Listening to the Needs of our Students: A Focus on Deaf Greeks
In today’s ever-changing society, it is imperative that fraternity/sorority professionals increase their ability to meet the needs of increasingly diverse student communities. Fraternity/sorority professionals have an obligation to not only hear, but attend to needs, and take action when they learn gaps in education, information, and support may exist. For deaf students at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), our attention to their needs is vital to their collegiate experience. With fifty-three percent of chapters at RIT having at least one deaf or hard-of-hearing (d/hoh) member and over thirteen percent of RIT’s fraternity/sorority population identifying as deaf, this community offers a vibrant and ambitious cultural group that is changing the landscape of fraternity/sorority life. >>Read full article

How Prepared Are You? Mental Health Issues and Today’s College Student
Nearly one year ago, I was walking to work when I noticed a colleague talking to a typically vibrant, active, and involved first year student with whom I had previously had several encounters. On this particular day the student did not seem herself. She was speaking as if she was preaching on a street corner in an attempt to gather followers. She continually referred to herself as “a mover and a shaker” who was ready to “get this train rolling.” In less than a minute, it was easy to see that this was not a normal day for this student. She was not responding to our request to go inside and talk calmly and appeared to be extremely agitated. Later that morning, she was escorted off campus by Emergency Medical Technicians for psychiatric evaluation at a nearby hospital. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder months ago and was having a manic episode. >>Read full article

Book Review: The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace
The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace by Ron Alsop (2008) examines the Millennial generation’s characteristics and how their traits influence the workplace. Alsop (2008, p.3) used the term “trophy kids” to describe the Millennial generation, born between 1980 and 2001, because they are viewed as the “pride and joy of their parents.” Millennials can pose several challenges for managers and corporate leaders due to their exceptionally high expectations and desire for recognition compared to previous generations. Alsop describes these challenges and provides recommendations for overcoming them throughout the book. >>Read full article

The Working Millennial: Are They Taking Over the World Yet?
For Millennials in student affairs who are advising Millennials: Is life what you expected? Are your careers what you’ve always imagined they would be? Is the greatness predicted for the Millennial generation coming to fruition?

Neil Howe and William Strauss (2000) did an excellent job of idolizing the generation in Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. Reading this, many Millennial professionals felt proud to be part of the next great generation projected to save the world, until they entered the real world and felt, as one Millennial professional, stated: "My older colleagues did not appreciate my potential." >>Read full article