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21. Phi | Leading on the Alumni Level with Mark Wiggins
8 Plays1 day ago
As a fraternity man who was initiated in college, Mark Wiggins hadn't given life on the alumni much thought, let alone leadership. Next thing you know, he's leading his Kappa Alpha Psi alumni chapter. Mark visited "Ethocast" to chat about the mentality needed to shift from college-level leadership to alumni-level leadership including an experience he had guiding his chapter through an unexpected tragedy.
About the Guest
Mark Wiggins is an outstanding entrepreneur and motivational speaker with a remarkable ability to ignite passion and inspire others. As the CEO and editor-in-chief of "Off the Bench Magazine", he is a highly sought-after speaker, author, and coach.
Mark’s expertise extends to various methodologies and programs, including being a certified facilitator of the Lego® Serious Play methodology, a Master Presenter PSSP, and the co-creator of the transformative Journey to Success Program. He is also the creator of the C.O.R.E Speaker training program, designed to equip individuals with the essential skills to excel in public speaking.
With a strong background in collegiate basketball as a standout player at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Mark’s leadership skills were recognized through his three-year captaincy and induction into the UAH Hall of Honor in 1997. Leveraging his athletic experiences, he has also coached high school and AAU basketball teams, while sharing his insights as a speaker for the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) for over a decade.
Mark’s influence reaches beyond live events through his captivating podcast, “Off the Bench with Mark Wiggins”, available on popular platforms such as iTunes and Spotify. With over 25 years of experience in the corporate and communications industries, Mark is a dynamic force in empowering corporate organizations, individuals, and young people to “Move from the Bench to the starting line-up of life.
‘For the latest insights and updates, connect with Mark on Twitter and Facebook @speakerman87, and on Instagram @OTBMagazine. Tune in to “Off the Bench with Mark Wiggins” to embark on a transformative journey towards personal and professional growth.
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Transcript
Should Gumbo Contain Cream?
00:00:00
Speaker
I had question about gumbo before get started. Does it or does it not have cream in it? No. Okay. Who put cream in a gumbo? Look, man, I don't know. I had some gumbo and I'm lactose. So I was like, so I stopped eating. It's like, no, there's cream. I was like, why would you put cream in gumbo? I don't, I'm not a gumbo maker, but i would watch beat Bobby Flay enough. So I understand you probably don't put it in there.
00:00:19
Speaker
Where were Who did this monstrosity of a gumbo? Eddie, it's been some years. and now I was reluctant to even eat gumbo. and Oh yeah, gumbo. Like, mm. Okay, so they took some kind of crazy shortcut.
00:00:30
Speaker
they they They put raisins in the gumbo. That's a damn shame. You ever just ask yourself, why?
Introducing Ethocast and Eddie Francis
00:00:36
Speaker
It's episode five of Ethocast.
00:00:42
Speaker
Welcome to Ethocast, a podcast about sound leadership practices to boost life in college fraternities and sororities. I'm Eddie Francis, presenter of Followership to Leadership and the Black Greek Success Program, presentations designed to help Greeks become more ethical. effective leaders. On Ethocast, I'll share lessons learned from my college days, my career journey, and leadership research. Ethocast is a four-hour edification limited series and presented by Edify Ventures.
00:01:11
Speaker
This is Ethocast. Leadership to the letter. Welcome to ETHOcast. I'm Eddie Francis. Joining me is a brother who I have known for a minute. This is my man, Fetty Grand. His name is Mark Wiggins. And this dude is like Mr. Motivation. um Mark, what's happening, my brother? How you doing?
00:01:33
Speaker
Eddie, it's so good to see you as always. The king speaker maker. Y'all know Eddie was the speaker maker. Y'all don't let him fool you. He was the one who was responsible for a lot of this over here and a lot of other folks as a trainer back in the day, which we will never, ever forget and forever in your debt for the training that you gave us. And been watching you again for years.
00:01:54
Speaker
All you've been podcasting up and all things you've done, i'm over here rooting for you and your success. So I was glad to be on your show once again.
Guest Introduction: Mark Wiggins
00:02:01
Speaker
So for anybody who has been subject to Mark Wiggins speaking, I'm not the problem. i just want you to know.
00:02:11
Speaker
It was you. It was all you. This man is a speaker. He is an author. He's a trainer. and ah But most of all, in the context of this podcast, Mark has been active, very active on the alumni level of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.
00:02:31
Speaker
just heard say that. I know it hurt you. I appreciate the way you just said it with such enthusiasm. I'm the Black Greek success man. That's right. You're the Black Greek success. got to have all the love. And you know what? One of my closest cousins just became your frat brother.
00:02:43
Speaker
yo. yo Yeah, man. So, you know you know, we all make our decisions.
Mark's Leadership Journey in Kappa Alpha Psi
00:02:51
Speaker
We make decisions.
00:02:56
Speaker
Definitely, definitely. But yeah, man, I've been active. Woof. Well, since I've been grown, you know, you get out of college and I was in 87. Okay. aye University of Alabama Huntsville, Gamma Phi Colony back in the day for those in Southern Province. But by my card, it says Gamma Phi.
00:03:13
Speaker
But I was at UH and 87, 90, you know, we were playing ball in college. So you were there on campus. Afterwards, um, I moved to Nashville. And that's I said, I've been, a you know, pretty much.
00:03:25
Speaker
So I moved to D.C. in 93. And for years I was out because I had my own business. I really couldn't make the meetings. But pretty much since then, I've been involved with Kappa on ah on a very busy level for the most part.
00:03:37
Speaker
So and I keep forgetting that we're two years apart. Yes, right. I forgot you were 87. I was 89. And did you have a leadership position in college? No, I did good to get to the meetings and to the party. That's all I got. Oh, okay. All right. Anyway, party time.
00:03:56
Speaker
So, okay. So this makes it even more intriguing to me. So having not had a leadership position in college, did you even see yourself as a leader on the alumni level?
00:04:11
Speaker
Oh, absolutely not. I didn't get into, listen, I, It was one of those things where, but as you all know, Kappa FSI is always training for leadership, right? That's what we do, training it for leadership. And I didn't really buy into all of that, but I knew I needed to be involved in working with stuff. So you bring your talents and you bring your skillset to the chapter, like you're supposed do to church, but we all know what happens over there.
00:04:34
Speaker
and And you get involved and you go for it, you slide into the 80-20 pocket, right? There's 20% of people doing 80% of the work and other 80 complaining that they, but they ain't financial. So anyway, so- I got into our chapter early. we we chartered I was a charter member of the Lesley-Leesberg alumni chapter, which is we chartered 2009. guess I got that right. and was there two years, hanging out with the chapters, involved early, and got pulled into being a replacement second vice poll mark.
00:05:03
Speaker
Second vice poll mark had to step down the poll mark at that time, which is now the current senior vice poll mark, Paul Wilson. Shouts out to Paul Wilson. ah go He'll shoot my ass. It's Paul Robinson.
00:05:14
Speaker
if Paul Wilson's not big ball with. Paul Robinson. Sorry, big brother. Anyway, he pulled me into leadership. He said, look, I need to be second vice pole mark. And i was like, I travel too much. I got the kids. I was divorcing. I got to take care my every other week. All that.
00:05:28
Speaker
Just sit in the seat. We need you here. And got introduced to capital politics. And that's how I got. Hold on. So wait a minute. Wait a minute, Mark. This is how they get everybody. I don't care what grad chapter, what fraternity you're talking about. This is how they get you.
00:05:45
Speaker
Just sit there. You won't have to do anything. Right. i mean and and for people And for people who don't know, Nkappa or Pomark is a president, right? He's a president, correct. Yeah. right Okay. Got you.
00:05:59
Speaker
Absolutely right. So I was second vice president at the time. the best I didn't go to the board. um was a cueba i wasn't ah a reporter, exchequer, scribe, whatever y'all want to call it. I was none of that.
00:06:11
Speaker
Definitely wasn't presurer. So it was was one of those things where I had to jump in and go, okay, I'll just sit here. And that's when I began to learn about the leadership aspect and the impact were actually having.
Community Impact of Alumni Chapters
00:06:23
Speaker
So I sat there and and rolled the chain all the way up, became vice pole mark, and then um had to, we did he did three terms a year, and then I became the pole mark of the chapter. So that, yeah, I've been in leadership and then moved on to the to where the real power sits in the past called my counsel.
00:06:39
Speaker
You know, there's a whole lot of back conversations and stuff, but you are the walking history, the the continuity, the um chain to help younger people as they move through the chain to understand the history of your of your chapter and what you've been through. So it's it's an important position to be in. so when you When you actually started to get active on the alumni level, what were some of the differences that you took note of between the alumni level and the college level?
00:07:07
Speaker
First of all, they say it's a privilege, not right, and then it's expensive. Let's just talk about the the unnecessary expenses of all these doggone conferences we go to.
00:07:19
Speaker
I think they the biggest the biggest change in ah philosophy was the work we were doing. Undergrad, we were doing stuff that looked like work.
00:07:30
Speaker
which was getting through college, making yourself present, you know representing well. And you people did get involved early in undergrad and and political careers have gone great. But most of us, we were just hanging out. Let's keep it a buck, right? We're just hanging out doing a thing. We did small stuff and try to win the step show.
00:07:44
Speaker
Don't drop the cane too many times and be gone. Alumni was a little bit different because everybody got money. Everybody got time. Everybody got resources. We should be doing and having greater impact in our community.
00:07:55
Speaker
So that was the biggest change for me. and And then the impact we have in the community. People know you for your work. They go, oh, we know the Kappas are going to be here to do this. Or we know the Kappas and Kappa League, you know our our flagship youth program.
00:08:10
Speaker
Everybody has them, but we stand on ours a little bit different than everybody else does. right right We all get that work and we get these boys. That's what we're after. So that was probably the biggest change. And I got to see, once again, the influence of catching those kids earlier who didn't get to do Boy Scouts, who didn't get the youth program at church, who didn't get any of those things or band camp. what saying? They're different.
00:08:31
Speaker
They're different stuff. But now we got a chance to expose them to black excellence, black professionalism. Everybody in the room is educated or they they they claim to be educated. And we get all this stuff in the room.
00:08:42
Speaker
That was the biggest influence for me.
Fraternity Collaboration and Diversity
00:08:45
Speaker
When you were in undergrad, did you did you mingle with ah some of the members of other fra fraternities and sororities like National Interfraternity Council or conference, I should say, National Pan-Hellenic Conference?
00:08:59
Speaker
Did you get a chance to mix and mingle with ah any of those? I didn't know this difference between the Pan Hale and the National. we were on We were on the PWI.
00:09:10
Speaker
The college had was PWI, right? so yeah We mingle with the Pikes, the Teaks. yeah We do some of best parties with them white boys. I ain't going to lie. They do some really strange. We charge we charge for everything. we um Everybody paid to get in. They were giving away beer for free. We were like, hold on.
00:09:29
Speaker
we can't really do this. see time but We got charged at the door. No way. Oh, sure. Watch this. It was great time. So I ask you that because what was your reaction when you heard someone say, well, I was in a fraternity in college. I was in a sorority in college. When you heard him say that sort of thing, because I'll never forget this. let me I was actually talking to a friend of mine who was in one of the sororities.
00:09:53
Speaker
I want to say she was in theta phi alpha and we were, you know, we were just chopping it up one day, you know, just sitting there on a yard, just chopping up. And so one of the brothers passed by and we cracked a joke about the founders.
00:10:06
Speaker
her And she was like, what was that about? I said, Oh, you know, we were just cracking joke about a couple of, you know, but couple of followers. He called me Henry Arthur Callis. I called him Eugene Kingo Jones. And she was like, what? I said, well, those are two of our founders. And she said, that is so amazing that you guys know who founded your fraternity. And i was like, what do you mean? I was like, you don't know who founded your sorority. And we, so I found out that our knowledge and our dedication to understanding at least, and and I'm not going to try to speak for obviously for everybody, but at least with the Greeks where I was in school, that was a novel thing for them, for us to know date, time, place, location, you know, all of that stuff. And then the names of the founders and oh and don't you talk about, we started talking about what the founders did for a living.
00:10:51
Speaker
Right. Right. Right. It's fascinating. Yeah. The same that every time I hear the was, you kind of get that. What? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is for life. on this we Listen, we're here for life.
00:11:04
Speaker
And but that's the difference because, you know, their whole experience was undergrad. I don't know who even runs their organization. Right. It's the older people who are above and old money, but everything's undergrad.
00:11:16
Speaker
And it want you out. You were. And i I'm surprised it lasts as long as they have, you know, year after year after year. We pushed all of us pushing 100 now. But it's. a continuation thing. And unfortunately, even though we're undergraduate chartered, which is phenomenal across all facets that they did this stuff, 1900s, right? We'll throw them all together in 1900s. Yeah.
00:11:37
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And, you you know, we just had our Founders Day, January 5th, right? So we're reading about what the founders were doing at 21, 22, went to war, came back, doctored this, invented that, teacher year, educated. they all of Everybody was military. There's some military folks across the board, all kind of educating because we had access to those things.
00:11:59
Speaker
Entrepreneurship, pick one. I mean, we were all the categories and you're like, wow And then they want to start rolling off and making these alumni chapters recognize that we were only there for three to four or more years.
00:12:11
Speaker
What next? I think that may have been the distinction. like We want to be different than where everybody else. you want to carry this thing a little further and the alumni chapters because we still needed to get together. We still needed to be amongst one another.
Fraternity Values and Misconceptions
00:12:22
Speaker
Yeah. Even back then.
00:12:23
Speaker
The views expressed on EthelCast do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts, guests, or any entities with which this podcast's participants are affiliated. Questions, comments, email eddie at eddiefrancis.com.
00:12:38
Speaker
You're listening to EthelCast. I'm Eddie Francis and I'm talking to Mark Wiggins and Mark is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, and he is also someone who has had a leadership position on the alumni level. And I was really interested in talking to Mark because he has led on the alumni level. I had the opportunity to lead on the alumni level. We'll never do it again. And and and i just I just thought it would be really interesting interesting to talk about you know, what it is on the alumni level, what it is about leading on the alumni level. And also, why do we find it important to even continue on in these chapters on the alumni level? And I don't know if I ever told you this story.
00:13:18
Speaker
But when I was initiated, my chapter was the first. It was the first Panheil fraternity ah chartered at Loyola. The AKs were there. The Deltas were there. There were no fraternities. We came along and then we got our charter.
00:13:34
Speaker
Because of that, we didn't have an NPHC council. So I had to sit on the interfraternity council. Right. And I will never forget when they were discussing Rush and they were like, hey, what's Alpha Phi Alpha going to do for the Rush? And we were like, come on now. The black dudes will show up to Rush.
00:13:52
Speaker
99% them are going to be Alpha at this point. Okay. Until we get Sigma's on the yard, Kappa's on the yard, Omega's on the yard. And at the time, IOTAs were not part of Panhel. But was like, until we get them on the yard...
00:14:06
Speaker
ah Come on now. You know, why y'all making these? Because I had to go through rush, Mark. And I was just sitting there like, I don't understand what what's happening. but oh Why are we not taking our time? I'm looking for least a semester this. A semester, a semester of the year. Y'all gotta rush things through. We don't understand what's going on. Same thing on our campus, though, Eddie. We were at Alabama Huntsville, University of Alabama Huntsville.
00:14:28
Speaker
We were the first of all of them on the yard. Wow. We were the first of all. We came first, and soon after, everybody else was coming. And then, interestingly enough, because of one of the things that kind of drew me to Capham was I was watching the brothers walk around in suits and briefcases, right? And they're all engineers, and I was in liberal arts. So they're all engineers. played basketball. Oh, you slug. Yeah.
00:14:52
Speaker
So I'm watching about like the way they carried it, so whatever. And I was like, oh, here cuoo cool, cool, cool. So we got in and got situated. But when AKA then Delta came later, when Omega Psi Phi Alpha came, I'm sorry, Alpha came to the yard first.
00:15:07
Speaker
And they had us come to meet and goes, well, we just want to let you know there's another African-American organization that wants to come on board. Same thing. She goes, would you guys be okay? We was like, well, I won't say what we said, but.
00:15:22
Speaker
Y'all okay? Yes. There's just more blacks for everybody. Let's go. We saw it totally different. And we were immediately tight friends. We knew there someone who wanted to be alphas. And they were on campus. And like, oh, cool. So we always hung.
00:15:33
Speaker
Then they had to re-back it down for Omega. Omega comes on the yard. They're like, y'all want dance? Like, are you sure that you want Omega to set up in the room? Eddie. Yes, we do. Oh, okay. All right. And Lala, they came on. And AK's adults came on the yard.
00:15:48
Speaker
But we the first ones on the yard to get chartered. And then to to bring in lead that whole thing. But we were hanging out. That's how we got to hang on with the white frats. we were the other thing moving on campus. It's like you said, there's a black guy on campus.
00:16:00
Speaker
Chances are he was trying to come be a kappa. But it was just the way things went. They asked me the same question. So when i was when I was sitting on the interfraternity council, the Sigmas were trying to get chartered.
00:16:12
Speaker
And they said, Eddie, ah are you OK with that? I was like, what do you mean am I OK with that? what Who am I, God? No, I mean, yes. and and our But here's the thing that, you know, i don't want to get in trouble for this, but I'm going to be blunt. They actually said...
00:16:28
Speaker
they they actually said there're only There are only so many black guys on the yard. Are you sure that they aren't going to take all of your recruits? And I was just like, I said, OK, any dude who wants to be an alpha is going to be an alpha.
00:16:44
Speaker
Any dude who wants to be a sigma is going to be a sigma. It's really just that simple. It is really that simple. But they hit me with the same question. Are you sure? And I'm going, it's not my decision to make. Why are you asking me?
00:16:58
Speaker
Why you asking one person? about an entire fraternity chapter being chartered at a university. didn And they didn't understand, again, and in the essence of them trying to do the right thing and be right by the people that were there. Yeah, yeah. But they didn't understand the deeper... We would need to... If that drew...
00:17:19
Speaker
more black people to the campus because you couldn't get on an A&M, right?
Challenges in Alumni Leadership
00:17:24
Speaker
if A&M's pad, they got lines of 40, whatever, legacy, da-da-da-da, but you still wanted to be in that. So you came over to UH and joined, okay, cool.
00:17:30
Speaker
But what happened after that, we became these super tight friends and and understand each other's roles. and and And then we pulled together and did stuff on campus. the The exact thing they thought we wouldn't do, we did.
00:17:42
Speaker
We can work together, right? And not have an issue with it. We support them, they supported us. Now, of course, talk smack all the time, is what we do. Yeah, absolutely. But yeah, that was that was an interesting time to think, and I'm scratching my head like, why is this a problem?
00:17:55
Speaker
You afraid some of the white guys don't want to come over? hey we'll take them too. If they qualify.
00:18:02
Speaker
Had that happened too. So, getting back to, um, getting back to your life as an alumni brother. Um, all so, so, so when you When you started to get the work done, when you when when did you get to a point where you said, okay, you know what? you know These dudes, they drive me a little crazy, but um I'm glad I'm doing this. This is what it's all about.
00:18:29
Speaker
when Was there an event? Was there a situation where you got to that point? i mean, it was always that because what ah what I began to learn, and you take your our leadership lessons,
00:18:41
Speaker
And and we're we're not exempt as black organizations. Right. We're not exempt. Right. It's still about leading and taking charge. What I found interesting was that all of these black educated men in the room, some worth millions, whatever, were waiting for my black behind to say left or right.
00:18:59
Speaker
Yeah. And we're going to move unless I said left or right. I'm trying to get their feedback. Well, brother, Paul Marks, whatever you want to do. Is it really what I want to do? Let's go over here. Let's do this. That was the hardest part to get wrapping my head because I thought it was like a group decision.
00:19:12
Speaker
But I didn't recognize how much power, if you will, the leader, basilisk, Paul Mark, whatever, has and wields from the chair. And how we're always looking for that person to make the right decision on our behalf.
00:19:26
Speaker
Once I began to understand that and recognize what the responsibility of what that was, make sure i'm I'm living the principles of why we chartered this chapter in this community, the things we're supposed to do in conjunction with the overarching things.
00:19:39
Speaker
That was that moment. And when we started doing stuff in the community and when you see the look on people's faces and, oh, they're here and we knew y'all would be here. Look, they go to, you know, all of the things they say when we show up i'm across board, right?
00:19:51
Speaker
As an alumni. I've been recognize the impact we're actually having in the community. And that was cool. Giving scholarships is it was what we're all about. I mean, in our county, on this area, Alpha is the number one scholarship giver.
00:20:04
Speaker
Their fundraising event is right up there on the big major levels. They're giving us dollars, right? Which is awesome. So every dollar we're giving adds to the collective. Even if you're just giving out a ah mere thousand dollars, but you're giving it to like 10 kids.
00:20:18
Speaker
That's something and everybody gets an in and we're telling our kids to apply this scholarship. Hey, Q's got something over there. The Alpha's got something. Delta's got something. Everybody's applying this money we're gathering from different parts of the world and bringing it together giving it our community.
00:20:30
Speaker
When that's when you recognize that, you know what, my my role matters. But I'm telling you the most critical time, I believe God puts us in position and prepares us for situations that show up that you're the only one that can do that thing.
00:20:44
Speaker
one and The most tragic moment in our chapter history happened under my leadership. It was terrible. It was absolutely horrible. We had a murder-suicide in the chapter and I was a Polmark.
00:20:55
Speaker
Eddie, I'm going to tell you for those two years, seemingly forever, I was the worst Polmark meeting running brother you ever wanted to meet. i't I didn't vote right. I i was like, just yeah let's get through let's get to the meat of the meeting so we can hear from brothers. And my number one job was to keep us together and keep us straight.
00:21:12
Speaker
You know, we where we were sitting there, brothers crying out to the roof, they're cussing brothers out, like, how could you do this? And we had to sit there and just listen. One thing black men don't do is share our emotions. Yeah.
00:21:23
Speaker
But in Cap-Off-A-Side-Dells-Leesburg, during that window, amongst the other things we were achieving, that was probably one of my bigger moments is able to say that I was not too close to this brother. I didn't really know him, know him. to be able to lead and keep us together. I mean, it was we had domestic violence forums and things were popping off and men having conversations.
00:21:41
Speaker
So you look at that leadership because that's what arose under my term. I didn't get to do the all the normal stuff other Polmark's did when he get to roll programs. We did great stuff. But to me, that was my biggest accomplishment to keep that chapter together for two and a half years before I moved over to past Polmark.
00:21:59
Speaker
Yeah. And I appreciate you sharing that because, I mean, a lot of times, particularly in a divine nine community, we don't like to share when things go left, you know, and and I appreciate you sharing that because it normalizes but we're human.
Brotherhood and Support
00:22:14
Speaker
You know, these things happen with us. One of the things I heard in what you just said is something that has I don't know why this has gotten under my skin so much lately, but. you know I'll go through um'll go through Instagram, I'll go through social media, I'll see folks you know saying, hey, on my way to alumni chapter meeting, grad chapter meeting, whatever they are. And they will get really, really loud about how I am doing the business of this fraternity, though thisness of the of this sorority.
00:22:45
Speaker
and And they get to this point, I've actually heard somebody say this, well, we don't really worry too much about that brotherhood and sisterhood sisterhood stuff on a grad level. And I'm going, well, why are you still in a fraternity or sorority?
00:22:57
Speaker
and And I think what's special about the story that you just told is that you highlighted men needing men. You men needing that brotherhood, they they needed to cry. they needed to They needed to cuss about it. They needed to ask, why?
00:23:14
Speaker
Why did he do that? You know, so so i I think that's that's something that I pulled out of that story that really gives a lot more wind to the sails of how, even after we graduate from college, we still need brotherhood. We still need sisterhood.
00:23:30
Speaker
Exactly. um And we still we still need each other. So your point, Eddie, where Where else, as a black Greek, where else can you go to get what you really truly need? Who else understanding this?
00:23:43
Speaker
Yeah. Who else truly understands your ethos? right Who understands why you move like you move or the way you do the things that you do? Who understands it than another Greek? right I don't have to be in in the alpha room to understand how alpha man moves because a black Greek is going to move differently. But I know there's some principles behind it.
00:24:01
Speaker
There's some stuff that you learn that you stand on. There's uplift, there's achievement in every field of human endeavor and all these positive. Why would you not connect to something and stay connected to something that keeps you positively motivated? Kappa served for me during my dark times as a place to go hide.
00:24:17
Speaker
ah When I lost the marriage and I lost my father, whatever, I didn't need to do nothing. That's probably before became second by this poem, I was just going down. I just needed to be somewhere where no one would judge me.
00:24:29
Speaker
This brother, he lost his whole marriage over there. Yeah. Who amongst us? Right. Get some stones up in this camp. But that's not what I got. What I got was, if you want to talk about talk about it. If we about to have these beers and sit down and talk smack about the old days. What you what you up for? Right.
00:24:46
Speaker
And then, brother, how you doing? So yeah that that right there kept me probably the most engaged. It is that I know I can call and you get your little small pocket of ones, twosies, threes that you run with.
00:24:58
Speaker
But I know there's not too many brothers in that chapter can pick up the phone and call that I want A, get an answer, and B, get some information or insight. So i want to I want to end on this question. If you had to talk to anybody in any type of fraternity, any type of sorority, about making a shift from college brother or sister to alumni brother or sister,
00:25:21
Speaker
um How do they make that shift so that they can still feel that brotherhood, that sisterhood, or they can still stay engaged in service? how how What kind of mentality do you think they need to make that shift?
Advice for New Alumni
00:25:34
Speaker
That is a great question. I'm going to tell you, like the I'm to call name right this time. The Senior Vice Pole Market the Eastern Province, Paul Robinson, told me.
00:25:45
Speaker
We love you, Paul. We love you, Paul. What's up, Big Brother? When he sees this, I'm going to get cut. Anyway, all thank you he told me that when people coming in, let's put it on new the neophytes, people coming in will also equate brothers transitioning over.
00:26:01
Speaker
You already come out of college. You don't know. You're not sure what to do. get to alumni chapter. The first thing you really need to do is just shut up and sit down. oh Just shut up and sit down.
00:26:13
Speaker
Learn what's, you're not, you shouldn't be going anywhere. This is for life. We're not was and we're forever. ever But be quiet for a moment and listen to it, all of it. And then start sorting out what's good and what's not good, what's as old, what we need to let go of versus do some great traditions here we can hold onto and enhance and then add your mix to the mix, which you've been given to bring to the collective.
00:26:36
Speaker
But your first hour in the chapter is not the time to give and talk about let's look at the bylaws. I need you to be quiet. And I need you to understand some things. Let us nurture you. Let us love you. Let us show you for those out there who know what Thaumne Pai is standing on.
00:26:49
Speaker
Let us teach you that Thaumne Pai. Let me show it to you, right? And for all the other Greeks, we all got our own thing, right? But we can't show that to you when you come in thinking you know everything. What you're going to get a cold shoulder and an elbow until you understand.
00:27:02
Speaker
And those who can come in and transition, say, you know, I'm here and do the work. Work is the new street cred in alumni life. I got two hours of interviews, one hour of initiation learning and a lifetime of access to my whole life um as a Kappa.
00:27:19
Speaker
i I jest, but you get the idea. If you want to impress me, I'm OG now. I can say these things. I need you to be everywhere we are doing everything we do.
00:27:32
Speaker
If you want my respect. Until you do those things or um attempt to do those things, mean, you can't be everywhere, but do the basics. Pay the dues, pay the spot the fees, buy your tables, raise that money, flip those hamburgers, wash your cars, move that hay, whatever.
00:27:49
Speaker
What are we doing? Wait, sell that popcorn. Listen, they cussed me out. Did you sell popcorn? No. No. no run but They cussed me out. So a little quick side note. Now you got to tell a side story.
00:28:04
Speaker
So during pandemic, I have a Delta friend of mine. She was a president. I call her La Madame Presidente, right? And so she said, Mark, we're doing something amazing. well We're doing popcorn sales. Get out of here. Yeah. I said, you're not doing popcorn, Mark. We made $80,000 selling popcorn. You're keeping 50. That's 40%. Now I'm an entrepreneur, brother. I do my thing. I said, what do you have to do? Send out a text. I said, this has got to be the easiest thing ever.
00:28:28
Speaker
Took it to the chapter. Negro, you must be kidding. We ain't sold no dang old popcorn. $30,000 in five days. Stop with me. Stop playing with me. We all sold popcorn. I love popcorn. They hate it. But um make ka league i make them I make them sell it.
00:28:44
Speaker
Oh, yeah, yeah. yeah ah Be useful, kid.
Contact Information and Closing
00:28:47
Speaker
was i love you So, Mark, if if anybody wanted to find out anything about you, how can they find out about you?
00:28:54
Speaker
First thing, just go to my website, go to markwigginsonline.com. Markwigginsonline.com. And from there are all my links, um YouTube channels, a podcast, Off the Bench with Mark Wiggins. If you scroll back front, you can find Eddie on there as well. And that's Facebook, Speaker Man 87, if you're still there.
00:29:11
Speaker
um I'm about to delete myself off of the other thing that renamed itself. I'm about to come off of that. Oh, okay. So that's where to find me. Again, the podcast and digital magazine, Off the Bench Magazine is out there as well. You go to my page, free subscription.
00:29:25
Speaker
Every other month, we've got great articles coming out, great information coming out and motivation on all types of topics. So you can find me there. My dude, Mark Wiggins, speaker, author, trainer extraordinaire, the man, podcast host.
00:29:40
Speaker
And you'll find out more about Mark in the show notes. Mark, thank you so much for joining me on Ethocast. Man, thanks for Eddie. It's pleasure. You are awesome. From Alpha Man, which I have some friends in Alphas.
00:29:53
Speaker
Oh, some of my best friends are capitalists. Some of my best friends are capitalists.
00:29:58
Speaker
Ethocast is a for our edification limited series. If you like what you heard, like and follow this podcast for more leadership insights for your fraternity or sorority chapter. To find out how you can bring followership to leadership or the Black Greek Success Program to your campus or a campus near you, email today, eddy at eddyfrancis.com. Until next time, spread brotherly and sisterly love wherever you go.