Leadership Highlight

Leadership Highlight: Cassundrea Lynn Thomas the Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta’s Tau Zeta Graduate Chapter in Quincy, FL

Photo Credit: Adriel Thomas @shotsbyqueena

In an effort to highlight the people who are leading graduate chapters across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to the sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s Tau Zeta Graduate Chapter in Quincy, FL and did an interview with Cassundrea Lynn Thomas the Basileus of the chapter.

The position of Basileus/president of a Black sorority chapter is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes. Cassundrea, who is the Executive Director of Fill My Cup Ministries, a published author and an accounting clerk, is a newly elected Basileus.

We interviewed Thomas, who is a Fall 1991 initiate of her sorority and talked to her about her position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in the digital age.

Read the full interview below.

What does it mean to be a chapter president to you?

Being a Chapter President is a great responsibility that I take seriously. My belief is that as a Chapter President maintaining good moral character, integrity and servitude is a must. Having a clear vision, direction and plan is necessary. Maintaining good working relationships in the community, effective communication and generosity will help with sustainability. My goal as a leader is to foster an environment that truly demonstrates love and teamwork with the understanding that we have join an organization that is bigger than us as individuals in hopes that we will strive each day to uphold our principles set by our founders: Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood and Finer Womanhood.

What specific initiatives is your chapter heading up this year and how do you think they will improve the surrounding community?

We have a few initiatives that we are heading up this year that will help improve the surrounding community the 1st would be our Chapter’s local Stork’s Nest where we partner with March of Dimes Foundation. The program is designed to promote prenatal care participation and encourage healthy behaviors during pregnancy through two components-incentives and education. The 2nd would be our partnership with North Florida Educational Development Corporation in their efforts to promote and educate healthy eating habits. Our 3rd initiative would be to work closely again with Relay for Life where we sponsor the Cancer Survivors Reception Dinner and help in raising funds for the fight against cancer.

What made you want to pledge Zeta Phi Beta?

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority has always been portrayed as an organization that believes in its principles, demonstrates respect for others, has hard working members, genuine display of love and always FINER. I’m proud to say that I experienced this first hand through the works of my Mother and Aunts who presented a clear path of my decision of wanting to join Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

What is it about your specific chapter that makes it so unique?

I’ve been an active member of Tau Zeta Graduate Chapter since 1996! What makes my chapter so unique is that I am truly blessed to be a part of a chapter that loves our organization and has always been about the greater good of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. It’s never been about our own personal agenda or motives but always about what’s best for our organization, our community and our sisterhood.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think alumni chapters across all orgs need to do to represent themselves online in 2019?

With us being in a digital world, I think our alumni chapters across all organization need to use this platform to promote our initiatives and to keep our voice relevant to current events.

What does leadership mean to you?

Good leadership is being able to lead a group of people with charisma and passion to further the vision of the organization as one voice, one sound and one team for the greater good of its community while identifying and mentoring the next successor that will continue the efforts.

Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black greekdom?

Watch The Yard is important to Black greekdom because your platform has consistently shown unbiased presentation of all organizations. You display the friendly competition between the organizations, our efforts in the community, our many outstanding accomplishments and the love we have as Greek organization for one another. We can’t do it alone, we need each other.

What does brotherhood/sisterhood mean to you?

Brotherhood and Sisterhood is having the same values, belief in the core values of the organization and unconditional love for one another. I’m grateful to be a part of an organization who is constitutionally bound aa brothers and sisters! ΖΦΒΣ

How is your chapter providing for the undergraduate chapters you support?

We support in our volunteering and monetarily.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Cassundrea Lynn Thomas for her work as the Basileus of the Tau Zeta Graduate Chapter which has a legacy that spans back to 1956.