Fraternity Foodie Podcast by Greek University

Our next guest, Leia Hunt, is a 2x childhood cancer survivor, founder of the nonprofit known as Leia’s Kids, podcast host, inspirational speaker, and author of My Battle Plan Journal. Leia has turned the devastation of her childhood cancer into a testimony of hope and faith. Leia is passionate about sharing her story and has embraced the opportunity to speak at various events. Leia’s unique perspective on surviving and thriving is a story that she is willing to share with others. In episode 436 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what Leia's childhood was like with all the side effects from chemo treatment and being blind in one eye, why she started a non-profit and how she helps other families, how does the Board of Directors help the non-profit move forward, what are some of the bills and legislation that you are advocating for, what are the journals that were created for folks who are battling childhood cancer, how Leia can help by speaking on your college campus, what are some of the future plans for Leia's Kids, and how things have gone at Collin College and then Texas A&M Commerce while running the non-profit. Enjoy! 

Do you want to know the red flags of emotionally abusive relationships? Content warning: This episode contains discussions about dating violence and sexual assault. Ashley Bendiksen is a survivor turned activist, speaker, and coach. She never could have dreamed that the dark struggles of her younger self once faced would one day lead me to her purpose. Her story and her work are her life's mission. When Ashley says that she’s a proud survivor of abuse, assault, and complex trauma, she mean this. At one point, she truly believed she was destined to be a victim, to struggle. Ashley never knew there could be more for her. That is, until it all came crashing down forcing her to make a change. Today, she is an expert in abuse prevention, a national speaker, and Top Youth Speaker. She’s also an author, an activist, nonprofit founder, co-owner of a life coaching agency for youth, and founder of the Blue Hearts Project. Oh... and she’s a nerd, a journaler, a discreet punster, tireless adventurer, she likes to sing, she plays the piano, and she hangs at the ocean year-round (yep, in the New England snow). In episode 454 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out more about dating violence and sexual abuse by Ashley's first boyfriend at age 14, what made her choose UMass Lowell for her undergraduate experience, how she got into another abusive relationship at 18 which caused her to drop out of school, how college students should be approaching relationships, what are the red flags of domestic violence and emotionally abusive relationships, how to get out of a toxic relationship, how college students can support their friends/sisters/brothers, ways we can increase safety and prevention such as teaching consent or bystander intervention, and what Ashley's new book called "The Language of Time" is all about.

Are you interested in personal branding AI websites for college students? Deb Dutta is the CEO of Criya - an AI tech startup backed by the prestigious Y Combinator and top tier VCs. Deb is a female immigrant founder with 13+ years of experience as a successful Product Executive at PayPal, Microsoft, Hitachi. Deb holds a Masters degree from Carnegie Mellon in computer science. Featured on Forbes, TechCrunch, New York Times, CBS and Y Combinator, Deb is an established keynote speaker, Forbes contributor and leads the Women in Product chapter. Aside from that, Deb actively mentors women to develop their skills in product management, entrepreneurship and fundraising. As the CEO of Criya, an AI startup, with a mission to shape the future of Professional Excellence. Deb’s vision is to empower every professional to level up their professional presence and collateral with AI, in 20 seconds with perfectly designed, on-brand web pages. In episode 453 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out about the importance of women in Tech and why Deb is so passionate about it, what is a Head of Product and what are the daily responsibilities like, how the product for Criya came about, how she was able to raise over $5M in VC funding, why personal branding AI websites are important for college students, what is her response to those in higher education that are hesitant to embrace AI, how college students can grow their network, what is her time management advice, and how college students can lead their organizations to success. Enjoy!

Having worked for both a fraternity HQ and professionally on campuses for over a decade, Cory Bosco has worked with communities of all sizes across most of the US and Canada. While currently working as the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Bradley University, Cory has also helped create large-scale learning strategies having served as the Conference Chair and on the Conference Leadership Team for the Northeast Greek Leadership Association’s Annual Conference. Cory’s drive is to help fraternity and sorority members recognize the potential that they have to be transformative leaders, change thinkers, and tone setters for their own campus and beyond. He believes that fraternities and sororities serve an ever more pivotal role in our changing society and the college experience. Cory is dedicated toward providing skills development and practice for our fraternity and sorority members so that they may excel as leaders within their own chapters, councils, and communities. Whether you are looking to build up a chapter or strengthen a whole community, Cory has the experience, passion, and vision to help see your community grow and succeed. In episode 452 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, Cory tells us why he chose SIUE for his undergraduate experience, what was special about Sigma Pi that made him want to join, what it was like working for the Sigma Pi headquarters as an Educational Leadership Consultant, what his advice is for choosing a Student Affairs Program, what he is most proud of from working with NGLA, what he learned by working with the Fraternity and Sorority community at UMBC, how the community is different at Bradley University, why other campuses should work with Cory on leadership workshops, and what a membership review looks like in your chapter (perhaps we should be doing them on a regular basis - proactively). Enjoy!

Are you a college student trying to find your life purpose? The NY Times did a study that showed that only 25% actually know their life's purpose. People are wandering through life unsure about why they are here on this earth. Most of us will start with why to find their purpose, but in reality we should end with it. As a former collegiate athlete at John Carroll, to playing basketball overseas in China, Tyler Cerny transitioned his competitive nature into growing and scaling businesses. He has scaled dozens of companies by helping them grow collectively by more than $10M. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the personal development industry like Tony Robbins, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, and Grant Cardone, to name a few earning him a spot as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship. When Tyler is not working on scaling brands, he spends time with his beautiful wife, goes to the beach in Florida, and serves at his church. In episode 451 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how Tyler was able to get beyond his struggles with his speech impediment as a child, why he decided to go to John Carroll University,  what it was like to meet Jack Canfield, how his TEDx talk called “How to Find Your Life’s Purpose” has changed his life, and what is his advice for college students trying to find their life purpose. Enjoy!

Looking for dating tips in college? Dr. Sarah Michaud is a clinical psychologist in central Massachusetts. After twenty years of sobriety, she was forced to confront the shame of her husband relapsing and the desperate behaviors that occur when one attempts to save another. What unfolded was a life that she could never have imagined. Her book, “Co-Crazy: One Psychologist’s Recovery from Codependency and Addiction”, is about her journey back to her true self, the warrior and woman she was meant to be. It will help anyone who wants to live beyond trying to save, fix or change another, whether it is a child, a spouse, or a friend, addicted or not, and get your life back. It will help transform you from codependency’s profound and debilitating effects and settle into a life of authenticity, laughter, openness, and peace. In episode 450 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out more about Sarah's drug addiction in her youth, what made her want to get into clinical psychology later in life, how to stop worrying about what others think, how to stop being focused on fixing everyone around you, what we should do when an interaction or an event triggers a childhood trauma, how you can allow yourself to feel angry without acting out in anger, what happens when we don't speak up because we don't want to "hurt someone's feelings", what are some tips for better communication so the people in your life feel heard and validated, and what are some dating tips while you're in college. Enjoy!

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx Speaker and was recently announced as one of just 15 SUCCESS Magazine Emerging Entrepreneurs. He is also the host of the top rated ‘Let’s Do Influencing’ Radio Show, founder of the growing bLU Talks brand, and has been featured in multiple television specials. He is a Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books and Kobo Bestselling Author, Award Winning Author, and the co-author of the Wall Street Journal / USA Today Bestseller, Quitless. A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, Corey has interviewed over 7,500 of the world’s top leaders, including everyone from Ken Honda, Lisa Nichols, Dr. Shefali, Deepak Chopra, and he has spoken on-site at events at Harvard, Columbia, MIT, UCLA, Stanford, Cambridge and more recently to Microsoft team leaders and at Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle retreat which has featured everyone from Brian Tracy to Mark Victor Hansen. Corey is now releasing "The Enlightened Passenger" book with Morgan James Publishing. In episode 449 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how college student can find their purpose, how we can expand our comfort zone, how college students can double their personal income, how we can use meditation for manifestation, what are the common threads identified in terms of successful leaders, and how you can learn the practice of focus and being all in. Enjoy! 

Miss Charlynne Boddie is an ordained minister with a prophetic edge, seasoned media professional and Hollywood producer, author, international life coach for people of all ages and has served as a corporate, police and military chaplain in the US and Europe. She is a former lead press officer for the White House, Ambassador for Israel and recent Pentagon instructor who has worked for both the Clinton and Bush Administrations for several of America's largest national disasters. In episode 448 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out more about Charlynne's life as a child, what made her decide to attend Oral Roberts University, what it was like to work as a press secretary in the White House for Bill Clinton’s administration, what it was like meeting Oprah, how she was able to meet Beyoncé, how college students can find their purpose in life, how major health scares has shaped how she approaches each day, and what are some tips for writing that will bring peace into your life. Enjoy!

Maria Maldonado Smith is the Chief Empowerment Officer of MMS Consulting and creator of the Executive Vision Imagery program. Maria joined Alpha Delta Pi at the University of Kentucky, and she is a former Miss Kentucky who made the shift from the Miss America competition to Corporate America. After 18 years of award-winning success in the corporate space working as a sales leader for Fortune 500 companies across three different industries, Maria brings her unparalleled combination of experience to her proprietary process and interactive trainings, helping companies understand the science and benefits of goal-setting for their employees. She equips leaders, employees and organizations to clearly define goals and create a roadmap to achieving them, which allows for better alignment with corporate culture, leading to increased productivity and profitability. Maria has served numerous national and international clients, including US House of Representatives, Disney and Paramount Studios. In episode 447 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out if Maria was always thinking about big future goals with such optimism, what made her choose the University of Kentucky, what the experience was like in 2004 to be crowned the first Hispanic Miss Kentucky and then wun the opportunity to represent Kentucky at the Miss America 2005 pageant in Atlantic City, what made her decide to head into the corporate world, how does she create a vision for the future using Executive Vision Imagery, what college students should consider when making a resume, how to excel at the interview, and how students can motivate the members of their fraternity or sorority. Enjoy! 

Aaron Patterson has overcome years of roadblocks and failures so he leads vulnerably with his scars first, he’s been a youth mentor for over eight years and comes from the music industry so he has a knack for storytelling and connecting with students past the surface. His presentations challenge students to be more because they’re made for more. Leaving them inspired and ready to break free from any negative cycle stopping them from having a brighter future. We’re living in a day and age where young people are struggling mentally and suffering in silence, people are feeling hopeless and discouraged every day they wake up. That’s why Aaron strives to empower each student to harness the power of their pain, transform it into purpose, and thereby create a brighter and better future for themselves and the community. In episode 446 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how we can prevent students from dimming their light just to fit in with the crowd, what made Aaron decide to get sober, how to transform pain in your life into your life's purpose, how we can shift away from alcohol/drugs on college campuses, how to improve retention in your organization, how we can discover the leader that is inside all of us, what are some tips to improve your GPA, and how we can adopt a positive mindset. Enjoy!

Mike Starr managed a successful $100 million dollar a year manufacturing business. He is an avid adventurer who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro & canoed 54 days from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. He is an executive life coach, former nuclear trained submarine officer, & seasoned problem solver. Mike empowered dozens of business improvement teams with “one simple question” to clearly identify obstacles & implement lasting solutions. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in E.E. He is active in the NAMI & Al-Anon communities & has been married for 44 years; he lives in Conway, AR. In episode 445 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why he and a friend canoed 1850 miles from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, what it was like to go on a hitchhiking Odyssey for 5 months, how his time in the Navy impacted his life, why the foundation for success lies with conviction with our values, how organizations can do what we say we will do, why language is so important, what is "betterism" as described in his book "Journey into Peace", and how college students can design habits and routines to be better automatically. Enjoy! 

Mike Hassell is educated formally as an engineer (Georgia Tech BEE), humanist (Vanderbilt Master Liberal Arts & Sciences), and executive (Harvard MBA), Mike Hassell is a Renaissance man and a brother of FIJI, reflecting on the fruits from 50 years of curiosity and various pursuits in science, history, psychology, and philosophy. Mike co-founded and managed Knowledge Products, an audio publisher (1985-1998) of 140+ titles on the great ideas of history. During the next 20 years as a senior executive in startup/early businesses, Mike’s main hobby was reading widely in non-fiction – accumulating yet more ideas and resources to fold into the book called Deep Tradeoffs. Deep Tradeoffs packs in 315 quotes, from Aristotle to Stevie Wonder, in 200 pages. By thematically connecting these chunks of wisdom in a thoughtful, probing, conversational overview, Mike illuminates eternally conflicting values and truths. He shows how they’ve been conflicting for millennia -- and underlie today’s raging culture wars. In episode 444 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Mike chose Georgia Tech, why he decided to join FIJI, how he knows which business ideas are good ones that are worth funding, what made him want to write the book "Deep Tradeoffs: Finding Balance and Respect In A Polarized, Angry World", when should we confront vs. accept, is it ‘idealistic’ to be earnestly optimistic or ‘realistic’ to be cynical and pessimistic, when is deception necessary, and what is the best way to manage conflict in our fraternity or sorority. Enjoy! 

In high school, Shaan Patel was like most kids. He was a good student who got As and Bs. However, he was a poor standardized test-taker. Shaan had a lot of test anxiety, had no idea how to prepare for standardized exams, and received only an average score on his first SAT.After spending hundreds of hours studying for the SAT in high school, Shaan raised his SAT score 640 points from average to perfect. Only 0.02% of all high school students achieve a perfect SAT score. Shaan’s perfect SAT score completely changed his life! He received admission to top universities and over $500,000 in college scholarships. Now, Dr. Shaan Patel has created Prep Expert to help high school students achieve their own dreams. Prep Expert has helped more than 100,000 students improve their SAT and ACT scores, get into top colleges, and win over $100 million in scholarships. Prep Expert offers online SAT and ACT courses, academic tutoring, and college admissions consulting. Dr. Shaan Patel completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the University of Southern California, Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Yale University, Medical Degree (MD) at the University of Southern California, and dermatology residency at Temple University Hospital. Dr. Shaan Patel is the Founder and CEO of Prep Expert. On ABC’s Shark Tank, he closed a deal with Mark Cuban for an investment in Prep Expert. Dr. Patel is also a board-certified dermatologist who practices teledermatology. In episode 443 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how Shaan was able to boost his SAT score to a perfect score, why he chose to go to school at USC, how he was able to get Prep Expert onto Shark Tank, how Mark Cuban was able to help him propel his business after the show aired, what is the business secret to reaching over 100,000 clients, why so many colleges are reinstating their standardized test requirements after getting rid of it years ago, what are some tips for college students reduce their costs and debt, what was the Entrepreneurship Panel Shaan co-hosted to help underprivileged youth in Chicago, and whether he's still practicing as a dermatologist like he said he would on Shark Tank. Enjoy! 

Mike Vasquez’ own mother was a victim of the opioid crisis in 1961 and struggled with addiction for the rest of her life. Mike started a business that helped thousands of opioid-addicted patients successfully detox. Mike also: - Filed the first prevention patent in the opioid crisis - Has been named to the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame - Received the National US Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award - Developed the first electronic medical record system with AI to go public on the NASDAQ - Has been endorsed by a former US “Drug Czar” and former DEA Head, he has saved large, self-insured employers millions of dollars a year in healthcare costs and liabilities and saved lives in the process. In episode 442 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what made him want to join Kappa Sigma at the University of Iowa, why he transferred to Drake University, what it was like to go public on NASDAQ, how college students can take a more active role in alcohol/drug abuse prevention, what made him and his wife build opioid detox programs, how artificial intelligence (AI) is a promising and transformative tool for preventing drug abuse, what you should consider if a doctor wants to prescribe a painkiller for you, how 42 States will spend $26.0B over the next 18 years for the opioid crisis, what is the missed opportunity in the 70% of people in America’s jails (12.0M every year) that would be assessed as addicted, and how we are going to finally solve the opioid crisis. 

Kathy Gardarian is the Founder and CEO of Qualis International Inc., a multi-million dollar sales and distribution company. She has served as a director on many boards, both corporate and non-profit, including Van’s Inc., The World Business Academy, Chapman University, The Gorbachov State of the World Forum, and the Woman’s Leadership Board at Harvard’s JFK School. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Woman Business Owners, and her company Qualis International Inc. has been one of the top forty woman-owned businesses in Orange County in Southern California. She lives in Newport Coast, California and published the book called "The Wisdom of Love in Business". In episode 441, we find out why she decided on Cal State Los Angeles for her undergraduate experience, how her company (Qualis International) has been so successful, how meeting the Dalai Lama changed the way she approaches business, where college students can do to find mentors, how college students can get better at solving problems, why you shouldn't stay for the money if you're unhappy at work, how you can clarify your intentions with people around you to reach your goals, why lifelong learning is so important, and how you can balance your masculine and feminine energies. Enjoy! 

Marjorie Hope graduated from Salisbury University and obtained post graduate certifications from the London School of Economics, and Harvard University. As a competitive gymnast, she owned and operated a large gymnastics school, embracing the synergy between mind, body, and spirit while incorporating the importance of being “fit for life” and that “more is possible”. In 2016 she founded America Connected, an international non-partisan, non-profit organization teaching people around the world how to connect through cultural diplomacy. They embrace an entirely non-partisan, non-political and proactive approach to bringing people of the world closer together and discovering that they share much more in common than what separates them. In episode 440 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Marjorie chose Salisbury University for her undergraduate experience, what is the significance of gymnastics in promoting health, why it's important for college students to create circles in their life, whether social media is a connector or a disconnector, what students should do if they see a red flag from someone they are connected to on social media, what does America Connected do, what we should do if we see political divisions in groups that we belong to, why the family dinner is so important, and why connecting different nations is so important. Enjoy! 

Rob Dubin is an international keynote speaker and Amazon #1 Best Selling author on happiness and employee engagement. His TEDx talk on Happiness has been viewed over 250K times. Rob was an award winning filmmaker who traveled the world making TV programs and commercials for Fortune 500 companies. He is also a serial entrepreneur who created multiple 7 figure businesses. After a near death survival experience that would have sidelined most, Rob bounced back more resilient than ever. At the age of 42 he and his wife sold their home, moved onto a 40’ sailboat, and spent the next 17 years sailing around the world studying human happiness and fulfillment. Given the ever changing nature of life at sea Rob learned first hand the key traits of resilience. Today Rob gives back by teaching courses in resilient leadership and employee happiness which increase engagement and reduce burnout. In episode 439 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how he and his wife survived a snow storm for days while missing in Aspen, Colorado with no tent or sleeping bag, how being happy in his subconscious mind ultimately saved his wife's fingers and feet, what he learned about happiness and personal growth by sailing around the world for 17 years, why visualization is so important, how we can rewrite the stories of our past failures, how to overcome fear, what is his advice in retaining our members or employees, and how to balance business success with personal fulfillment. Enjoy!

Joel Dubin is a retired cybersecurity consultant turned humor author and foreign languages enthusiast. "The 7 Habits of Highly Dysfunctional Companies" was inspired by stupidity he observed at companies who sabotage not only their security but their business, as well. The 7 Habits are the most common problems he saw at screwed up companies around the world. This isn’t a typical business book. It’s a humor book poking fun at office politics, bureaucracy and toxic work environments, all ingredients of successful dysfunctional companies. It’s sort of an anti-manual of how not to run a business. Joel is the author of both editions of The Little Black Book of Computer Security and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. In episode 438 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Joel chose Northwestern University for his undergraduate and MBA, why he decided to write the book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Dysfunctional Companies", how college students can evaluate potential employers to avoid dysfunctional companies, why so many companies are bad at customer service, how we can make companies more efficient, how we can eliminate unnecessary meetings that could have been emails, how companies can retain their best employees, and what Joel's thoughts are on remote employees. Enjoy!

In the fall of 1994, Nathaniel Turner learned he would become a father. Given the tumult of his childhood, Nathaniel was terrified that he would be a chip off the wrong block. Determined not to sentence his child to the same adverse childhood experiences Nate suffered, Nate did something novel. He studied backward design and how he might apply it to parenting. The backward design approach worked phenomenally for his son. In addition to raising a multilingual child accepted to 27 of America's best universities, receiving a fellowship to earn his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and full-ride to NYU's Stern School of Business, to name a few highlights, Nate discovered that the tools, techniques, and strategies used to aid him on his educational and life journey were applicable for Nate’s own life. Nowadays, Nate enjoys sharing what he knows about raising children and helping students get in and graduate from their dream schools with little to no debt. Equally important is that he gets to share with others how to design your life backward so that you can live your life just as you always imagined. In episode 437 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how Nate was able to rise above 8 adverse childhood experiences, what made him choose Butler University, what made him want to join Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., what is a life template and how does it work, how do we raise dreamers who embrace the responsibility to change the world, why do other generations like to attack generation Z, how universities can improve their retention and graduation rates, how fitness watches can help you, and what are some diet and nutrition tips for college students. Enjoy!

Professionally speaking, Philip Blackett is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their dream businesses, while utilizing his skillset in sales, marketing and business development. Philip served as President of Cemetery Services, Inc., a seven-figure business he bought based in the Greater Boston area. He’s worked at FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Chick-fil-A. Philip graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with his Masters of Divinity (M.Div) degree with a concentration in Great Commission Studies. He also earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. In college, Philip graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, majoring in Political Science and Economics. Philip is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. When he is not fulfilling his purpose, Philip enjoys reading, watching sports, and raising his twin daughters, Sofia and Elizabeth, with his wife Mayra. In episode 435 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Philip decided to go to UNC Chapel Hill, why he decided to join Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., what makes companies like as FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Chick-fil-A successful, How can we navigate tough conversations and disagree with someone's views but still respect and love that person, how can we train ourselves to be open to new ideas and thoughts, what lessons he learned from his first failed business, what are the core four of dream business growth. Enjoy!