Zeta Psi Partners With Lehigh University to Advance Anti-Hazing and Campus Safety Initiatives
PEARL RIVER, N.Y. (April 27, 2026) – The Zeta Psi Educational Foundation, in collaboration with Lehigh University Alumni of the Tau Delta Chapter of Zeta Psi Fraternity, have awarded a grant to Fraternity and Sorority Life at Lehigh University to subsidize the inaugural year of the office’s participation in a three-year intensive program facilitated by the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research. This partnership enables Lehigh to participate in a premier hazardous drinking and hazing prevention study, providing the institution with evidence-based strategies to foster a safer campus culture.
As federal and state laws increasingly mandate research-informed prevention programming, Lehigh University joins the third cohort of institutions in the Piazza Center study, alongside James Madison University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and other leading peers.
“We’re grateful for the support and continued partnership from Zeta Psi in supporting Fraternity and Sorority Life at Lehigh,” said Sarah Runyon, Assistant Dean/Director of Student Involvement at Lehigh University. “The collaborative spirit and investment in Lehigh’s fraternity and sorority system is a shining example of the positive, long-lasting impact a Lehigh fraternity experience can have.”
The three-year program focuses on three critical pillars to reduce organizational risk: prevention strategies, education, and assessment.
This initiative builds on Lehigh’s recent momentum in Fraternity and Sorority Life safety. In February 2026, Psi Upsilon hosted a program featuring Evelyn Piazza for fraternity and sorority new members. Of the 212 attendees, 94 completed the Piazza Center’s Hazing Program Assessment. Results indicated participants strongly agreed they could both recognize a hazing activity and knew the proper steps to stop it.
“The data and deepened understanding of the fraternity and sorority experience is invaluable to student leaders and staff at Lehigh University,” Runyon emphasized. “This program is vital in shaping a safer, more welcoming fraternity and sorority experience.”
Tyler Boisvert, Zeta Psi Educational Foundation Chief Development Officer added, “While Zeta Psi has not had an active chapter at Lehigh University in over two decades, the Tau Delta elders and the Zeta Psi Educational Foundation remain deeply committed to the University and to fostering a safer, healthier campus community for future generations.”
This partnership marks a significant milestone in Zeta Psi’s commitment to rebuilding and strengthening its long-standing relationship with Lehigh University. It serves as a model for how organizations can directly invest in the health and safety of the undergraduate experience.
“This defines collaboration,” said Stevan Veldkamp, Executive Director for the Piazza Center. “Zeta Psi alumni and leadership understand the value of a whole community approach to hazing prevention; their backing of an effective model serves as an inspiring blueprint for other organizations and campuses.”
Zeta Psi Educational Foundation
Since 1947, The Zeta Psi Educational Foundation remains committed to advancing leadership, scholarship, and lifelong learning. Through strategic investment in educational programming, leadership development initiatives, and member support, the Foundation works to cultivate principled leaders prepared to make a meaningful impact in their communities and professions. As we look to the future, we are proud to build upon our legacy of service and stewardship, ensuring that each generation of Zeta Psi brothers is equipped with the tools, values, and opportunities to succeed.
Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research
The Piazza Center, a unit in the division of Penn State Student Affairs, is a national research hub that is committed to preventing hazing, reducing substance misuse and enhancing students’ well-being in fraternity and sorority communities and all campus student groups. The Piazza Center equips professional staff and volunteers with research, tools and best practices to foster safer environments for students.
Media contact information:
Spencer Long, Chief Executive Officer
Zeta Psi Educational Foundation
long@zetapsi.org
(845) 474-2625