B R I T TA N Y B A R N E S D E E G
Look at your phone and identify the last ten people you called and texted. Cross out those related to employment or volunteer work. If the number of people left makes you think “huh,� you are likely not alone. Many fraternity and sorority professionals can feel socially isolated when divorced from their workplaces, colleagues, and students. Nothing demonstrates this stark reality more acutely than the recent shift to remote work many experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in simpler times, loneliness is a companion for many professionals on the road and in physically distant locations such as college towns. This reality illuminates the questions: Why does community beyond colleagues matter and how can it be successfully cultivated?
