Education Commons^™

Jewish Fraternities And Sororities As Spaces Of Resistance Against Antisemitism, Pietro Antonio Sasso, Kimberly Davis

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

There has been a continued increase in antisemitic activities at colleges and universities over the last decade. Media reports and research about perceptions of Jewish college students add face validity that student organizations are often targets of Anti-Jewish rhetoric. In particular, Jewish fraternities and sororities have been targeted by antisemitism as sites of violence but have also been spaces of resistance. Through a literature review of Jewish fraternities and sororities, the authors present their organizational saga to demonstrate a pattern of exclusion and antisemitism and summarize current initiatives by Jewish fraternities and sororities as spaces of resistance in combating antisemitism.

Black Panhellenic Sorority Member Experience At The University Of San Diego: Finding A Sense Of Belonging & Support, Kayla A. Wilkins

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this Action Research project was to learn more about the experiences of Black current and alumni members of Panhellenic sororities. My study explored their experiences within Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) as a whole, as well as how they have navigated being in predominantly white spaces at the University of San Diego. One of the main problems discussed was how some chapters do not know what support looks like for Black identified members. Members completed a brief survey and participated in an individual interview and discussed their sorority experience at USD. During this project, I learned from …

A Comparison Of Sorority Women And Non-Sorority Women’S Alcohol Use: Perception, Rate Of Use, And Consequences, Betsy Zimmerman

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

While alcohol use and Greek Life on college campuses have often become synonymous, little is known about the rate of use or the consequences of use for sorority women specifically. Gender has been identified as a risk factor relating to substance use on college campuses; however, there is a gap in the literature concerning compounding factors that influence substance abuse, such as membership in a Greek-lettered organization. With approximately 300,000 college women involved in Greek-lettered organizations annually (NPC, 2019), little is known about the impact of alcohol use for sorority women on college adjustment. An exploration of the perception of …

The Perceived Impact Of Membership In African American Fraternities And Sororities On The Collegiate Experience And Persistence At A Predominantly White Institution: A Phenomenological Study, Darrick A. Claiborne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand if the experiences of African American members of African American fraternities and sororities at a Predominately White Institution (PWI) impacted their collegiate experience and persistence to graduate. The researcher used Albert Bandura’s social learning theory to guide this study. Methods for African American students' persistence include leadership and modeling. The researcher chose a central question considering the perceived impact of membership in African American fraternities and sororities on its collegiate experience and persistence at a PWI. The participants of this study were a purposive type of sampling. The participants …

The Impact Of Second-Year Membership Experiences On Retention Among Panhellenic Sororities, Elizabeth Richardson Newell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Sorority membership retention is a newly emerging research topic with little to no existing information on what motivates members to remain. There are countless studies concerning college student retention in general, but there have yet to be studies that focus specifically on sorority women and their membership experiences. One major research question drove this study: What factors and/or experiences influence a second year National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sorority member’s decision to actively participate in their sorority?

Using a theoretical framework developed from the social integration retention model proposed by Braxton, Hirschy, and McClendon in 2011, this study explored what …

The Leadership Development Of Fraternity And Sorority Life Members, Emmalee Holaday

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship of perceived leadership development opportunities in fraternities and sororities. The study's main goal was to determine if there was a discrepancy in perceived leadership development opportunities in general members, versus executive board members, whether there was a difference in findings for fraternity members versus sorority members, and suggestions on how to improve opportunities on a university level for students in Fraternity and Sorority Life going forward. The study was distributed to all social Fraternity and Sorority members at Rowan University that were in their respective organization for at least one year prior to the survey. …

Restorative Justice For Fraternity/Sorority Life, Kyley Knudson

Culminating Experience Projects

Greek Life organizations were established on the values of friendship, philanthropy, and academic excellence. The way that Greek life has developed, no long exemplifies those values. In recent years, Greek Life has come to the forefront of public attention tragedies like hazing, sexual assault, binge drinking, and student death. In addition, these are the events and qualities that people think of when they think of Greek life. This project explores Geek life culture by analyzing literature on the students who join Greek life, the environment they interact with, and the outcomes that those produce. After identifying those cultural issues within …

The Influence Of Fraternity And Sorority Characteristics On Alcohol Exposure: Who Is At Risk?, Sydney Shupe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fraternity and sorority membership has been among the highest contributing factors linked to increased exposure to alcohol consumption among college students. Many have argued that this association persists as a result of the drinking sub-culture among Greek organizations, and report that finding effective methods to minimize alcohol consumption among college students is critical. Using self-reported data from fraternity and sorority members at East Tennessee State University (n=107) the link between observed alcohol consumption and demographic characteristics of the individual Greek member and the Greek organization was examined through a quantitative lens. It was hypothesized that the demographic characteristics of the …

"I'M Thankful Every Day I Did It": An Exploration Of Belonging For Commuter Students In Historically White Sororities And Fraternities At Primarily Commuter Public Institutions, Michael D. Giacalone

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Membership in historically White sororities and fraternities (HWSF) has been connected with sense of belonging (Cohen et al., 2017; McCreary & Schutts, 2015). The experience of commuter students in sororities and fraternities, however, has been largely overlooked, including an understanding of what belonging consists of as members. This phenomenological study sought to close that gap by exploring how commuter students in HWSF experienced belonging at primarily commuter public institutions through interviews with alumni who lived that experience. Three themes emerged from the data: personal connections, feeling welcomed and accepted, and transformation of the college experience.

Nphc And Mgc Sororities And Fraternities As Spaces Of Activism Within Predominantly White Institutions, Crystal E. Garcia, William R. Walker, Ciera A. Dorsey, Zachary W. Werninck, Jessie H. Johns

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

This study explored how Students of Color within National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council sororities and fraternities engaged in activism and in what ways this involvement connected to their membership. Using a qualitative critical narrative approach, we examined the journeys of ten participants. Findings unpack ways participants engaged in activism and resistance aimed at educating individuals and increasing awareness of societal injustices, addressing inequities through service, and inciting disruption and cultivating institutional and societal level change.

Sense Of Belonging Of New Members Who Are First-Generation College Students: A Single-Institution Qualitative Case Study, Levi J. Harrel-Hallmark, Jason Castles, Pietro A. Sasso

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

While there is research to suggest that first-generation college students benefit from and have a greater sense of belonging as a result of involvement in student organizations, there is limited research on how first-generation college students develop a sense of belonging specifically through their involvement as new members of a fraternity or sorority. This study, constructed within a single-institution qualitative case study framework, highlighted the unique role that organizational involvement, mentorship, emotional support, and first-generation status and identity can play in the development of sense of belonging for fraternity and sorority new members that are first-generation college students.

Book Review: Pietro A. Sasso, J. Patrick Biddix, & Mónica Lee Miranda. (2020). Supporting Fraternities And Sororities In The Contemporary Era: Advancements In Practice. Myers Education Press., Shanté C. Hearst, Kevin J. Bazner Jr.

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Anyone serving as a campus-based fraternity/sorority advisor can attest to the complexity of navigating roles as advocate, advisor, change agent, and more. Further, the storied histories and contemporary challenges facing fraternity/ sorority life (FSL) and higher education professionals is increasingly demanding. The authors of Supporting Fraternities and Sororities in the Contemporary Era: Advancements in Practice present a much needed updated reference text examining the multiple facets FSL and other higher education professionals must be attuned to in supporting students involved in FSL organizations. Appropriately, the editors acknowledge FSL is filled with contradictions fostering positive and negative opportunities for student development …

Letter From The Editor: Development As A Pillar Of Oracle, James P. Barber

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Development as a Pillar of Oracle

James P. Barber, Ph.D.

March 2022

Front Matter & Table Of Contents

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Front Matter & Table of Contents

Differences In Informal Alcohol Protective Behavior Strategies Between Fraternity & Sorority Members, Jaime L. Myers, Pietro A. Sasso

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Institutional interventions and formal policies designed to reduce alcohol misuse among fraternity and sorority members have been largely unsuccessful. However, informal policies to address alcohol use concerns can also develop within this subculture. This qualitative multi-case phenomenological study examined the informal policies chapters adopt to reduce risks associated with drinking. Findings suggested considerable informal policy development, which varies between fraternities and sororities. Sorority groups implemented more protective behavior strategies for members’ safety, whereas fraternities often focus on monitoring outside groups. Implications for practice suggest a combination of risk and harm-reduction approaches that facilitate peer-led protective behavioral strategies.