Fall 2025 — Do you know a leader who made a change after listening to their team? Oregon State University's Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life (CFSL) models effective leadership by gathering feedback and responding to students in the sorority and fraternity community..
OSU offers several leadership-building opportunities to the fraternity and sorority community throughout the academic year, according to JP Peters, director of the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life. One of those examples is the annual Emerging Leaders Retreat, a weekend program — funded in part by Dam Proud Day donors — that equips student leaders with the skills and confidence to be successful in their chapters or councils.
"The Emerging Leaders retreat embodies our 'Connect, Grow, Lead' motto by providing transformative leadership development experiences for OSU students," says Peters.
There are more than 2,800 students involved in over 45 chapters on the Corvallis campus within the five councils: Collective Greek Council (CGC), Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Panhellenic Council (PHC).
Every fall, each chapter sends a member who shows leadership potential to the Emerging Leaders Retreat. For three years, the LeaderShape Catalyst program has helped students develop their authentic path as leaders. The program includes small-group dialogue, large-group interaction, and personal reflection.
With the success of the Catalyst program, students also requested more emphasis on leadership skills affecting fraternity and sorority life, according to Kelsey Elam-Geuting, associate director of Fraternity & Sorority Life. Essentially, they wanted a more direct connection to their real-life experiences. Students in culturally based fraternal organizations noted that the retreat was geared toward housed chapters or larger chapters and expressed interest in leadership approaches specific to their communities. An adjustment was needed, and CFSL responded with a new curriculum.
"Recognizing gaps in the Catalyst program for our fraternity and sorority community, we partnered with an expert and colleague to create a targeted curriculum that addresses the specific needs of OSU Greek students," Peters said.
The new Sustain curriculum is an immersive leadership experience built on the needs of the OSU community. This will be the second year using the Sustain custom curriculum, which was written and facilitated by Dr. Thea Zunik, a nationally recognized coach and speaker who highlights resilience, empathy, wellness and emotional intelligence. Sustain emphasizes increasing awareness of these skills and equipping participants with the strategies to lead effectively while maintaining personal well-being and fostering long-term chapter success.
During last year's Emerging Leaders Retreat using the Sustain curriculum, students were more engaged, and there was an abundance of positive feedback after attending the program. Participants developed new strategies to understand themselves as leaders, to know their leadership strengths, and to exhibit emotional intelligence when working with others. These skills support student leaders as they move forward in their goals, think in new ways, and reflect on how to work better with themselves and others.
Students shared that they liked the changes and were excited to implement the strategies into their everyday lives and chapter work. CFSL hopes that Dr. Zunik will return to facilitate the curriculum and expand the retreat so that chapters have more than one or two representatives and the program can expand its reach in the 18 fraternities, 11 sororities and nine historically culturally based fraternal organizations at OSU.
Alumna Gayle Fitzpatrick '78 has championed the Fraternity & Sorority Life Emerging Leaders Fund through encouraging new donors and her own giving. Fitzpatrick's initial gift created the Emerging Leaders Retreat, and her ongoing support allows the program to continue. The next Emerging Leaders Retreat will be in November 2025.
In addition to the Emerging Leaders Retreat in the fall, each winter term, CFSL hosts the Annual Leadership Retreat that provides space for chapter presidents and newly elected council members to build relationships with one another, discuss community issues and goals, and begin working on solutions to collective problems.
All current or incoming chapter presidents and governing council officers participate in this weekend dedicated to the collaboration, growth, and enhancement of the fraternity and sorority community. For the past three years, CFSL has utilized IMPACT — a North American Interfraternity Conference program. The IMPACT curriculum emphasizes problem solving, leadership development, values-based decision making, effective communication and community development.
Learn more: Find your home within Fraternity & Sorority Life.