Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Camon.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ryan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Becoming a member of my fraternity was one of the most transformative experiences that I had while in college, so now being able to facilitate that experience for the students that I advise is a great responsibility and joy. I was a sophomore at Florida International University the Fall of 2009 when I joined Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated as a charter member for my chapter. Almost immediately I was elected to leadership positions in my chapter and in other areas of campus. My interest in programming, recruitment and policy development led to me pursuing a master’s degree at FIU in Higher Education Administration in 2013. I wanted to help students discover the leadership skills that they didn’t see in themselves, and assist in facilitating an experience that was life-changing for me as an undergrad.
I was hired at Kennesaw State University in the Summer of 2015 and after a challenging first year was able to increase the campus presence and visibility for our historically Black fraternities and sororities. Additionally, I was able to develop our Latin-x organizations into a recognized council in our community. My strengths have always been organizational growth and development, so I was elated that after my first year on the job I had been able to increase membership in our community by 150% percent.
My passion for student success and empowerment has kept me in my role for the last three and half years. One highlight of my time at KSU has been planning the “KSU Yard Show”, which is now the largest event of its kind in the state of Georgia with last year’s attendance totaling over 2,500 students, alumni, and community members. This event is particularly special because it not only highlights all of the culturally based fraternities and sororities in our community but it also showcases opportunities for students of color to get involved on campus. I am proud of the growth that I have been able to add to Kennesaw State University as well as the amount of diverse representation that now exists in the Greek community as a result of my contributions.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There has been a lot of transition at my institution during my time here. I have experienced three supervisors and three university presidents over the last three and a half years that I have been here. My first supervisor was actually removed from their role because of theft. This impacted my role because consistency was lacking, so I was forced to become a more adaptable professional.
In addition to this, there has been so much negative attention surrounding fraternity and sorority life in the last few years with hazing deaths, racists social media posts, and sexual assault allegations. This work definitely can pose a moral dilemma because the Greek experience is historically rooted in classism and exclusion. There was definitely a point where I was almost ashamed to tell people what I did for a living because Greek life was associated with such negativity.
My institution and my department have been in the news more than I would like to admit but I think that the tenacity of the students and my colleagues has been the motivation to keep going. I am dedicated to making positive changes in this community to change the narrative surround fraternity and sorority life.
Please tell us about Kennesaw State University.
The Department of Fraternity & Sorority Life is committed to enriching students’ collegiate experience and fostering a community of values-based organizations through a commitment to accountability, courageous leadership, and stewardship. For over 40 years, fraternities and sororities at KSU have had a proud tradition of academic excellence, service to the community, and playing a significant role in the lives of hundreds of students and alumni.
Today, our community is comprised of 32 fraternities and sororities across four councils, including 15 culturally based organizations. There are over 2,000 members who make every organization unique and vital to our vibrant community. Though the mission and values may vary, each chapter has a rich history of promoting scholarship, service, leadership, and community.
In my role specifically, I advise three of our four standing councils which totals about 1100 fraternity and sorority affiliated students. I oversee our historically white sororities, our historically black fraternities & sororities, and our culturally based organizations. I ensure strategic programming for these councils as well as oversee all recruitment of new members. My role also includes creating assessment tools, creating educational programs and training for student leaders, as well as working with alumni engagement.
The thing that sets this community apart from other Greek communities in the area is the type of programs and initiatives that they have been able to host. I challenge the councils that I advise to think outside of the box and execute programs that will educate and empower their peers. All of our councils are trying to rebrand themselves to challenge the negative stereotypes surrounding Greek life.
Some signature events that I have had the opportunity to develop have been our Success Series that helps students learn how to articulate their leadership experience onto a resume in a way that employers will find value in it. Also, I oversaw an event called “Rape in Society” which dissected the role of black fraternities in perpetuating rape culture in the black community. Our largest event is a program that I started in 2016, the KSU Yard Show, that has grown immensely of the years. This year had the largest attendance ever and was the largest event held on campus last year. https://youtu.be/qEu4mpvbnI0
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I started playing golf at the age of four. My dad was my first coach and he pushed me very hard to be the best and I quickly got a reputation around my hometown of St. Petersburg, FL as one of the few young black golfers that was competing. I have a lot of great memories from winning youth competitions and seeing my dad there cheering me on. I’m thankful for having him around and teaching me a sport that is so different but taught me a lot of important lessons about life.
Contact Info:
- Website: Greeklife.kennesaw.edu
- Email: rcamon1@kennesaw.edu
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-camon/
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