Join NIC President and CEO Judson Horras for just 10 minutes to focus in on the primary things you should be doing to prepare for the fall term.
A fresh look at food service, Spring 2021
At College Fresh, we share your concerns about the immediate future of Greek Life. Like you, we are awaiting answers from universities as to what the learning and living environment will be for students in the fall. There may be a lot of unknowns, but what we do know is that we are in this with you – for the long haul.
While COVID-19 has presented many challenges, it has shown us how adaptable and innovative our Greek community is during uncertain times. It has also shown us how much we value and miss our partners and the members we serve. The linked informational packet below contains planning initiatives and solutions we are working on and will have in place for you for fall start-up – so we can get back to being at your service.
Statement on deaths at BGSU and VCU
We join members the Bowling Green State University and Virginia Commonwealth University communities in expressing our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Stone Foltz and Adam Oakes. While the circumstances surrounding these deaths are still under investigation, we must be clear that hazing is a betrayal of the fraternal vows to which every member commits and has no place on campus. When hard alcohol is added to the mix, it is a formula for tragedy.
The North American Interfraternity Conference is partnered with parents of hazing victims and other organizations to educate about hazing and advocate for stronger laws. Our efforts include advancing the END ALL Hazing Act in Congress and making hazing a felony through state legislation including Collin’s Law now before the Ohio State Legislature.
Additionally, the NIC will host a National Town Hall Tuesday, March 9, at 9 p.m. EST for Interfraternity Council presidents and advisors, fraternity staff and volunteers, and fraternity chapter presidents to discuss these developments and critical steps that every fraternity community should be taking to assist in preventing hazing. A recording will premiere shortly after the conclusion of the town hall via Facebook at facebook.com/nicfraternity.
March 7, 2021
Media contact:
Todd Shelton
Campus Support:
Will Foran
7 Keys to Crushing Your Virtual Fundraiser
Philanthropy is one of the most uplifting and unifying aspects of fraternity/sorority life, and it is needed now more than ever. Join us as we discuss 7 proven strategies to help you raise more money, increase engagement, and inspire your team, even if you have to do it all in a virtual environment. We’ll also look into some examples of virtual events that you can host safely and successfully, and we’ll have an interactive discussion about your own events where you can share experiences, learnings, and questions.
Keys to Virtual Recruitment: From Those Who Have Done It
Join the NIC team for a panel discussion with students and advisors well as students and advisors who have successfully hosted virtual recruitment along with President and co-Founder of Phired Up, Matt Mattson. We will focus on what has worked, what hasn’t, and what we have learned that can help you have a more successful recruitment this spring.
DOWNLOADS:
Preparing for Spring Recruitment: Get Phired Up For A New Approach to Growth
We’ve learned a lot about virtual (and hybrid) recruitment over the past few months, and have seen many success stories. Join Matt Mattson (President and co-Founder of Phired Up and TechniPhi) and Kenny White, an IFC Growth Expert for Phired Up & TechniPhi) in an engaging session on planning for virtual recruitment this spring. No matter the size of your community or structure of your recruitment, this webinar will provide you with tools and resources to help your council and community prepare, strategize, and get “Phired Up” for an important recruitment season.
Fraternity members report higher levels of positive mental health and support
As college students deal with more anxiety, depression and feelings of social isolation, a new report from the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, found fraternity affiliated students report higher levels of positive mental health along with lower rates of depression and anxiety.
“One of the impacts of public health restrictions meant to keep people safe is that many students feel distanced and alone this year,” said Judson Horras, president and CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference. “Fraternities are helping students cope, and they have always played an integral role in helping new students successfully transition to college life.”
The ability of students to succeed in higher education and beyond is dependent on their physical and mental well-being, and the nation’s higher education institutions are seeing increasing levels of mental illness, substance use, and other forms of emotional distress among their students according to a study published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Fraternity and sorority members believe that good support systems exist on campus and are more likely to seek therapy or counseling at some point in their lives, according to the PERC report. Members have a lower chance of being diagnosed with depression throughout their lives. This is important at a time when a survey of more than 300,000 students finds 60 percent of college undergraduates are having an increasingly difficult time accessing mental health care, even before campuses closed and instruction moved online due to the pandemic.
The PERC report continues to reinforce the benefits of fraternity membership. In fall 2020, a study by Dr. Gary R. Pike of Indiana University supported his previous findings that fraternity and sorority membership is associated with significantly higher levels of engagement on a number of measures including high impact practices, collaborative learning, student-faculty interactions, perception of a supportive campus environment and discussions with diverse others—including people from different races, ethnicity, economic backgrounds, religious beliefs and political views.
“There have been several studies, including mine, that find positive relationships between fraternity/sorority membership and student engagement and student learning. While specific findings on a scale differ from study to study, the overall results are consistent about fraternities and sororities having this positive effect on students’ engagement in college,” said Dr. Pike.
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February 22, 2021
Full report: Mental Health Study Grant Report from the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, by Assalone, Grace and Biddix | DOWNLOAD
Statement regarding formation of Durham Interfraternity Council
February 15, 2021
We support Duke University student leaders’ in forming the Durham Interfraternity Council to focus on a safe and healthy fraternity experience while ensuring students have the opportunity to join fraternities, or any student organization, at the time that they feel is best for them. As research shows, fraternity members benefit from engagement significantly more than non-members, particularly in first-year students, and report higher levels of positive mental health along with lower rates of depression and anxiety which is important during the current pandemic.
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Media contact:
Todd Shelton
IFC Awards Program
The IFC Awards Program aims to recognize and celebrate outstanding Interfraternity Council (IFC) communities, student leaders, and campus partners positively impacting and advancing the fraternal experience. Notably, those selected for these awards exemplify NIC Standards and Positions, and align with IFC Standard Operating Procedures.
Applications are now being accepted for 2026 IFC Awards.
The deadline to apply is Nov. 1, 2026.
Note: The IFC Awards Program is separate from the NIC Awards of Distinction.
Application Process
One (1) application should be submitted on behalf of an IFC to be considered for any and all awards. Applicants shall indicate which awards they are applying for in a single submission.
At least two (2) letters of recommendation are required and should be submitted with the application. These letters may be from the IFC itself, an IFC member chapter, the college or university, an inter/national fraternity, another council, other student organizations, or community groups — whoever is most appropriate to speak on authority in support of the IFC’s application. A single letter may support multiple award categories.
It is strongly encouraged to include letters from senior student affairs leadership and an inter/national fraternity.
To be considered for Outstanding IFC, councils must apply for one or more other award categories.
Winners will be notified in December and publicly announced in January.
Awards Categories
Outstanding IFC
A select number of IFCs that excel in overall operations and are accomplished in other award categories shall be recognized as Outstanding IFCs. Further, these councils should exemplify the following criteria:
- Demonstrated advancement of the value of and access to the fraternity experience.
- Effectively creates interest in joining fraternities.
- Coordinates impactful educational experiences.
- Promotes safety and prevention efforts collectively addressing critical issues.
- Influence and engagement throughout campus activities and with administration.
- Champions cooperative action among fraternities.
Outstanding Community Impact
Councils should exemplify the following criteria:
- Initiatives dedicated to campus leadership and community building.
- Elevates nonprofit partnerships, community service, and philanthropic opportunities for member chapters.
- Productively engages in neighborhood relations and community outreach.
Outstanding Peer Governance
Councils should exemplify the following criteria:
- Committed to appropriate standards, accountability, and conflict resolution.
- Advocates for equal treatment and due process for its member chapters, especially as compared to other student organizations.
- Maintains appropriate levels of administrative oversight and staffing support.
Outstanding Responsible Growth
Councils should exemplify the following:
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting pathways to expansion and recognition for all fraternities interested in establishing chapters.
- Free from unnecessary associational or recruitment restrictions.
- Open and dynamic fraternity recruitment practices.
Outstanding IFC President
These student leaders should exemplify the following criteria:
- Driving force for growth, positive change, and interfraternalism.
- Respected and admired by their peers.
- Man of character and exemplary member of their own fraternity.
Outstanding IFC Advisor
These campus-based professionals should exemplify the following criteria:
- Provides exceptional guidance and support to an IFC community.
- Appropriately challenges fraternity men to be the best they can be.
- Collaborative partner addressing critical issues, supportive of NIC Standards and Positions.
- Note: This award is for college/university staff, not chapter or alumni volunteers.
Check out the 2025 IFC Award winners.
Please direct questions to awards@nicfraternity.org.
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