary (monthly morning virtual coffee; in person networking and education; quarterly circle on specific topics) |
| Placeholder comment from Board Member |
| Virtual learning events plus a once a year (or biannual) in-person conference to provide students a regional option for presenting and networking |
| N/a |
| I don’t know. I guess I like MPPAW’s current format, but it would be good to see higher participation. |
| A less frequent, in-person event. Something like a mini-SIOP |
| Monthly events, strong mentor program, opportunity for more casual networking in addition to formal programming, online community (ex. LinkedIn) where members can share ideas and make connections outside of events |
| More nationally recognized speakers. |
| Mppaw is the one. Look to PTC in the DC metro area… they do it nicely. We can too! |
| Keep the great speakers With a blend of wide variety and deep expertise for meetings. Add in very specific programming that would tie in with the future certification that SIOP will be offering. |
| Also, other professional certifications are impossible teams, assessments, etc etc |
| I really liked the older days when more U of M faculty came and other professionals were present. I’m not sure how to recreate that. |
| It would be nice to have both academic presenters and practitioners for the programs. Networking is crucial with some structure. |
| We have a great, deep, and rich i/O community here in the cities. We need to share with each other on a cost effective basis. We don’t need fancy meals at a pricy hotel all the time. |
| MPPAW is very close to ideal. There are ebbs and flows in every organization. Perhaps joining forces with other local groups? And ask Metro how they have sustained as the longest running one with MPPAW #2 in the 30 some year range. |
| Scientifically-grounded,, high caliber presentations in person 4-6 times per year with social time in advance. These could be augmented by virtual sessions, perhaps smaller “focus groups” on key topics. |
| Focus on having great in-person events that provide me with key information and learning that I could not get elsewhere along with being able to network and build a community of like minded people. |
| Mix of event types and services. It is a varied group and one steady format is unlikely to have the broad appeal needed to re-engage members in a manner that supports the organization long term. |
| Active group of applied psychology professionals meeting regularly to network and learn about the latest and greatest in applied psychology. |
| Less emphasis on applied psychology and more focus on business acumen. The challenge for I/O professionals primarily centers on not understanding all facets of business - functions, processes, models, etc. We need to be more co-worldly in our interactions with the C-suite and line leaders. |
| It used to look like this one. I worked in the 90’s to re- birth this. I am seriously saddened to learn of our current state. But, the call to arms must be heard by younger professionals. |
| Fewer meetings, draw from Duluth, River Falls, La Crosse, St. Cloud, |
Hold a yearly two-day event in Duluth | |I think MPPAW was a wonderful organization that linked students and early career professionals with seasoned professionals and that has traditionally offered high caliber programming. I was a consistent attender and member for a long time probably 15 or more years. I thought MPPAW was the ideal professional organization! Covid seemed to take the wind out of its sails, as it did with many things. I admit that at this stage of life, energy is waning and my workload is high, so I have to be quite intentional about what I endeavor, so this has been something I have only attended sporadically in recent years. I used to always recommend it to people who were interested in getting into the field. | |This would be an easily accessible network that has a robust communication of practical ideas and resources. It would highlight the great work of its members and have those members show how their works could contribute to the remainder of the network. | |It would include folks in a variety of roles across industries and at different points in their careers. It would also include various ways to engage with content, i.e., speakers, networking events, professional development. But largely it would be a community to be a part of outside of one’s 9-5 organization. | |I am not sure. I think it would be helpful to understand what our primary objectives are for our chapter. I think we need to determine where is the practice going in the field and how do we flex when there may not be roles that fit an I/O degree. Who are we? | |Limited scope, focusing on in-person gatherings to share cutting edge or otherwise critical topics and foster the development of scientist-practitioners through networking across careers and generations. | |I would create a combined formatted organization. For example, ensuring the organization has in-person networking, job searching, volunteering, presentations & learning activities. | |It will be an organization that could benefit applied psychologists from all levels of seniority and relevant activities to support their professional/career growth in different ways. It should also include more interactive, community-based networking and experience sharing through a virtual platform. | |I think that you need to talk about who you are most interested in serving. For senior members of the profession, meeting offer an opportunity to visit with colleagues and old friends. For mid-career individuals, I believe that networking with others in the field is most important. For students, I believe that meeting leaders in the field and having opportunities to make contacts that lead to mentorships, internships and employment are most valuable. I think that you need to decide whom you wish to serve. If it is students and early career professionals, you need to construct activities that lead to the desired outcomes listed above. | |I would love to have events held during the work day. It is easy for me to carve out professional development time during my 9-5 - in fact, it’s highly encouraged. Workshops, trainings, breakfast/lunch networking events, speakers, etc is all feasible and I would be excited to attend. However, it’s rare that I have the bandwith or interest in taking time away from my family for a “work” event. Evening events are not appealing at all to me, no matter the format or speaker. | |I’d design an organization that connects applied psychology professionals with leaders in communications, HR, and organizational strategy to translate research into practices that improve staff experience and workplace culture. It would foster both learning and networking, creating space to apply I/O psychology in real-world contexts while fostering a community of professionals committed to shaping healthier, more effective workplaces | |The job market is really tough. I’m a newer entry to the field (2 years post-MA) with no role with the emotions (not the intent) of “giving up.” A professional organization that gave newer individuals projects that led to resume pieces or roles that would have an impact. Mentorship with shadowing or opportunities to position oneself as a valuable candidate would help. | |One that continues to include awesome speakers and preferably local ones. One that encourages people of all professional levels to attend and is not intimidating (sometimes the more senior professionals seem cold/disengaged). Keep dues at a reasonable level and keep having real life examples application. Keep food to a ok level (not too expensive to make sure dues are resonable). Feature students, mid career, and mid/late career | |The ideal organization would bring together applied psychology professionals across sectors—business, healthcare, education—while also raising visibility for I-O psychology in small and mid-sized businesses. It would prioritize early-career development by creating genuine connection opportunities with more tenured professionals, and emphasize interactive discussions over one-way speaker sessions. The goal would be to combine rigorous learning with authentic community, ensuring applied psychology feels both practical and impactful in Minnesota. | |Lively group with upbeat, social vibe and presentation of industry relevant topics at a trendy pub in their community/event space. Informal networking, practical exchange of ideas and information, relationship building. Accessible to interested members of the community without “ivory tower” atmosphere. Perhaps quarterly unless there’s demand for more frequent engagements | |Return to higher caliber speakers - experts whose work we should know about. | |I would prefer to have fewer events that are of a higher quality (good speakers, in-person focus with support for building professional networks). I personally find a practitioner focus more helpful, though academics who can discuss practical matters are good too (Sackett was consistently great about this; other academics could get a little too esoteric to provide much practical advice). | |Cohesive community that builds the applied psychology practice and research - such that MpLs is a destination to work in the field and innovative ideas come | |I really Like what MPPAW has done over the years. Great presentations, an opportunity for students to learn about the field, learn about possible job or internships. I also enjoy seeing long term colleagues. | |Skilled at connecting people who don’t know each other, but would benefit from knowing each other — through opportunities to collaborate. |
anyelse “Is there anything else you’d like the MPPAW board to know as we plan for the future?”
Individual Comments
| Placeholder comment from Board Member |
| I’m personally less involved since I/O psychology is not my main profession, but as a program director for an I/O program I really strive to make this something my students want to attend. |
| N/a |
| It would be a shame to see MPPAW go away after so many years! |
| I am a professor/researcher who lives 2 hours from the Twin Cities. I let my membership lapse because I couldn’t attend a single meeting–a 4 hour round trip for a meeting on a weeknight just wasn’t possible. It also became clear that the organization was dominated by practitioners, which didn’t fit with my interests. |
| We don’t need to PAY for speakers when there are so many I/O professionals in the twin cities. |
| The last few years I’ve gone to virtual meetings. They’ve either had technical problems, audio problems, or various other issues such as some facilitation problems for those who were virtual. |
| I haven’t actually been to an in-person meeting for years. I do not presently work down town and it is just too much of a hassle now a days to fight traffic, pay for parking, and and so forth :-( |
| I will plan on attending however it looks as long as we have a graduate program. I feel a need to represent SCSU and our graduate students. |
| Thank you for planning and organizing MPPAW. |
| Embrace retirees |
| Great of you to do this! Smart. Sorry for the challenges. Hang in there and do what is possible to keep it going in some form. John Fennig |
| Greatly appreciate all the efforts to plan last year’s events and this work looking for potential improvements going forward. |
| Plan workshops that focus on how to demonstrate and link talent investments to business. priorities and assess the projected and actual financial and non-economic payoff from these investments. |
| Good luck. |
| If the venue were in the southern metro, it would save about 1 hour of driving for the Mankato crew. |
| I wish you all the best. I applaud your efforts to be thoughtful and intentional about the organization’s viability into the future. |
| As someone early in their career, I really value in person meetings to continue to build and refresh relationships, so any opportunity to keep some aspect in person would be really useful! |
| I needed to take a hiatus due to my work. I am also trying to determine the financial and personal investment, what do I gain from being a member. |
| Thank you for your efforts to keep MPPAW vibrant. I recognize that many people attend for continuing ed credit so virtual delivery expands the potential reach/convenience for these folks. I love MPPAW for completely different reasons, to build my own relationships in the community and introduce students to our incredible local network of I/O psychologists, so I don’t find virtual meetings useful, except during the occasional snow storm. |
| Everything is so expensive. Professional dues fall low on expenses, please consider to keep dues low-cost. |
| Offer different event times, e.g. sometimes in the a.m., other times in the p.m. so that everyone can at least participate at times they are available. |
| I believe that our current hybrid format, which was useful when we could not meet in person, is efficient but not effective. I believe that no networking occurs on-line, and those attending on-line do not interact with those who attend in person. I think that we need to look beyond format to desired outcomes for our members. We have focused on price, but not on value. What outcomes would represent the most value for students and early carer members? I believe that activities that lead to mentorships, internships, and employment are the most desired outcome, followed by exposure to recognized leaders in the field. Please ask those members who used to come from Mankato and Saint Cloud why they no longer perceive value in attending. I think that you will find that they have exerted considerable effort and expense to attend but found that attendance did not create the opportunity to interact with those other members who are in a position to influence and advance their careers. |
| I would hate to see us disband, and in the same breath, I know I can’t commit to helping. I would highly encourage changing the format up to support more daytime events and see if that helps with participation. |
| Nope! |
| MPPAW, from what I have heard, was one of the better “local” IO psychology groups. It’d be very unfortunate to see it fade into history. |
| Rotating meeting location. The primary reason is that it’s just too hard to get to downtown Minneapolis on a Tuesday night. This is now a bit better now that I work in Bloomington but it has been a struggle the last few years. |
| Yes—there’s an opportunity for MPPAW to lean into being a true connector and convener. Members want less formality and more genuine dialogue, so experimenting with formats like roundtables, peer consults, and collaborative workshops could increase engagement. Building stronger bridges to early-career professionals and to smaller businesses that may not traditionally access I-O expertise would also expand MPPAW’s influence and relevance in the state. |
| Community organizations are increasingly saturated nowadays. What distinguishes MPPAW is access to subject matter experts and industry leaders and MN localization, but I wonder if it’s too closed off for its own good. But then what does MPPAW offer that GenAI, global online communities, podcasts and webinars can’t already? |
| MPPAW started by having meetings at the Humphery Institute at the U of M campus. We moved from this space because we often had more than 70 people attend meetings and the meeting room could not accommodate that many people. However, we now have less than 70 people attend the meetings. The cost of the venue was very little. Also, annual membership was $10.00. The cost of hors d’oeuvres was very little. I recommend that we move back to that venue. Parking at the Carlson school ramp was easy. Also, the location seemed to encourage more professors to attend MPPAW meetings. Moving back to this location will help reduce the copst-benifit issue for MPPAW members. |
| It would help to have a regularly updated website. Especially at the beginning of the year, I need to plan my attendance because it requires some long travel and I need to get it on my calendar asap. |
The venue, food, and drink options available have been fine in my opinion; keeping the locale in Minneapolis is good– it’s hard to fight traffic to get to a suburb, especially if you have to cross through the city to get to it (I’m coming from the south, so getting to a northern suburb can be difficult during rush hour). | |We can borrow best practices from groups like Rotary, ODMN, Toastmasters to build membership experiences and increase engagement. We should be able to use AI to chart a new direction that aligns with this data to gain more traction. We just have focus on meeting needs of the group. | |I appreciate what you do! I think Covid did impact MPPAWand there was a great adaptation having hybrid meetings. | |Please keep the organization going. I live thousands of miles away, but I value being able to get to know people even from a distance. |