UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform has initiated a scholars program to build capacity and expand research for professional practice to transform fraternities and sororities.
The scholars are matched with a research project spanning topic areas, from fraternity and sorority hazing prevention to increased diversity, equity and inclusion, and increased capacity for civic and community engagement. Scholars work as part of a research team under the supervision of a principal investigator. They also receive mentoring from the Piazza Centers research fellow. Scholars are current practitioners, post-doctoral or doctoral candidates.
“These new scholars represent the continued expansion of the Piazza Center and were selected through a very competitive process. They are scholar-practitioners who will work on supporting a number of research projects and dissemination of findings. They are all dedicated to the fraternal movement and contributing the creation of new knowledge to build healthy sorority/fraternity communities,” said Pietro Sasso, Piazza Center research fellow.
The first cohort of four scholars represent a variety of institutions and research backgrounds.
Vivienne Felix is focusing on work to enhance civic responsibility in chapters that will lead to member engagement in meaningful service. Felix is the associate dean of students and director of the Center for Professional and Career Pathways at Washington & Jefferson College. She has helped to develop early colleges, advised sororities, managed living and learning communities, planned community engagement projects, and developed systems that advance experiential learning.
Emily Feuer is collecting and analyzing data on early warning signs of hazing before it becomes a life-threatening incident. Feuer serves as the assistant to the vice president for finance and administration at the University at Albany, State University of New York. She also works on the consulting team for RISE Partnerships, which delivers training and resources to improve fraternity and sorority life.
Michael A. Goodman is studying National Panhellenic Council (NPC) sorority diversity, equity and inclusion with racially and ethically diverse chapters at predominately white institutions. Goodman is an assistant professor of practice in Educational Leadership and Policy in the Program in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an educator whose research involves college student government and sorority and fraternity life — including the experiences of graduate students and new professionals, and social justice and queer issues in sorority and fraternity life.
Brian Joyce is focusing on a comprehensive guide to prevention and intervention strategies to battle hazardous drinking and hazing. Joyce is the director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at George Washington University. He is a student affairs professional with over 15 years of progressive leadership experience in multiple functional areas including fraternity and sorority life, student activities, and new student orientation.
“The Piazza Center scholars program is already providing me with so many opportunities to pursue my passion for hazing prevention research and continue to build my research portfolio,” said Emily Feuer, Piazza Center scholar. “I'm learning research and publication strategies from a renowned researcher in the field, building relationships with the scholars team and uncovering evidence-based hazing prevention strategies in manageable and strategic ways.”
In addition to collaborating on current projects, Piazza Center scholars support the dissemination of research, data collection, present at conferences and facilitate webinars, and author thought pieces. Scholars are accepted on a rolling basis and selected for two years. Learn more about the program here.
The Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform is a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to uplifting fraternity and sorority life. The center establishes new insights into understanding the complex issues facing fraternity and sorority life and empowers higher education to help create a fraternity and sorority experience that is safer and more meaningful. The center produces actionable data to give practitioners, campuses, and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change on their campuses for the over 750,000 members across more than 770 campuses with fraternity and sorority life.