Inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Announced
Published on Tuesday, September 7, 2021
After a nationwide search, Joe Wheeless will become the inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Virginia Commonwealth University on October 11, 2021. Wheeless graduated from Western Carolina University with a B.A. in Broadcasting and a M.Ed. in College Student Personnel. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Education, Policy, Planning and Leadership from William & Mary.
“Wheeless will contribute to the health and vibrancy of fraternity and sorority life at VCU,” said Charles Klink, Ph.D., Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs. “We look forward to the experience he brings related to policy development, strategic direction, and developing relationships with the many stakeholders involved in fraternity and sorority life, to strengthen the role that fraternity/sorority life can play at our institution.”
Wheeless joins VCU from William & Mary where he spent the last eight years working with fraternity and sorority life. In his most recent position as the Assistant Director in Student Leadership Development, it included direct advisement for the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the Interfraternity Council (IFC). In addition, Wheeless was involved in the creation, development and execution of fraternity and sorority educational framework, working with a student task force on sexual misconduct prevention, opening of new fraternity housing, the establishment of 6 IFC fraternities, and 2 NPHC organizations, and supporting students in launching various diversity, equity and inclusion projects and initiatives.
Virginia Commonwealth University currently has 1,200 students active in social fraternity and sorority life across 20 fraternities and 17 sororities. There are four Councils that provide governance structure for these chapters: College Panhellenic Council, the Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.