Education Commons^™

Book Review: Pietro A. Sasso, J. Patrick Biddix & Mónica Lee Miranda. (2020). Foundations, Research, And Assessment Of Fraternities And Sororities: Retrospective And Future Considerations. Myers Education Press.., Jade Silva Tovar, Eduardo Díaz

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Higher education researchers and practitioners enter their respective areas with varied professional experience and understanding of the complexities of fraternity and sorority life (FSL). The authors of Foundations, Research, and Assessment of Fraternities and Sororities: Retrospective and Future Considerations offer a foundational text to understand historical, current, and future considerations for FSL researchers and practitioners. As the editors demonstrated, prior monolithic and/or heterogeneous classifications of fraternities/sororities created sweeping assumptions and a “lack of precision in the research” (p. x), which does not capture the complexities of the field. The editors weave diversity and inclusion within various book sections to compliment …

Letter From The Editor: Changing Seasons Of Oracle, Adam M. Mccready

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Letter from Adam M. McCready, Editor of Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.

The Role Of Fraternity/Sorority Affiliation In Supporting College Student Mental Health And Wellness, Meghan M. Grace, Amanda E. Assalone, Hannah M. Johnson, Britta L. Svoboda, J. Patrick Biddix

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Mental health is a growing concern in the United States, even more exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health among youth and young adult populations has also received attention in recent years. However, prior research suggests a higher sense of social support among active members of the fraternity/sorority community is associated with lower depression levels. The extent to which fraternity/sorority involvement helps address mental health among members is theorized but not demonstrated in the research. Using large-scale data, this study examined mental health experiences and behaviors of the fraternity/ sorority community and compared results with unaffiliated students. Findings suggest …

Emerging Data On Sorority/Fraternity-Affiliated Student Government Presidents, Michael A. Goodman, Alexa L. Arndt

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Alongside sorority/fraternity governance structures, student government is another major form of campus involvement and student representation. At times, students share both student/leadership identities: as members of a sorority/fraternity and serving as a student government officer. In this study on student government presidents, descriptive statistics were used to tell the story of student government presidents who are also members of a sorority or fraternity and in comparison, to those who are not. Findings include present-day affiliation data, as well as campus contextual elements of their experience. There are subsequent recommendations for student affairs practice.

Post(Racial)-Malone: (Un)Conscious Habits Of White Iverson, Pietro A. Sasso, Brian Joyce, James Beverly Iii

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the gender performativity of protest masculinity in a multi-institutional study of white male-identified fraternity men. The participants expressed sentiments of dispossession, postracial attitudes, and performed cultural appropriation. Participants appropriated Black culture because they considered this synonymous with their own lack of power and privilege, which they believe has been dispossessed. Implications are provided to suggest how campus-based professionals can further disrupt the (un) conscious habits of whiteness in fraternity men and forms of white supremacy through collaborative programming and campus-wide efforts.

Sorority And Fraternity Life Professionals’ Perspectives On Challenges Faced By Culturally Based Sororities And Fraternities, Antonio Duran, Crystal E. Garcia, Hannah L. Reyes

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Featuring the perspectives of 15 sorority and fraternity life (SFL) professionals, this qualitative study highlights the challenges culturally based sororities and fraternities face on college campuses. Guided by a framework grounded in concepts of organizational culture, findings revealed three issues that culturally based SFL organizations encounter: a predominant emphasis on historically white sororities and fraternities in SFL communities, a lack of human and financial capital, as well as inadequate advisor support and training. Implications for research and practice are offered.

Behind The Brick Walls: On “Hearth” And Slavery At The William & Mary, Terry L. Meyers

Arts & Sciences Articles

Excerpt from the article: "The William & Mary was the second university in the U.S. after Brown University to establish a funded, institutional examination of its dark history of complicity with slavery and Jim Crow segregation. After resolutions from the Student Assembly and Faculty Assembly, the Board of Visitors in 2009 established the Lemon Project: A Journey of Reconciliation, named after Lemon, a man enslaved by the College..."

This Is The Way: Faculty On The Camino De Santiago, Benjamin I. Boone, James P. Barber

School of Education Book Chapters

Excerpt from book chapter: "For nearly a millennium, pilgrims have made their way to Santiago de Compostela to visit the tomb of Saint James. These pilgrims initially journeyed from the Iberian Peninsula and then greater Europe, establishing over a dozen routes to reach the northwestern city in modern-day Galicia, a province of Spain. These routes followed established pathways connecting urban hubs, ports, and trade channels. While the number of pilgrims rose steadily in the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, the popularity of pilgrimage mirrored that of the Catholic Church and began to wane with the onset of the Enlightenment. It …

Letter From The Editors, Adam M. Mccready, James P. Barber

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Letter from Adam M. McCready, Ph.D. and James P. Barber, Ph.D.

Edge Of Extinction: The Covid-19 Lived Experience Of National Pan-Hellenic Council Fraternity Presidents, Claude E. P. Mayo, Alade S. Mcken, Ebonee R. Mayo-Mitchell

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Presidents of Black Greek Letter fraternities at predominantly White institutions are a rare breed who constantly live under multidimensional pressure to succeed. And their difficult dedication to fraternal, institutional, and personal expectations was only heightened when COVID-19 first closed and then reconfigured college campuses over the last year. Their experiences prove congruent around several themes - fraternal unity, community service, prioritizing family, and self-investment - that illuminate key areas for potential partnership and support of these students and the chapters they love. With simple effort understanding, caring and compassionate student affairs professionals can truly make a difference for this population.

Comparing The Effects Of Covid-19 On Fraternity & Sorority Members And Unaffiliated College Students, Matthew R. Johnson, Molly Schuneman, Shane Mcclure

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

Using data from the 2021 Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), this article compares the effects of COVID-19 on fraternity and sorority members’ educational experiences a year after the pandemic began disaggregated by fraternity and sorority council membership and compared to unaffiliated students. Results show increases in negative effects for students in multicultural councils compared to IFC, NPC, and unaffiliated students on many measures and increased negative effects for NPC women on others.

Fraternity/Sorority Organizational Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gary Ballinger, Jamie L. Workman

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

This article focuses on adaptations organizations made as a result of COVID-19. The purpose was to determine what changes have been made, and how staff/volunteers believe those changes impacted the organization. Oliver’s (1977; 1980) expectation confirmation theory served as the theoretical framework. The researchers collected data via survey. Organizations experienced budget cuts, modified programming, and postponed chapter expansion, among others. Participants experienced an increase in virtual meetings and discussed the effectiveness of technology. Eighty-nine percent believe their relationships with undergraduate chapters remained consistent or grew stronger during the pandemic. The article concludes with strategies for campus-based professionals and organizations as …

The Cognitive & Educational Implications Of Color Use In Drawing To Learn, Juliana F.M. Cantarutti

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drawing to Learn (D2L) is a learning aid that encourages STEM students to interact with abstract concepts in STEM by sketching. D2L is not an intuitive skill, and researchers strive to provide students with guidelines on how to master this method. One potential way to enhance the D2L method for students is by incorporation of visual cues, specifically color. While many students choose to incorporate color into their models without explicit instruction to do so, we have found no research on: a) why students use color in sketching, b) its effects on D2L. This study used interviews, surveys, and course …

Social Stress In Honors College Students: How Personality Traits, Perfectionism, Creativity, And Gender Predict Use Of Social Coping Strategies, Angie L. Miller

SENG Journal: Exploring the Psychology of Giftedness

Much research has focused on how gifted children and adolescents deal with the social stigmas associated with giftedness. Previous studies indicate that several coping strategies exist, and these are related to personality and other characteristics. However, once these gifted individuals enter higher education, they are often required to shift their coping strategies to deal with stressors and situations in this new environment. This study investigates social coping strategies among honors college undergraduate students, looking at the need for updating the factor structure of a measure of social coping designed for and used with middle and high school students. Results suggest …

"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.

A Policy Evaluation Of A Scholarly Ethics And Integrity Requirement For Graduate Programs At A Large Rural Land-Grant Institution, Richard Lawrence Mayo Iii

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Graduate school may be the first time in a student’s higher education career where they apply ethical practices in a real-world study. Yet the problem of misconduct in graduate education has existed for decades. Specifically, students in graduate programs in business, pharmacy, and dentistry are the highest graduate student populations to admit to doing some form of cheating in their graduate program. This policy evaluation used Stufflebeam and Coryn’s (2014) context, input, processes, and products (CIPP) model of evaluation to examine the activities and processes of a scholarly ethics and integrity requirement for graduate students at a large rural land-grant …

An Investigation Of Experiential Learning: A Program Evaluation Of The William & Mary D.C. Summer Institutes, Roxane O. Adler Hickey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The principal purpose of this program evaluation was to determine how the 2010–2019 alumni of the William & Mary (W&M) D.C. Summer Institutes (DCSI) perceived their participation helped them achieve career readiness. Existing literature on experiential learning methods and practices has suggested great value in such opportunities, but less information existed about the outcomes of internship programs in higher education. As leaders consider what their institutional operations look like following the COVID-19 global pandemic and demand for quality internships rises, research on what works in high-impact programs, such as DCSI, offer valuable data for faculty, administrators, and students. A total …

Leading In Crisis: College & University Presidents’ Reflections On Their Response To Covid-19, Sean Michael Schofield

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous influence on higher education in America. While college presidents have led through multiple crises in the past several decades, this challenge is unique for both the depth of its influence (e.g., revolutionizing course and service delivery methods, financial upheaval and institutional closures, political implications of institutional decisions) and the fact that every college and university in the world was influenced nearly simultaneously, providing the inability to benchmark decisions. As college presidents were faced with series of unprecedented choices during the period from March 2020 through November 2021, this study sought to prompt reflection …

William & Mary’S Institutional Branding And Its Influence On The Self-Efficacy Of First-Generation Sophomores As They Select Majors And Career Paths: A Case Study, Jennifer Leigh Hoyt

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

My case study focused on the message communicated through the university’s fundraising campaign titled For the Bold and sought to determine if the campaign messaging influenced decision-making of first-generation sophomores (FGS) attending William & Mary as they selected majors and formed career choices. The campaign message emphasized the benefits of boldness, and, for FGS, the campaign’s message could have shaped their self-efficacy beliefs as they pursued majors and professional aspirations. The study applied Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory to determine how self-efficacy contributed to the decisions made by participants. Additionally, the use of Bronfenbrenner’s (1993) developmental ecology model helped situate …

Top Of The Lineup: College Baseball Players’ Perceptions Of The Trait Of Narcissism And Achievement Orientation And Their College Experience, Amelia Moore

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The top of the lineup is a baseball term that refers to the first few players at bat. In baseball it is a term to be revered as those players are considered exceptional. Baseball, as are many intercollegiate sports, is highly competitive. Therefore, with the high level of competition for a spot, in perspective, these college players are all the top of the lineup. However, at the college level these players have to make many sacrifices, meet challenges other students do not, and juggle to find a balance between being a student and being an athlete in order to allow …