Belonging – Greek University

Amanda Black: Deeper Conversations in College

By admin on April 3, 2026

Amanda Black founded The Solo Female Traveler Network (SoFe Travel), a global community of 560,000+ rad women who travel solo. She designs women-only trips to offbeat places like hot air balloons in Turkey and cliffside monasteries in Bhutan, night markets in Egypt and dawn deserts camelback in Morocco. Amanda also studies how strangers become friends, the idea at the heart of her TEDx talk on shared-first experiences. Her work spans three projects: SoFe Travel (immersive group trips), Kindred (a community-building project for women closer to home), and The SoFe Travel Collective (an artisan-driven store supporting women artisans worldwide). Across it all, her focus is the same: build spaces where women feel braver, less alone, and more connected to themselves, each other, and the world.

In episode 667 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Amanda chose University of Cincinnati and joined Chi Omega, how being “the new person” shaped how she thinks about belonging today, what was the moment Amanda realized this was more than just a travel group, what exactly is “shared firsts”, how to have deeper conversations in college, why people feel lonelier in college, what is a practical way someone listening today can deepen one relationship this week, what role vulnerability plays in building connection, why safety is such a key ingredient in connection, and what it takes to turn an idea into a global community. Enjoy!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtNk5D5hoG8

Fraternity/Sorority

Nick Stevens: Deep Conversations with Grandparents

By admin on November 5, 2025

Deep conversations with grandparents are critical for so many reasons. God used an avalanche that took Nick Stevens’ daughter in 2008 to put him on a path to help dads and granddads fulfill their unique roles for their family. Building heritage is a God-given responsibility and opportunity. Nick is the author of a book coming out in early 2026 called “The Power of Granddad’s Voice: Seven Blessings Your Family Needs from You.”

In episode 616 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how his experience of loneliness on campus shaped his life’s work, why loneliness is so pervasive in this generation, why he focuses on the relationship between grandfathers and grandchildren, what are some questions for deep conversations with grandparents, why young adults need these conversations, how reflecting on family heritage help them find direction during those uncertain times, what lessons from climbing mountains apply to college life and leadership, how fraternity and sorority members can apply these ideas about intergenerational wisdom within their own organizations, and how students can use the upcoming book as a tool for deeper connection in their own families.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEbdbSrEN58

Fraternity/Sorority

Dr. Jenny Small and Dr. Pietro Sasso: What should universities be offering Jewish students?

By admin on November 17, 2023

Today we have with us Dr. Jenny Small, Virtual Scholar, and Dr. Pietro Sasso, Research Fellow from the Piazza Center to explore questions of identity and belonging in traditionally Jewish fraternities and sororities. In episode 408 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Jenny chose Brandeis University for her undergraduate experience, what it’s like for Pietro to work at Delaware State as a program coordinator for a Doctorate program, what should institutions be offering Jewish students, why Jewish educators seem to struggle with advocating for Jewish students, why many University Presidents have not been vocal on this issue to support their students, why some non-Jewish educators who hold other minoritized identities have high empathy for Jewish students’ experiences, advice to educators working with Jewish-heritage chapters, whether Jewish fraternities and sororities should be exclusively honoring their history with only Jewish members versus growth on today’s diverse college campuses, resources about traditionally Jewish fraternities and sororities as well as identity and belonging, and what professionals will learn at their upcoming session at the Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors Annual Meeting in Tampa.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bIickulVZU

Fraternity/Sorority

Cassie Little: What causes disengagement in our chapter and how do we increase morale?

By admin on October 6, 2023

As Her Sorority Journey’s speaker, podcast host, and TikToker, Cassie Little considers herself a sorority advocate and community enthusiast. Her college sorority journey at Arizona State University and early professional experience at Sigma Kappa Sorority lit a fire in her soul that sorority has the power to change lives. Our chapters, officers, and members just need to be empowered in the role they play to create that reality. Starting this company in 2020 and learning too many lessons the hard way running a business through a global pandemic, She is willing to try nearly anything to ensure our national sorority community understands the power they hold and how to use it power for the good of those around them.

In episode 400 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Cassie chose Arizona State University, why she joined Sigma Kappa, what it was like working for the National Headquarters, why she decided to launch Her Sorority Journey in 2020 just as the pandemic started, what are some strategies to nurture meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging among our members and PNM’s, what causes chapter disengagement and how do we increase morale, what does good officer transition look like, how do we sell our skills within Fraternity and Sorority Life in our future career, and what are some lessons learned about entrepreneurship. Enjoy!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li-Iw-vMsPA

Fraternity/Sorority

Sara Ting: How do we go from the pain of discrimination to forgiveness?

By admin on March 30, 2023

Sara Ting is a diversity and inclusion trainer, innovator, visionary, speaker and author working in D & I since 1985. She shares bold, innovative ideas that are enlightening, empowering, transformative and sustainable. Her clients served include public schools, colleges, police department, housing authorities and health care providers. Sara is the founder and president of World Unity, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to make an enduring contribution to the elimination of all forms of prejudice, bias and discrimination. They believe this can be achieved with the construction of a permanent landmark showcasing the Sun poem that reads as follows: Are you greater than the sun/that shines on everyone: Black, Brown, Yellow, Red and White/ the sun does not discriminate ©. Sara was a TV Reporter for a major NBC affiliate, freelance TV reporter covering issues that impacted the Asian American communities for ten years, and has been a radio talk show host and producer for four years.

In episode 336 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Sara decided on Boston University for her undergraduate experience, how The Sun Poem came about, how it turned into a huge public service campaign, how we can go from pain in discrimination to forgiveness, how bias influences our career paths in life, how do we empower college students to understand and value diversity in their organizations, how we can create a culture of belonging in our organization, how college students can improve their communication skills, and more about Sara’s book series called “Small Book With a Big Idea”. Enjoy!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dftOkf90DvY

Fraternity/Sorority

Dr. Shyam Sriram: How do we enhance diverse & inclusive learning on campus and in our organizations?

By admin on April 5, 2022

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/22693844/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/191970/” height=”90″ width=”100%” placement=”top” theme=”custom”]Our next guest, making his second appearance on the show, is Dr. Shyam Sriram. He has been involved in the fields of secondary and higher education since 2003. He has worked as a teaching assistant at a Hispanic Service Institution; teaching assistant at a large, urban university; taught full-time at the largest community college in a Southern state; worked as an adjunct professor at a historically-black college; spent a year working at two private, Islamic schools in suburban Chicago; spent two summers working with inner-city high school students in Atlanta; and taken part in several, intensive grading workshops with Advanced Placement exams. He has taught dozens of classes; mentored thousands of students; and realizes now, more than ever, the need for quality professionals in higher education who are not just great teachers, but great administrators as well. At Greek University, he speaks about cultural appropriation and inclusion on college campuses all over the country.

In episode 234 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out about Dr. Sriram’s new job at Canisius College in Buffalo, what is Ramadan and how we can be more respectful to our Muslim friends during Ramadan, how fraternities and sororities can attract, retain, and graduate a diverse and inclusive group of students, why it’s important for faculty and staff at our universities to also attract and retain a diverse and inclusive community, how we enhance diverse and inclusive learning on campus and in our organizations, how we foster a community culture that values, respects, welcomes, and promotes a sense of belonging, ways can we engage diverse communities beyond the boundaries of campus, how we prioritize the commitment to inclusion through leadership and action at all levels, and some ways students can engage in anti-racist action. Enjoy!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCK4uwu67BA