Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform

08/13/2026

The numbers tell a powerful story.
📊 49,000+ student responses
🏛️ 300+ colleges and universities
Through the Piazza Center's national research initiatives, we've gathered insights from more than 49,000 students across 300+ institutions, creating a growing body of evidence that helps colleges and universities prevent hazing, strengthen student experiences, and make data-informed decisions.
These responses span our flagship research initiatives, including the Comprehensive Hazing Prevention Survey (CHPS), Fraternity & Sorority Experience Survey (FSES), Hazing Program Assessment (HPA), and Learning Outcomes of Fraternity & Sorority Membership (LOFSM).
Every response contributes to research that helps create stronger, safer campus communities. Learn more about our research: https://piazzacenter.psu.edu/research/

08/11/2026

Five years. Countless lives positively impacted.
Today, we celebrate Janie Burris Braid's five years of service and dedication to prevention at Penn State, across Pennsylvania, and on campuses nationwide. Her work reflects a deep commitment to reducing harm, preventing hazardous drinking and hazing, and helping communities implement evidence-based prevention practices.

In just five years, Janie has:
✅ Coordinated a statewide drug and alcohol prevention program for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
✅ Led two large-scale national research initiatives
✅ Built and sustained a community of practice connecting more than 40 campus prevention professionals each month

Janie's dedication, expertise, and passion for prevention continue to strengthen communities and shape the future of our field. She has also played a critical role in strengthening the Piazza Center's project management capacity and organizational infrastructure, helping support our growing impact and expanding reputation as a national thought leader in prevention.

We are grateful for all she has accomplished and excited for what comes next. Congratulations, Janie, and thank you for five incredible years of service and impact!

08/07/2026

Creating Winning Teams Through Hazing Prevention, Accountability, and Belonging!

Grateful for the opportunity to engage the Penn StateCommonwealth Campus Athletics administrators in a meaningful discussion about hazing education and prevention. Together, we explored current research, emerging legal requirements, and practical approaches to strengthening team cultures through positive leadership, accountability, and belonging. Special attention was given to the role of coaches, captains, and campus partners in preventing harm and promoting healthy team traditions.

Creating safer and more supportive student experiences requires sustained collaboration, and conversations like these are what makes WINNING TEAMS!

Thank you to Maureen Cooper – Director of Commonwealth Campus Athletics and Ryan Ehrie – PSUAC Commissioner and Assistant Director of Commonwealth Campus Athletic at Penn State.

08/04/2026

WHAT WORKS Participant Spotlight: Better questions for better prevention.

What happens when institutions have the time, support, and research resources to rethink hazing prevention?

Holly Lovern, Director of Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services, and Brian Lackman, Associate Director of Student Life and Leadership at UNC Chapel Hill, shared how participating in the Piazza Center's WHAT WORKS Study has influenced her institution's approach:

"One of the most helpful parts of participating in the Piazza Center's What Works Study has been having the time and support to think differently about hazing prevention.

The study has given us ready access to current research, exceptional expertise of the scholars at the Piazza Center and the scholars in residence, a network of colleagues to bounce ideas off, and a space where it's encouraged to test new approaches, get feedback, and learn as we go. That kind of support has made it easier to move beyond doing what we've always done and try strategies that are more intentional and research informed.

It's also helped us better understand how students think about hazing. The research tools and opportunities to hear directly from students have challenged some of our assumptions and given us a clearer picture of where prevention efforts can have the most impact.

Too often, prevention work can feel like you're building the plane while you're flying it. As a WHAT WORKS Study participating institution, we have been given the opportunity to slow down, ask better questions, and be more thoughtful about how we design prevention efforts. All of this is helping us improve how we create a safer campus community where our work resonates with what our students are navigating and creates a collaborative and healthier environment for everyone."

Thank you, Holly and Brian, for sharing your experience and for your commitment to creating safer, healthier campus communities.

07/23/2026

Ready to move beyond hazing awareness and into action?

Presented in collaboration with Holmes Murphy Fraternal Practice and the Hazing Prevention Network. Join us for an interactive working session:

Charge for Change: From Insight to Action — Launching Research-Informed Hazing Prevention in Your Organization

📅 Tuesday, August 4
🕐 1:00 PM ET (90 minutes)
🔗https://shareabundantly.zoom.us/meeting/register/DNgO5TheTXq6QCjiemT0Cg #/registration

This webinar provides a hands-on opportunity for campus and organizational leaders to work together to bring research-informed hazing prevention strategies to life.

Participants will leave with:
✔️ A deeper understanding of the Charge for Change framework
✔️ Practical tools to assess their current environment
✔️ Strategies for building and sustaining prevention efforts
✔️ Guidance for aligning leadership, policy, and practice
✔️ Actionable next steps to implement immediately

Developed by the Piazza Center and grounded in the latest research, *Charge for Change* reframes hazing as a preventable, systemic issue and provides a roadmap for building safer communities and thriving organizations.

We strongly encourage you to bring your team so you can learn, plan, and begin building momentum together.

Featuring:
• Dr. Stevan Veldkamp, Executive Director, Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research
• Dr. Emily Perlow, Vice President/Dean of Students, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Register today and join us as we move from insight to action: https://shareabundantly.zoom.us/meeting/register/DNgO5TheTXq6QCjiemT0Cg #/registration

Launching Research-Informed Hazing Prevention in Your Organization Ready to move beyond awareness and into meaningful action? Join us for an engaging, hands on webinar designed to help campus and organizational leaders bring Charge for Change to life. Grounded in the latest research and developed by...

07/20/2026

Last week, the Piazza Center’s Kimberly Davis, PhD, had the opportunity to present at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Anti-Hazing Summit alongside Dan Welter from Washington State University. Our two sessions focused on a simple but important reality: data alone does not create change. Meaningful change happens when institutions use data to inform decisions, shape strategy, and improve practice. The presentations focused on turning survey results into prevention plans and using reports to facilitate meaningful conversations with students and stakeholders. They explored how trend data, benchmarking, and student-facing reporting can support culture change when paired with clear goals, sustained action, and shared accountability.

Throughout the summit, presentations and discussions reinforced the idea that data should be used not only for compliance and assessment, but also as a catalyst for culture change. Sessions highlighted the importance of accountability, prevention strategies, strategic planning, and collaboration as essential components for sustainable progress in hazing prevention.

The University of Washington and the summit organizers created a wonderful space where researchers, practitioners, and prevention professionals could learn from one another, and we look forward to supporting campuses with their future hazing prevention efforts.

07/16/2026

We’re pleased to welcome The University of Kansas, Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life to the fourth cohort of the WHAT WORKS Study.

Through this partnership, the University of Kansas will join institutions across the country in implementing and assessing research-informed hazing prevention strategies designed to strengthen campus capacity and foster safer student communities.

We’re excited to partner with the University of Kansas and look forward to the meaningful work ahead.

07/15/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our Executive Director, Dr. Stevan J. Veldkamp, on being named a recipient of the 2026 Hank Nuwer Anti-Hazing Hero Award by the Hazing Prevention Network!

This honor recognizes leaders whose leadership and commitment are advancing the movement to prevent hazing and create safer communities. “This is a shared honor that represents the amazing scholars, I have the honor of representing.”

Dr. Veldkamp was recognized for his dedication to advancing research-informed hazing prevention and helping colleges and universities build safer communities through evidence-based policy and practice for over 30 years.

At the Piazza Center, we’re proud to supercharge hazing prevention by turning research into action - equipping colleges and universities with tools and strategies that drive meaningful, lasting change.”

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Veldkamp on this well-deserved recognition!

07/14/2026

Introducing the Campus Practice Exchange: We’re excited to launch a new Community of Practice feature spotlighting innovative, research-informed strategies from campuses across the country. This month, Mississippi State University takes the lead with training peers to influence and support peer decision-making. MSU is advancing research-informed hazing prevention as part of the What Works Study—leveraging trained peer facilitators across:
✅ New Member Experience Course
✅ Well-Being Team
✅ Recruitment Counselors

Through a structured and peer-facilitated model, new members build essential skills in:
📚 Academic success
🛑 Bystander intervention
🚫 Hazing prevention
🧠 Stress management
🌱 Leadership development

Jamie Methvin and John Michael VanHorn shared how MSU recruits, trains, and supports student facilitators, while maintaining program quality and fidelity. This is what research in action looks like: scalable, peer-led approaches that strengthen culture, enhance well-being, and create safer fraternity and sorority communities.

07/06/2026

Please join us in welcoming Stacy Kraus McDonald to the Piazza Center as our new What Works Community of Practice Coordinator!

With more than 25 years of experience supporting college students, fraternity and sorority communities, and higher education institutions, Stacy brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team.

Stacy will coordinate the What Works Hazing Prevention Community of Practice, partnering with campuses to support collaboration, professional learning, and research-informed hazing prevention initiatives. She'll work alongside the Piazza Center team and our consultants: Patrick Biddix, Nadine Mastrol, Dolores Cimini, Nichole Scaglione, and Will Frankenberger to help strengthen prevention efforts across our network.

We're excited for our campus partners to get to know Stacy and the experience she brings to this work. Please join us in welcoming her to the team!