Found a Synapse Chapter
Synapse has established university chapters across the country, from MIT to UCLA.
Become a chapter founder to join a national network of student leaders and to support individuals with brain injuries in your community.
Become a Synapse Chapter Founder!
The role of a Synapse chapter founder is to lay the foundation for a strong, student-led organization on your campus that will have a meaningful long-term impact on the local community. Founding a chapter gives students the opportunity to become advocates for individuals with brain injuries and to form a network of friends and mentors.
The 2024 chapter founder application is now open! Submit this application by October 20, 2024 to apply.
Founder Expectations
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Will be a freshman, sophomore, or junior in the 2024-25 academic year.
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Physically present on campus during the entire 2025 calendar year. This does not include university-sanctioned breaks.
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Be willing to commit 8-10 hours per week to Synapse activities over the course of the year
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Have strong leadership and communication skills
Further information about eligibility can be found in the application. Please email synapsenational@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Completing a Community Asset Map (CAM) for your local area is one of the first steps in starting a Synapse chapter. Applicants who are eager to get started may begin conducting a CAM prior to applying to prepare for starting a chapter and to strengthen their application.
Synapse's student-led chapters collaborate with physicians and community organizations to:
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Run peer support groups and organize events providing opportunities for individuals with brain injuries to connect and support one another.
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Foster relationships between students and individuals with brain injuries through a structured buddy program.
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Organize lectures by physicians and researchers to spread awareness about brain injury.
Advanced Founder Application
University students who are already leading an organization supporting individuals with brain injury may be eligible to become a Synapse chapter founder through the Advanced Founder Application, an expedited process. To be eligible you must:
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Already be leading an organization supporting individuals with brain injury by offering direct services to individuals with brain injury such as buddy programs, peer support groups, or community events. This does not include just academic lectures and conferences.
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Be a student affiliated with a university (any type of degree program)
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Show leadership, passion, and motivation for supporting the brain injury community.
If you believe you qualify, please complete this application. Once you submit the application, please email synapsenational@gmail.com indicating that you have completed the application along with an attached resume. Please attach a resume in this email as well. We will review your application and get back to you soon.
Synapse National New Chapter FAQs
What does the application process involve?
After submitting the written application found on the website, you will be notified if you are selected for an interview by the end of November. You will then be interviewed by a few Synapse national team members and then a handful of interviewees will be selected to found chapters at their schools during this cycle.
Am I eligible to apply? What qualities is Synapse National looking for?
We are looking for individuals who will be full-time students during the following school year (2025-26). This means that you are not eligible to apply if you are currently a senior. You must be present on campus for the 2025 calendar year, meaning that you may not study abroad during this time. Note that this does not include university sanctioned breaks. Also, your university must not have an already existing Synapse chapter. We are looking for applicants who show strong leadership and communication skills as well as initiative in previous endeavors. Experience with underserved communities and a commitment to Synapse’s mission are also important characteristics for this position.
I attend a university outside of the United States. Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes!
Am I allowed to apply with someone else as a co-founder?
Unfortunately, we do not accept co-founder applications. If multiple people from the same university are interested in founding a chapter, please submit applications separately. If one person is selected to be a founder, the others are welcome to be a part of the chapter’s executive board.
What if I am not familiar with the brain injury community?
That’s okay! We still recommend that you apply if you are passionate about serving your community. A large part of Synapse’s mission is to promote brain injury awareness and education.
How do I make my application more competitive?
One of the first tasks we ask new chapters to complete is a community asset map. We highly encourage applicants to start learning about the resources currently available in their community and add what they find into their application. This shows great initiative!
How many founders are selected per cycle?
We are expecting to take approximately 5-7 chapter founders this upcoming cycle.
What does the chapter founding process look like? What support will you receive as a founder?
You will meet with your chapter advisor monthly initially for individual check-ins and have group sessions with your peer founders going over each step of establishing a chapter for the first 8 months (January to August). This is a flexible process where we will support you at every step of the way and meet more frequently at any time to overcome any barriers that may arise in the chapter-founding process.
What if I am not selected?
We strongly encourage applicants who are still interested in founding a chapter to apply again the following cycle, if eligible. In this case, we suggest that you take some of the initial steps for founding a chapter such as completing a community asset map and identifying a potential faculty advisor. Even if you are not selected, we encourage students to move forward regardless to establish programs to serve their local brain injury community. Even if not affiliated with Synapse National, organizing with other students to set up peer support group, socials, and buddy program are great next steps to pursue. In addition, we recommend checking our website for opportunities to get involved in existing chapters.
How do I know if I am eligible for the Advanced Founder Application?
The Advanced Founder Application is intended for university students who are already leading an organization that supports individuals with brain injury. To be eligible to apply as an Advanced Founder, you must be leading an organization that offers direct services to individuals with brain injury (buddy programs, peer support group, community events). This does not include just academic lectures and conferences. If you do not have this qualification, you would have to apply to become a Synapse chapter founder through the standard fall Synapse Chapter Founder Application. Those who are not selected to be a Synapse National Chapter Founder through the annual application cycle can continue to work toward founding a chapter and starting programs that work toward serving the brain injury community. Following this, at any time, they can apply through the Advanced Founder Application to gain National chapter recognition.