Monica Miranda Smalls, director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs in the Office of the Dean of Students at the University of Rochester, has been elected president-elect for the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA), a professional organization for individuals concerned with the advisement of fraternities and sororities. Smalls was slated by the nominations and elections committee and more than 50 percent of members of AFA voted in the election.
"Monica's breadth of experience within the organization and in the profession will really be an asset to AFA as we move forward with the fraternity movement," said Linda Wardhammar, Executive Director of AFA.
Smalls will serve as president-elect until her induction as president in December 2010. As the president-elect, she will act as a liaison to fraternity and sorority national associations. During her three-year term as president, Smalls will spearhead the association's next strategic plan, supervise members of the central office, and organize the association's annual conference, among other duties.
"I'm honored to have been chosen to serve in this role within the AFA," said Smalls. "I have a passion for, and am committed to, advancing the relevance of the fraternal movement."
According to Matthew Burns, the College's Dean of Students, Smalls election as president is well-deserved.
"It serves as an indication of her professional commitment and her desire to work closely with students and colleagues," Burns explained. "We have managed to build a top-notch, award-winning fraternity and sorority system here in the College. Monica, our fraternities and sororities, and our institution are all uplifted through this accomplishment."
An active member of AFA since 1999, Smalls has served on several committees, including the editorial board for AFA's magazine, Perspectives, and the peer review board for the organization's research journal, Oracle. Her work with the group has garnered several accolades. This June, Smalls was named Volunteer of the Month and in December 2008, she was awarded the Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Award.
In addition to AFA, Smalls is a member of two other professional organizations, the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), and the American College Personnel Association. She is also involved with her sorority, Omega Phi Beta Sorority, where she currently serves as the chair of the Board of Trustees. Smalls also is attending the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education, where she is working towards a doctoral degree in higher education.
Founded in 1976, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors provides support and professional development for its 1,700 members by fostering partnerships across higher education and offering innovative resources and services to those involved in advising fraternities and sororities.