Dr. Jason L. Meriwether's Bio
Jason is editor of Dismantling Hazing in Greek-Letter Organizations: Effective Practices for Prevention, Response, and Campus Engagement.
A native of Guthrie, Ky., Jason earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of Louisville. He earned the Master of Arts Degree in Psychology from Fisk University and earned the Ph.D. in Educational Administration with a Specialization in Higher Education Leadership from Indiana State University.
Jason currently serves Campbellsville University as Vice President of Enrollment Management.
PRESENTATION: Risk Management & Hazing Prevention: Current Issues in Education, Policy, & Precedent
Student Learning Objectives
Workshop participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
• Empowerment to challenge physical and mental abuse in context of hazing situations by examining the value for life versus the need to belong;
• Recognition of relationship between injuries, psychological abuse, and loss of life associated with common hazing behaviors and the concept of tradition in GLOs;
• Evaluation of influence of GLOs on first-time college students with relation to responsibility, behavior, and community values;
• Recognition of educative options to combat hazing using peer-education & bystander intervention models; and
• Strategies to evaluate organizational rituals and chapter traditions to assess risks and hidden harms.
Training Goals
• To provide advisors and administrative team with legally sound practices to use as basis for anti‑hazing education;
• To empower students with educative options to combat hazing;
• To provide pertinent approaches to managing campus wide hazing policies and educational tools that are rooted in trends supported by legal decisions rendered across the United States;
• To share trends about behavior that indicates under‑the‑radar hazing rituals; and
• To identify existing educative programs & engagement tools that can be utilized on your campus
PRESENTATION: Leadership Isn't Always Easy: Success Strategies to Motivate & Generate Energy Among Chapter and Council Leaders
Keynote Learning Outcomes
Student participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
• Familiarity with evaluation tools to measure current perceptions about apathy within sorority and fraternity culture and the university setting;
• Recognizing consequences of intended and unintentional elements of accountability within the context of chapter and council settings;
• Impact of leadership branding strategy on career trajectory within university system and after degree completion; and
• Ability to utilize best practices in shaping a leadership brand that enhances contribution to chapter motivation, morale, and productivity.
Keynote Goals
• To provide pertinent approaches to engage and influence organizational climate and culture from a lens of accountability and productivity;
• To empower attendees with tools to develop a personal and individualized leadership brand;
• To share trends about behaviors that indicate resistance or responsiveness to accountability; and
• To identify pertinent strategies to assess and maintain leadership brand effectiveness within the context of the chapter, the organization, and the council.
"I was delighted with Dr. Meriwether’s engaging presentation and insightful interaction with our students. I believe Dr. Meriwether displayed a keen understanding on the topic and was able to deliver his message in a way that resonated with our students; therefore, I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Meriwether for any speaking engagement."
PRESENTATION: Redefining Leadership & Tradition - Creating a Hazing-Free Student Athlete Experience
Learning Outcomes
Workshop participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
• Empowerment to challenge physical and mental abuse in context of hazing situations by examining the value for life versus need to belong;
• Increase familiarity with standards for eligibility and scholarship sustainability within context of NCAA anti-hazing rules and policies;
• Recognition of relationship between injuries, psychological abuse, and loss of life associated with common “low-risk” hazing behaviors and the concept of tradition in college athletics;
• Increase familiarity with effective practices to examine and evaluate formal & informal team traditions and bonding activities that present hidden risks for hazing; and
• Evaluation of influence of perceptions and stereotypes about athlete behavior on new and first-time college students with relation to responsibility, behavior, and community values.
Training Goals
• To provide university with legally sound practices to use as basis for anti‑hazing education;
• To empower student athletes with educative options to combat hazing using a peer-education model;
• To provide pertinent approaches to managing campus wide hazing policies and educational tools that
are rooted in trends supported by legal decisions rendered across the United States;
• To share trends about behavior that indicates under‑the‑radar hazing rituals; and
• To identify existing educative programs & tools that can be utilized on your campus.
"Dr. Meriwether personalized the trip and went above and beyond to truly help us not only tackle our culture concerns within our Fraternities and Sororities around hazing, but dug in deeper with our team to provide our advisors and our retention team members great insights about innovations for increasing retention overall and being better partners for our enrollment management team. Many of our Greeks live in the surrounding off campus area, and they have truly stepped up to be better neighbors to our local residents of Hempstead. You were part of that shift."
Hazing Prevention Workshop: Empowering Advisors & FSL Administrators
Learning Outcomes for Professional Staff and Advisors
Workshop participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
• Tools to evaluate current processes & amend policies for campus wide implementation of anti-hazing education initiatives;
• Strategies to evaluate current rituals and traditions to assess risks and hidden harms;
• Recognizing policy loopholes or language that may not adequately meet legal precedent for due diligence by professional staff or advisors; and
• Ability to utilize effective practices in managing anti‑hazing education for fraternities and sororities.
Training Goals
• To empower advisors and student affairs administration with educative options to combat hazing using peer-education & bystander intervention models;
• To provide pertinent approaches to managing issues of reasonable foresight that are rooted in trends supported by legal decisions rendered across the United States;
• To share trends about behavior that indicates under‑the‑radar hazing rituals within the context of the FSL experience;
• To identify existing educative programs & engagement tools that can be utilized on your campus; and
• To provide university with legally sound practices to use as framework for anti‑hazing education.
"Dr. Meriwether’s interactive sessions have provided students, faculty and staff, and advisors with legally sound practices that protect students and the university while engaging in meaningful discussions about the impact of hazing and violence in fraternities and sororities. Jason’s authentic approach allows our students to openly engage in transparent discussions and create a sense of responsibility towards dismantling hazing tradition and increasing their servant leadership skills. Jason’s innovative approaches of engaging students play a crucial role in propelling them to the next level of leadership."
PRESENTATION: From TRIO to Everywhere - Paving YOUR Path to Generational Change
Learning Outcomes Student participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
• Familiarity with current perceptions about transition to college within a residential and university setting;
• Recognizing elements of personal responsibility, life habits, and leadership capacity that impact the campus experience;
• Strategies to engage in dialogue and apply listening skills that enhance classroom learning and social involvement that are applicable along the path to graduation; and
• Impact of student success strategy on career trajectory within university system and after degree completion.
Workshop Goals:
• To provide pertinent approaches to engage and influence personal success from a lens of learning, thoughtfulness, and productivity;
• To empower attendees with tools to develop a personal and individualized student success strategy;
• To share trends about college transition that increases sense of belonging and connection on campus; and
• To identify pertinent strategies to assess and maintain academic and social success for every student with, or without, a flashy title.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Jason L. Meriwether is a proud TRIO alum. His experience in Educational Talent Search put him on the path to finishing high school, graduating from college, and earning a doctoral degree. Being a TRIO alum motivates Jason to connect with TRIO students and have honest, personal, and sincere conversation about college, life, and creating generational change for each student’s family. Jason is an experienced higher education leader who has led Enrollment Management, TRIO programs, Student Affairs, and NCAA & NAIA Athletics.
"Dr. Jason Meriwether was instrumental to getting our academic year started on the right foot for our fraternities and sororities. Dr. Meriwether kept our students engaged while educating them on hazing in the fraternity/sorority world and beyond. As our community gets back on track after a year significantly affected by the pandemic, this presentation was just what we needed."
PRESENTATION: Building a Model for Effective Chapter Operations & Leadership
Learning Objectives:
This interactive session will frame the Nine Steps for Initiating Organizational Culture Change based on Cameron & Quinn’s 2011 book "Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture". Workshop participants will leave with increased knowledge of the following:
● Developing planning & service strategies to flourish within campus settings;
● Approaches to establishing and sustaining measurable effective practices in chapter leadership, event management, and evaluation of success;
● Strategy levers for effective on-boarding of new leaders and re-acclimating experienced chapter members to fraternal mission, values, and expectations;
● Empower attendees with tools to frame and measure leadership strategies for philanthropy, programming, and generating chapter revenue from new resources; and
● Share trends about behavior that indicate resistance or responsiveness to chapter leadership and creating systems for chapter accountability.
Workshop Goals:
● To provide familiarity with evaluation tools to measure campus impact and leverage to plan future events;
● To share strategies to ensure consistent and functional meeting, committee, and planning structures;
● To share individual engagement strategies so that individuals can leverage leadership tools during matriculation and after degree completion;
● To illuminate value of consistent partnership and leveraging written records during organizational leadership transition and to develop a long-term strategic plan at the chapter level; and
● To provide effective practices for shaping a chapter strategy that enhances contribution to team morale, diverse ideas & perspectives within the chapter, sustained accountability and organizational productivity.
“Dr. Meriwether’s approach created an open and safe space for conversation around a critically important topic. He was able to address a very serious and often times tragic situation through the lens of case law, in a way that resonated with students. His willingness to share his own personal experience allowed him to connect with a room of over 300 students, in a way that only Dr. Meriwether can deliver!”