Greek Life Today: A Fraternity & Sorority Podcast | Higher Ed | Student Affairs

What are the characteristics of a great fraternity and sorority experience? Does it require having a house? Are huge parties a must? What about big-dollar philanthropies or epic tailgates? Greek Life at small colleges might not have any of these things, but it does shine in one aspect: Community. And, after all, community might be what matters most.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the differences between Greek Life at small colleges compared to Greek Life at big state schools. Most of the campuses I’ve visited have been larger institutions, which, coincidentally, also seem to be where many of the headline-grabbing tragedies have occurred. Conversely, it seems like more and more chapters from smaller schools are winning national awards. To understand more about these campuses, I interviewed two FSL pros who combine for more than 30 years in the industry: Scott Irlbacher from Robert Morris University and Dr. Carolyn Whittier from Valparaiso University. In two different conversations, a number of themes overlapped and were weaved together to make this episode.

Image of Scott Irlbacher from Robert Morris University and Dr. Carolyn Whittier from Valparaiso University.

In this episode, we discuss…

* the differences between small college students and those that attend larger state schools* why these communities seem less likely to experience tragedies* how the student-athlete experience overlaps with Greek Life* challenges that endure for these communities* and more!

Listen here. ⬇

Selected links from episode 19 about Greek Life at Small Colleges

Learn more about Robert Morris Greek Life through this link.

Learn more about Valparaiso Greek Life here.

Connect with Scott Irlbacher and RMU Greek Life on Twitter. #GreekLifeDoneRight

Connect with Dr. Carrie Whittier and Valpo Greek Life on Twitter.

—

Greek Life Today aims to elevate the fraternity & sorority community by sharing inspiring stories from chapters across North America. If you know of a story that could make a good episode, nominate it on this page.

In theory, America is a shining light to the rest of the world. In practice, our country and its leaders falls short of that billing. But where do our leaders learn to break their promises? According to photographer Andrew Moisey, this behavior is learned inside the American fraternity.

Between 1999 and 2006, Andrew had unprecedented access to a fraternity house at UC Berkeley. As he photographed all aspects of fraternity life, he began to wonder if our then-President, George W. Bush, didn’t participate in a lot of the same, repulsive scenes he was capturing.

The American Fraternity: An Illustrated Ritual Book, is an uncomfortable look at fraternity life as never scene before — at least by the outside world. To those of us on the inside, many of the images found in Andrew’s book may look uncomfortably familiar.

It may seem contradictory to the ethos of this site to have Andrew on, but, in fact, I think his perspective as an unaffiliated man is insightful and invaluable.

In our wide-ranging conversation, we discuss…

* the parallels between the promises made by fraternity men and the promises made by America’s leaders

* why it’s important to explore one’s wild side

* how women influence fraternity culture

* what fraternities could do moving forward to become more inclusive and more meaningful

Listen here. ⬇

Selected links from episode 18 about The American Fraternity

Read the essay that Andrew referenced during the episode, when he talked about how obvious it was that fraternities had more influence on college students than their professors.

Learn more about Presidents and First Ladies who were involved in Greek Life, courtesy of Fran Becque.

Get in touch with Andrew Moisey via his personal website.

—–

Greek Life Today aims to elevate the fraternity & sorority community by sharing inspiring stories from chapters across North America. If you know of a story that could make a good episode, nominate it on this page.

References to Greek Life run rampant on college campuses, and the immediate connotation is almost always related to fraternities and sororities. But how often do we stop to think about why our organizations are identified by Greek letters, or what ancient Greece has to do with how we operate today? Here’s where the Tragos Quest to Greece comes in.

Started in 2000 by Sigma Phi Epsilon, the quest sends scholars to Greece each year to trace the roots of fraternal organizations. Over time, the quest has evolved and grown to the point where 17 undergraduates participated in 2018.

During their 10 days in Greece, the scholars learn about the country’s history, its culture, and, most importantly, themselves. As you’ll hear from two undergraduate scholars and one mentor, this journey is one that shapes the mind, body and soul.

You’ll also hear:

* How the scholars spend their 10 days in Greece

* What a group of local fisherman thought Sigma Phi Epsilon meant

* Why this was such a rewarding experience for the men involved

* and much more.

Listen here. ⬇

Selected links from episode 17 about the Tragos Quest to Greece

Learn more about the Tragos Quest and the 2018 scholars through this link.

Read about the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were referenced several times in the episode.

—–

Greek Life Today aims to elevate the fraternity & sorority community by sharing inspiring stories from chapters across North America. If you know of a story that could make a good episode, nominate it on this page.

Over the last few months, I've seen a number of instances of fraternities and sororities getting in trouble for things related to free speech on college campuses. While I certainly would never encourage some of the behavior that has been called into question, I have continued to wonder about what kind of protections the first amendment provides these students.

On this episode, we're joined by Zach Greenberg from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). FIRE was created in 1999 to defend and sustain the individual rights of students and faculty members at America’s colleges and universities.

In this episode, we'll discuss high-profile cases from Syracuse, Texas Tech and Old Dominion, and learn about the legal test that is used to evaluate controversial, freedom of expression cases.

You'll also hear:

How you can check your schools free speech rating

What students can do to protect themselves

Why free speech can still get you in trouble with your organization (if not your school)

and much more.

Support for this episode is brought to you by Shan Wu at DC Student Defense. Shan Wu provides legal services and risk management counsel to college students facing conduct or academic violations.

For the full show notes, including a number of links that provide more depth to this conversation, head over to GreekLifeToday.com.

At age 6, Amber Mariano knew what she wanted to do with her life: Become president of the United States. 

In November of 2016, just days after her 21st birthday, she took a great step in that direction when she became the youngest person EVER elected to the Florida House of Representatives.

As a sister of Gamma Phi Beta and a full-time student, Amber had her hands full in the fall of 2016, as she campaigned to represent Florida's 36th district. It all worked out though, as she claimed 50.5 percent of the vote, edging out her opponent by a narrow margin.

In this episode you'll hear:

How Amber first became interested in politics

Why she decided to run

What she's learned since getting elected

and much more.

Support for this episode is brought to you by Shan Wu at DC Student Defense. Shan Wu provides legal services and risk management counsel to college students facing conduct or academic violations.

And thanks to Kevin Friis from Delta Upsilon for becoming a patron of the podcast.

For the full show notes, including a number of links that provide more depth to this conversation, head over to GreekLifeToday.com.

The fall of 2014 changed everything for two University of Michigan sorority women. One was sexually assaulted and the other had a dear friend disclose their sexual assault to her. Although they didn't know it at the time, their paths would eventually intersect as they searched for a way to make things better for themselves and their peers.

This is the story of how a group of women from a wide variety of chapters came together to start the Panhellenic Peer Educator (PPE) program.

The university's 2015 Campus Climate Survey showed that only 3.6% of students who experienced sexual assault had reported it to the university. Through the PPE program, women from every chapter on campus receive training to be effective first respondeers and point victims toward a variety of resources, regardless of their intention to report.

In this episode, you'll hear:

The three most important words you can say to a survivor.

What the program and its training includes.

How the PPE's signature event, Speak Out, has become a transformative experience for survivors.

Why some women choose not to report and the harsh realities of insular college campuses.

Support for this episode is brought to you by Shan Wu at DC Student Defense. Shan Wu provides legal services and risk management counsel to college students facing conduct or academic violations.

For the full show notes, including a number of links that provide more depth to this conversation, head over to GreekLifeToday.com.

In 2003, Michael Lewis published the book Moneyball, which detailed the efforts of the Oakland Athletics to quantify the game of baseball and eradicate unsubstantiated narratives. In the 15 years since its release, baseball and the world of sports have been revolutionized. Which begs the question: is it possible to moneyball fraternity and sorority life?

Today's episode features two headquarters staff members -- Becky Gleason from Zeta Tau Alpha and Noah Borton from Delta Upsilon -- who are attempting to do just that through their partnership with Dyad Strategies.

Commonly referred to as fraternity and sorority assessment, the work Becky and Noah are doing is both critically important for the future of our community and fascinating to discuss.

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

How to think about this type of measurement and why it's so important

Early insights into driving forces behind success chapters

The ethics of taking pre-emptive action on problem chapters

Using this data when considering awards

The future of fraternity and sorority research

One of my favorite moments of the episode comes at the end when Noah shares a story of how a chapter president from the University of Oregon used data about his chapter in a remarkable way.

Support for this episode is brought to you by Shan Wu at DC Student Defense. Shan Wu provides legal services and risk management counsel to college students facing conduct or academic violations.

For the full show notes, including a number of links that provide more depth to this conversation, head over to GreekLifeToday.com.

The Tale of Mr. Giver is a story I shared at a recent leadership conference. It's about a family that leaves the busy city in search of a better life. Along the way, Mr. Giver encounters a few people who help shape his worldview.

This episode isn't exactly about Greek Life, but I think it paints an important picture of our community. Whether you're in a fraternity or sorority, there is an important lesson for you waiting inside this episode.

If it seems like I'm being vague about this edition of the podcast, it's because I am. It's probably best for you to just press play. And when you're done, please leave a comment with your reaction to this episode and its implications for fraternities and sororities.

Support for this episode is brought to you by Shan Wu at DC Student Defense. Shan Wu provides legal services and risk management counsel to college students facing conduct or academic violations.

For the full show notes, including a number of links that provide more depth to this conversation, head over to GreekLifeToday.com.

On May 6th, 2016, Harvard President Drew Faust announced a controversial policy restricting the opportunities available to members of single-gender organizations. In response, hundreds of undergraduate women took to Harvard Yard to express their concern, unified by the rallying cry of Hear Her Harvard. And with that, a movement was born.

To understand the origins of the policy, you have to go back to 2014 (and probably further), when the university received several complaints about the all-male Final Clubs. In an effort to make campus social life safer, Harvard began considering various courses of action. What no one expected, though, is that the university would end up punishing the very women they set out to protect.

It’s a complicated issue and there is a ton of ground to cover in this edition of the show, including:

* Why Grace Wang wanted to start the first sorority at Harvard in 1993.

* The sequence of events leading up to the implementation of the policy.

* How sorority leaders at Harvard are defying the university’s policy and protecting female spaces.

Listen here. ⬇

Selected links from episode 11 about Hear Her Harvard

The blessing — and curse — of making this episode was the quantity and quality of content available about this story. Of the 11 episodes I’ve made so far, this was BY FAR the most cumbersome because of how much information there was to consider. Here are some of the articles I synthesized to produce this show.

Read Harvard’s official statement about unrecognized single-gender social organizations.

From the archives of Kappa Alpha Theta, check out this article about the founding of the Zeta Xi chapter.

See the latest tweets about #HearHerHarvard.

Behind closed doors: How Harvard’s final clubs went from unrecognized to penalized

This article, Seven Votes, details the meeting in which the final policy received merely the third-most votes by Dean Khurana’s committee.

Learn more about the sexual assault complaint that set things in motion in March of 2014.

From the Washington Post, here is the op-ed by Dr. Harry Lewis that was mentioned in the episode.

What’s Really Behind the Civil War to End Harvard’s Fraternities? This was an epic piece that detailed many aspects of the proceedings, albeit through a slightly colored lens.

This is how I knew about Stephanie Ralston Khurana’s involvement with Kappa Kappa Gamma at Cornell.

We believe women should make their own choices was the st...

In 2014, US News and World Report estimated that only 13 percent of all undergraduate degrees earned by women were in science, technology, engineering and math. Looking at Greek Life, sorority women in STEM are even less common.

With this as a backdrop, you can hopefully understand why this tweet caught my attention.

“Together we will dispel the notion that women in sororities are not involved members of the science field by making our fields of study known.” Addison Keilty, Beta Epsilon-American #IAmASororityWoman

https://t.co/lwlBye3q7D

— Delta Gamma (@deltagamma) January 3, 2018

As it turns out, Addison runs a site called Sorority Girl in the Science Field (SG-SF), which features profiles of women in the science world, in addition to updates from Addison.

But while SG-SF caught my attention, what I found was even more impressive: there are so many inspiring women in the STEM fields.

In this episode, you’ll meet three such women and hear how:

* Addison Keilty of Delta Gamma turned the disrespect of her peers into a source of inspiration for others.

* Paige Kassalen of Tri Delta parlayed her sorority experience into the opportunity of a lifetime.

* Khalia Braswell of Delta Sigma Theta started an organization that has taught hundreds of young women of color to code.

Listen here. ⬇

Selected links from episode 10 about sorority women in STEM

Check out Addison’s site, Sorority Girl in the Science Field.

See Paige’s Forbes’ 30 under 30 profile or have a look at this feature in Forbes about her involvement with the solar-powered airplane.

Learn more about the InTech Foundation started by Khalia Braswell to teach young women of color about coding.

Read more about Khalia’s trip to the White House, which I mentioned in the last few minutes of the episode.

Do you know a sorority woman making waves in a STEM career? Share her story in the comments and maybe we’ll do another episode on this topic down the line.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to show your appreciation, you can support Greek Life Today when you buy custom t-shirts and apparel for your chapter from CustomInk. Simply click through the graphic below and make your purchases as usual. There are no hidden fees or increased costs — everything is the same as usual. Because you clicked through this link, CustomInk will know that we’re friends and they will share a tiny fraction of your sale with me. This helps defray the costs of running this site and making the podcast episodes you enjoy. Thank you so much! 🙏

—–

Greek Life Today aims to elevate the fraternity & sorority community by sharing inspiring stories from chapters across North America. If you know of a story that could make a good episode, nominate it here.