Chris Medrano Graham wins prestigious Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Award

Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life Chris Medrano Graham has been honored with the from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA). This national award, given to a maximum of five people each year, recognizes outstanding achievements in service to the fraternity/sorority field and to AFA itself. 

Graham has made a significant impact on 花季传媒鈥檚 fraternity and sorority community since taking on her role. Her work is characterized by intentional goal-setting, expanding student leadership development, strengthening standards and accountability among chapters and fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. Under her leadership, the Panhellenic Executive Board has embraced higher expectations, worked diligently to elevate programming and built stronger connections across chapters, as well as with key partners across campus.

Sorority and Fraternity Life has been an integral part of Graham鈥檚 life since beginning her undergraduate degree.

"There were very few Latinx folks at the University of Florida at the time I was an undergrad. To succeed, I needed to be part of a community that shared my language, values and most importantly food choices! It was truly a blessing to discover there were multicultural fraternities and sororities on my campus,鈥� said Graham. She recognizes the importance of these communities for students and brings those values with her to OHIO. 

鈥淐hris鈥檚 vision challenged us to think bigger and commit to goals we had only considered in theory,鈥� says Sydney Stephan, assistant director for Sorority and Fraternity Life. 鈥淪he brought clarity to what we can achieve, and her support helped us actually get there.鈥�

Graham is also the lead author of AFA鈥檚 National Multicultural Greek Council Resource Guide and is a two-term president of the National Multicultural Greek Council. She has served as national president and national director of expansion for Gamma Eta Sorority, Inc. 

This award comes at a time when Graham has already contributed to shaping culture, policy and student experience in Sorority and Fraternity Life. Known for her collaborative approach, she engages with students, alumni, staff and national partners to ensure that OHIO鈥檚 fraternity and sorority life is inclusive, supportive and impactful for every member.

This fall, the community grew to nearly 2,000 members, with an impressive 91% retention rate and a 99% bid acceptance rate for IFC Recruitment and a 100% bid acceptance rate for Panhellenic Council.

The academic success of Greek life members has been record-breaking, with more than 1,300 members earning a 3.0 GPA or higher, including 690 on the Dean鈥檚 List and 165 on the President鈥檚 List. Graham has also supported growth and inclusion by helping three new organizations begin the process of joining OHIO鈥檚 fraternity and sorority community, expanding opportunities for students to find belonging and leadership.