Established in 2008, the Essentials award seeks to recognize an author or authors who have written an article that is thought provoking, enlightening, and provides relevant and practical ideas to AFA members. To be eligible, articles must be original work and not previously published, must be based on sound professional practice and/or research, and must have been published in Essentials between August 2022 and July 2023. Finalists for this award are selected by the Editorial Board and then reviewed by the Awards and Recognition Committee to determine a winner.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Leslie Pedigo, A Strategic Approach to Onboarding New Employees |
| 2022 | Christina Parle, 15 Ways to Connect the Big Three: SFL Advisor, Inter/National Representative, and Conduct Administrator |
| 2021 | Jayde Ware, Iowa State University – Tap, Tap, Tap In: How Buy-in Helps Reshape Prevention & Accountability in a Virtual World |
| 2020 | Christina Parle: 15 Reasons Our Actions are Incongruent with our Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion “Values” |
| 2019 | Nicholas Hudson, Ed.D.: Community Cultural Wealth & Funds of Knowledge at the Center of Advisement |
| 2018 | Nicholas Hudson, Ed.D.: Undocumented and Greek – What Does Support Look Like? |
| 2017 | Tara Fuller: Professional Fears of Truthfulness & Accountability |
| 2016 | Tara Fuller: I’m a Sorority Woman, but I’m not Straight |
| 2015 | Michelle Marchand: Wife Swap: Fraternity/Sorority Professionals Edition |
| 2014 | Noah Borton & Haley Seeley: What If We Are the Problem |
| 2013 | Nathan Arrowsmith & Stevie V. Tran: Title IX Empowers Fraternities to Include Transgender Members |
| 2012 | Justin Angotti, Amy Colvin, Christine Loy, Kim Novak, Wes Schaub, Alex Snowden, & Dave Westol: Risk Management Case Studies |
| 2011 | John DiSarro: Using Restorative Circles to Resolve a Fraternal Crisis |
| 2010 | Dan Bureau: Making Your Mark on the Fraternal Relevance Movement |
| 2009 | Colleen Rose & Leslie Fasone: Fostering Ethical and Moral Development of Fraternity and Sorority Members Through Service |
| 2008 | John Shertzer: Reclaiming Leadership |
Established in 1988, the Perspectives award seeks to recognize those who have contributed thought provoking pieces that are educational and enlightening to the AFA membership. To be eligible, contributions must be original work and not previously published, must demonstrate evidence of research and/or include relevant and practical ideas to Association members that support the advancement of the fraternal movement, and must have been published in Perspectives between Fall of the previous year and Summer of the current year. Recipients for this award are selected by the Editorial Board based on the following criteria:
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- Submission is relevant to Association members
- Submission provides practical ideas or takeaways
- Submission is thought provoking and informative
- Submission includes innovative, creative content
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Stacy Kraus McDonald, Dan Wrona, Karlee Nuttleman, and Dan Bureau, Rewriting the Playbook: Post-Pandemic Priorities for Fraternity/Sorority Life |
| 2022 | Joana Granados, Humanizing Essential Partners in Fraternity and Sorority Houses |
| 2021 | Dr. Kevin Bazner, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi – What We’re Missing When Talking About Middle Managers |
| 2020 | Hailey M. Mangrum: Show Me Your Policies |
| 2019 | Hailey M. Mangrum: Even If You In a Benz, You Still an N***** in a Coupe |
| 2018 | Dan Wrona: Organizing for Campus Fraternity & Sorority Professionals |
| 2017 | Byron Hughes: How we Live and How we Don’t Live Ethics |
| 2016 | Dr. Joshua Schutts: High Impact Practices 101 |
| 2015 | Emily Perlow: Failed Fraternal Inclusion: A Critical Analysis of Normative Systems |
| 2014 | Dr. Amanda Kraus & Daniel DeHollander: From Spare Change to Social change: Disability Representation in Fraternity and Sorority Philanthropy |
| 2013 | Leslie Fasone: Putting Prevention Into Practice |
| 2012 | Gentry McCreary, Ph.D.: The Case for Moral Development State University |
| 2011 | Michael A. McRee: The House is on Fire and You’re Mowing the Lawn Marcy Levy Shankman, Ph.D. & Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.: Gender and Emotionally Intelligent Leadership |
| 2010 | Teniell Trolian: Developing a Professional Identity Dan Wrona: Why Should We Be Concerned with Disabilities? |
| 2009 | Georgianna Martin & Megan Johnson: Using Religious & Spiritual Differences as a Catalyst for Change Jason Bergeron, Allison Foster & Andrea Gaspardino Kovachy: Creating a Culture of Assessment: The “Top Ten” List |
| 2008 | Lori Hart Ebert, Ph.D.: Alcohol and Risk Management Education: Pi Kappa Phi’s Approach |
| 2007 | Mike McRee & Martin Cobb: Why We Should Close More Chapters Dan Bureau: Beyond Rhetoric and Into the Action of the Values Movement |
| 2006 | Douglas N. Case & Shane L. Windmeyer: The Emergence of GLBT Issues in Fraternity & Sorority Life Dana Becker: The Challenge of Values Congruence |
| 2005 | Ginny Carroll: One Voice, The Choices We Make Chad Ellsworth: Learning Opportunities: Understanding Students’ Definition of Hazing |
| 2004 | James Patrick Biddix: Reconstructing Shared Governance: A Partnership Approach Mike McRee: That’s Fratastic! Debating Idiot Fraternity and Sorority Logic |
| 2003 | Timothy Haskell: Our Responsibility: Knowing How Fraternities & Sororities Learn Lambda 10 Project: Then There was Ben, Dangers of Frat Row |
| 2002 | Dan Bureau & Chris McRoberts: Millennials: The Corrective Generation? Mike McRee: The Nielsen Ratings for Fraternities and Sororities: What Are We Watching and Who’s Got the Remove? |
| 2001 | Amber Garrison & Diana Breclaw: Risk Management in Local Fraternity and Sorority Communities Mike McRee: The Superfriends of Higher Education |
| 2000 | Kevin Konecny & Ed Kovacs: Alumni Initiation into a Fraternity or Sorority Mike McRee: Fraternity Darwinism: Who Will Become Extinct? |
| 1999 | Tracy Maxwell: Values-Based Decision-Making: The Value of the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute Laura Pitlik & Chuck Donlin: Philanthropy Parties: How to Implement Them on Your Campus |
| 1998 | Karyn Nishimura Sneath: Fraternity Education for the 21st Century |
| 1997 | Jeff Cufaude: Running Harder but Getting Nowhere: Why Progress Might be Eluding Us Lisa Fedler: Substance Free Housing: Quick Fix or Long Term Solution |
| 1996 | Stephen Rupprecht: The Oppressed Helping the Depressed Jeffrey Cufaude: Fraternities and Sororities: Are We Built to Last? |
| 1995 | Marita Labedz-Poll: Political Correctness and Free Speech on the College Campus: Implications for Student Affairs T.J. Sullivan: The Caring Professional: Realizing Your Limits |
| 1994 | Jeff Cufaude: Games People Play: Designing Interactive Workshops Paul DeWine: Senior Manager’s Corner: The Developmental Process of a Greek Advisor |
| 1993 | Doug Case: Confronting Prejudice: Should Intolerance be Tolerated? Tammy Patterson Manko & Robert Curry: Integration in an Age of Change: The Americans with Disabilities Act |
| 1992 | Orin Sadler & Brad Vaughn: First Term Pledging: Should We Defer RushRueben Perez & Karyn Nishimura Sneath: Sure Our Chapter is Diverse … We Have Two Music Majors! |
The Dr. Charles Eberly Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research & Practice award recognizes outstanding written and academic contributions to the fraternity/sorority industry. Dr. Eberly titled the journal Oracle in 2006. Since 2005, the journal has provided outstanding research to the fraternity and sorority industry and will continue to do so under the newly established name. Eligible publications for this award were published and peer-reviewed during the past academic year (September – August). Submissions should demonstrate evidence of research and should include relevant and practical ideas to Association members that support the advancement of research within the fraternal movement. Finalists for this award are selected by the Editorial Board and then reviewed by the Awards and Recognition Committee to determine a winner.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn, Natalie Rose Youngbull, James D. Wagnon, and Amber Silverhorn-Wolfe, Reconceptualizing Indigeneity Within the Fraternity and Sorority Community |
| 2022 | Crystal E. Garcia, William R. Walker, Ciera A. Dorsey, Zachary R. Werninck, and Jessie H. Johns, NPHC and MCG Sororities and Fraternities as Spaces of Activism within Predominantly White Institutions |
| 2021 | Kaitlynn Beaird, Arkansas tech University, Steve D. Mobley, Jr., University of Alabama, and ShirDonna Y. Lawrence, University of Iowa – “Selling Sisterhood”: (Re)Viewing Sorority Women’s Self-Portrayals in Recruitment Videos |
| 2020 | Brian K. Richardson, University of North Texas, Steve Rains, University of Arizona, and Camille Hall-Ortega, University of Texas at Austin: Joining In, Blowing the Whistle, or Intervening: Examining the Effects of Severity and Organizational Identification on Fraternity/Sorority Members’ Responses to Hazing |
| 2019 | Gabriel Serna, Dawn Wiese, & Stephen Simo: Needs and Stress in Fraternity/Sorority Life: Evidence of Social & Behavioral Differences Among Sorority & Fraternity Members |
| 2018 | Donald Mitchell, Jr, Ph.D., Bellarmine University, John Gipson, Purdue University, JaKia Marie, University of Louisville, and Tiffany Steele, The Ohio State University: Intersectional Value? A Pilot Study Exploring Educational Outcomes for African American Women in Historically Black Sororities versus Non-Historically Black Sororities |
| 2017 | Gentry McCreary, Ph.D., Nathaniel Bray, Ph.D., & Stephen Thoma, Ph.D.: Bad Apples or Bad Barrels? Moral Disengagement, Social Influence, and the Perpetuation of Hazing in the College Fraternity |
| 2016 | Colleen Kase, Natasha Rivera, and Melissa G. Hunt: The Effects of Sorority Recruitment on Psychological Wellbeing and Social Support |
| 2015 | Gentry McCreary, Ph.D. & Joshua Schutts, Ph.D.: Toward a Broader Understanding of Fraternity – Developing and Validating a Measure of Fraternal Brotherhood |
| 2014 | Ryan P. Barone: White Clauses in two Historically White Fraternities: Documenting the Past & Exploring Future Implications |
| 2013 | Timothy Reuter, Elgan Baker, Michael Hernandez, and Daniel Bureau: A Values-Based Learning Model to Impact Maturational Change: The College Fraternity as Development Crucible |
| 2012 | Pietro A. Sasso: Towards a Typology of Fraternity/Sorority Programs – A Content Analysis |
| 2011 | Genevieve Evans Taylor: An Analysis of Leadership Programming Sponsored by Member Organizations of the National Panhellenic Conference |
| 2010 | Tricia R. Shalka & Susan R. Jones: Differences in Self-Awareness Related Measures Among Culturally Based Fraternity, Social Fraternity, and Non-Affiliated College Men |
| 2009 | Ashley Asel, Tricia A. Seifer, & Ernest T. Pascarella: The Effects of Fraternity/Sorority Membership on College Experiences and Outcomes: A Portraint of Complexity |
| 2008 | Joan B. Hirt, Ph.D., Lauren Chapman, & Nicklaus R. Spruill: The Effects of Sorority Recruitment on Self-Esteem |
| 2007 | Dennis C. Roberts, Ph.D., & Matthew Johnson: Involving Students in Securing a Future for Fraternal Organizations |
| 2006 | Douglas N. Case, Grahaeme A. Hesp, & Charles G. Eberly: An Exploratory Study of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Fraternity and Sorority Members, Revisited |
Established in 2021, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Dissertation of the Year Award, presented by Dyad Strategies, recognizes a completed dissertation that makes a substantial contribution to knowledge in the field of fraternity/sorority life. Consistent with other functional area-specific higher education associations, the Dissertation of the Year Award is an opportunity for AFA to honor a recently-minted Ed.D. or Ph.D. degree conferred by the time of recognition of that year’s Annual Meeting. This award recognizes a dissertation that makes an exceptional contribution to research on issues directly related to fraternity/sorority life in higher education. The dissertation may honor any scholarly tradition or methodology but must focus on fraternity/sorority life as central to the dissertation study (including but not limited to students, practitioners, organizations, identities).
The focus of the research must maintain a strong connection to fraternities/sororities (e.g., the purpose of the project relates to this population; opposed to fraternity/sorority involvement being a finding in a larger study examining another student affairs or higher education functional area).
Dissertation Chair (or Advisor) contact information in the application will be used to confirm the degree and period of dissertation completion. The abstract should not include any identifying information about the applicant, committee members, or institution where the degree was granted. Finalists for this award are selected by the Research Committee and then reviewed by the Awards and Recognition Committee to determine a winner.
The Dissertation of the Year Award receives a $500 award honorarium through endowed support from Dyad Strategies, LLC. Dyad Strategies is an applied research and assessment firm that helps fraternal organizations and college campuses measure and improve the impact of their work. Through longitudinal assessment, external reviews, consulting and training, Dyad Strategies has profoundly reshaped the way the fraternity/sorority industry approaches data and research. Partners Joshua Schutts, Ph.D. and Gentry McCreary Ph.D. have both been AFA members since 2005, have both served on the AFA board of directors, and continue to serve AFA in Volunteer roles. Their award-winning research examines fraternity/sorority chapter culture, the roots of fraternal brotherhood and sisterhood, the psychology of hazing, and moral development among college students.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Meredith Bielaska, Finding Family: The Experience of Transgender Students On Gender-Based Membership and Resiliency in College |
| 2022 | Dr. Kimberly Davis, “Not Nearly What It Used To Be”: A Mixed Methods Study on Hazing And Organizational Culture in Historically White Fraternities |
| 2021 | Dra. Viancca Williams – An Exploration of the Retention and Attrition Factors of the Campus-Based Fraternity/Sorority Student Affairs Professional |
