About

This is a class about changing the world.

But wait a minute.  I thought this was a class about sorority/fraternity leadership?

Oh, but it is.

We like to think that changing the world, and sorority/fraternity leadership, is, well, one and the same.

Consider this: if sororities and fraternities are producing the best and the brightest citizens our university community has to offer (which they should be… according to our Ritual and missions {more to come on that later in the quarter…}), then, in return, by default, our world should be becoming a better place.

Close your eyes for a minute  - just a minute – and imagine what our world would look like if every one – and we mean everyone – knew what their values were, and lived by them?  What if everyone – and we mean everyone – we’re responsible and engaged citizens?  What if everyone gave more of themselves than what they asked for in return? What if everyone had the capability to lead others towards a common, higher goal?  What if everyone were trustworthy?  What if everyone were educated?  What if everyone were interdependent of one another, respecting differences and embracing similarities?  What if everyone lived by integrity?  What if everyone was happy?  What if everyone WANTED to change the world?

…keep your eyes closed…

Now, what if everyone in our sorority/fraternity community – and we mean, the whole community – knew what their values were, and lived by them?  What if everyone – and we mean the whole sorority/fraternity community – we’re responsible and engaged Ohio State citizens?  What if everyone – again, ALL of us, gave more of themselves than what they asked for in return? What if everyone had the capability to lead others to a common, higher goal?  What if everyone was trustworthy?  What if everyone were a model example of intellectual excellence? What if everyone was interdependent of one another, respecting differences and embracing similarities?  What if everyone lived by integrity?  What if everyone was happy? What every single Ohio State sorority/fraternity member was known as the model Buckeye?

“Oh, she/he is in a sorority/fraternity?  Then she/he is must be the type of person we want ALL Buckeyes to be?”

AND… what if, more than 7% of the Ohio State undergraduate student population WANTED to be in a fraternal organization?  What if, hypothetically speaking, EVERYONE at Ohio State was in a sorority or fraternity?  (Again, just WHAT IF…).

Now think about what our world would be like, if every year, Ohio State sent off into the world, 3-5,000 sorority/fraternity leaders who were “the model Buckeye.”

THAT, my friends, is how you get to the point of saying the changing the world, and sorority/fraternity leadership, is one and the same.

Ok.  Open your eyes.

What you just imagined, is well, what this course is all about.

That, and the fact, that, well to get to that point, we need to elevate our community.

What do we mean by “elevate?”

Thanks for asking.

Well, the reason our sorority/fraternity community in the first place is something that has the POTENTIAL to make the world a better place, is because of our values, missions and ritual (again, more on that to come in class).  However, all one has to do, is to turn on the TV, rent the movie Animal-House, or Google “fraternity” to beg the question: are sororities and fraternities really all they are made out to be? I have heard that these organizations are all about holding people accountable to higher values of scholarship, citizenship, leadership, and integrity?  But sometimes, all I see is the opposite?

So, the potential is there… just sometimes, we can work on improving our consistency.  And we can do that, but ELEVATING… meaning, we don’t necessarily need to change (because we are already doing so much good stuff), we just need to make improvements… we need to ELEVATE ourselves in a few ways.

And THAT, is what this course is about.

(yes, we know we’ve said that a few times already).

But, here, let us sum it all up (going backwards):

This course is about improving the consistency of how well we live by our purpose, by elevating ourselves, as a means to make our community (community defined as micro as Ohio State to as macro as global), a better place.

Specifically, this class exists to provide an overview of the theory related to, and skills necessary for the practice of effective leadership in the Fraternal Movement setting, allowing each of you to learn, and apply Fraternal Elevation.  Specifically, by the end of our 10 weeks together…

• You’ll demonstrate an understanding of the remarkable process of leadership, specifically, a theory known as the Social Change Model of Leadership Development.
• You’ll demonstrate an increased awareness of the personal qualities, skills, and values that you bring to your Fraternity/Sorority, your council, and your leadership potential.
• You’ll demonstrate increase confidence and skill in practicing leadership within not only your own chapters, but also your council, your community, and your society.
• You’ll demonstrate an understanding of the current trends and issues that define the Fraternal Movement and an ability to argue the relevance of fraternity.
• You’ll be ready to change the world.

And THAT is what this course is all about.

Buckle down, and get excited to use our Fraternal Leadership Potential to make our communities an even better place to live, as work towards LEADING ELEVATION.

~ Your Leading Elevation Instructors, Laura & Tyler

PS: peruse the different menu options at the top of this page to see the course schedule, assignments (Learning Opportunities), the text book assignment, and other pertinent information.

PS2: be sure to by our required text for this course: Leadership for a Better World (2009), by Susan Komives and Wendy Wagner