We were lucky to catch up with DR. Hildra recently and have shared our conversation below.

DR. Hildra, how did you actually start – what was the process of going from idea to execution – walk us through some of the main steps that allowed you to launch your business? Tell it to us as a story – you had the idea, then what happened? What was the next day, hour, month or year like? What did you have to figure out, look into, setup, etc in order to move beyond the idea phase and actually launch?

The idea first began during a contract I accepted as a researcher for a university, where I participated in a fully funded institutional research project focused on retention rates among students enrolled in online programs. As I analyzed the data, I noticed a significant gap in the student experience for online learners. They had little to no access to traditional sorority and fraternity life, which often can play an important role in student engagement, support systems, and overall retention. That insight sparked a broader vision to reimagine Greek life for current students in online programs.

During this period, I was contributing to original research as part of a broader institutional study. Although the work was not conducted within a doctoral program, I later used key findings to shape an independent study aligned with my doctoral pursuits. Because the research was conducted under contract, and the university had specific authorship and usage policies, I followed the proper process to request rights to expand on the work independently. That expansion laid the foundation for what would become Sigma Chi Psi and Gamma Sigma Gamma.

I knew I wanted to create a solution that addressed the social disconnect often experienced by online college students, but I was uncertain whether to focus solely on events, despite my background in working large-scale experiences for major movements, or to explore social and service-based initiatives inspired by traditional sorority models. As someone who is naturally introverted and tends to overanalyze, I questioned the scale of the vision I was developing. The idea quietly lingered for nearly a year while I concentrated on my independent study and reflected on how the concept might one day take shape. It wasn’t until the final semester of pursuing my second master’s degree at Strayer University, where I was intentionally experiencing online education firsthand, that the concept truly began to resurface. Still, at that time, I had yet to take action.

In October of 2020, I woke up unexpectedly and, for reasons I still cannot fully explain, opened Strayer’s student forum. It was something I had never done before. The first post I saw was from a student asking, “Are there any sororities at Strayer?” I read a few of the responses and closed the forum. Later, almost instinctively, I reopened it and typed a new post sharing my idea to start one. As soon as I hit send, I put my phone down. To this day, I cannot fully explain what came over me. It felt as if someone else had written that initial post, as though the moment flowed through me instead of coming directly from me. Looking back, I still can’t say with certainty whether it was a divinely guided path, but it continues to unfold in a way that feels purposeful.

At the time, I was balancing work as a higher education researcher, completing two degrees, and managing side businesses. After realizing what I had posted, I told myself that if I returned from running errands and found any real interest, that would be the sign I needed to step out of my comfort zone and move forward.

When I returned home to check the post, I was stunned to see that I had received hundreds of replies and emails from students expressing interest. I immediately called a former colleague and close friend of over 15 years, Stephanie Robinson-Scott, to share what had happened and to let her know I was going to need help. She has always supported anything I pursued and, as someone who genuinely uplifts other women, she responded without hesitation. “I got you. Just tell me what you need from me,” she said. That moment marked the beginning of a true partnership, and the idea officially began to move from idea to execution.

October 14, 2020, marked the beginning of our journey. Where we started is far from where we are now, and that growth is a point of pride. The journey hasn’t been easy, but what began as a research-based idea grew into Sigma Chi Psi, later expanding into a brother organization, Gamma Sigma Gamma, and ultimately forming an entire association committed to belonging and support for online college students.

In 2024, under the Presidential leadership of Nakia Shy and Dennis Lee we entered a season of transformation. We redefined our foundation, refined our structure, and reaffirmed our purpose. Now, in 2025, our fifth year, we are confidently stepping into a new era. We are progressing with intention, examining our habits, stretching our vision, and growing beyond the foundational boundaries we have already crossed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I currently hold four degrees and, while I am a graduate of a few institutions, I am especially proud to be a graduate of the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN, where I first experienced Greek life and meaningful student engagement. I am also the Founder of the SCP and GSG Association, alongside Co-Founder Stephanie Robinson-Scott. Our organization is home to the first Greek-letter organizations primarily focused on serving online and nontraditional learners: Sigma Chi Psi Sorority and Gamma Sigma Gamma Fraternity.

Our goal is to complement the resources institutions offer to online learners by providing brotherhood, sisterhood, leadership opportunities, and in-person connection through national, regional, and local events as well as community service initiatives. All organizations are independently operated, privately owned, and rooted in a multicultural foundation.

We launched in 2020 during the pandemic, and since then, we’ve grown through the dedication of every leader and member who has joined us. Their involvement, experiences, and feedback have shaped the organization into what it is today. We are proud of how far we’ve come and grateful to those who continue to support our mission with grace, understanding, and purpose. To date, we’ve welcomed over 900 individuals, secured our first honorary member, and established meaningful partnerships.

We’re more than a sorority and fraternity. We are a movement that is redefining what a meaningful and impactful community looks like for online learners and nontraditional students. We are actively accepting applications for potential new members, open to partnerships, and welcome individuals who wish to support our mission through funding, resources, or connections that help us grow and reach even more students.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Yes, Mel Robbins’ Let Them Theory has significantly influenced how we assess things, especially as we reflect on our past and step into our fifth year. While the concept has existed in various forms, her book frames it in a way that is both practical and freeing. It reminded us that we cannot control outcomes, people’s reactions, or how others choose to engage or not engage with our mission.

As founders, we’ve learned that not everyone will understand the vision and mission, support it, or show up in the way we hoped. The Let Them mindset helps us remain focused on what truly matters, let go of emotional weight that no longer serves us, and trust that the right people will continuously align with us at the right time and during the right phase of the organization’s growth. Although this is easier said than done, it offers a perspective that encourages peace, clarity, and long-term sustainability, especially when relying on others to help carry out a vision that is both personal and purpose-driven.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the clearest examples of my resilience came in 2023, during one of the most challenging seasons of my entrepreneurial journey. I’ve always been a strategic, purpose-driven individual, intentional with every decision and fully invested in the organizations built since 2020. Between 2021 and 2022, growth accelerated faster than anticipated. In that momentum, we made a series of financial missteps and overlooked key legal and operational safeguards.

In January 2023, we experienced a significant disruption in revenue management, and the weight of that reality was overwhelming. It remains the most difficult chapter I have faced. I have endured many challenges in my personal life, but those moments typically affected only me. This, however, was different. It was a challenge that impacted others, and that made it much heavier to carry.

That year tested every part of me: my faith, my vision, and my purpose. I found myself in countless conversations with God, asking questions I had never voiced before. Still, no matter how hard things became, something within me would not let me give up. One truth remained constant: trusting God has always been my anchor, and that is something I owe to my parents, Pastor Ted and Joann Starks. Even in the most unbearable moments, something would always intervene, whether it was a message, a member, or a quiet reminder, to reaffirm my “why.” The mission and the vision have always been bigger than me, and those reminders kept me grounded.

The financial setback of 2023 created ripple effects that we continue to navigate. And yet, we are still standing, still learning, still growing, and still trusting those called to help carry the mission and vision forward. This October, we will celebrate our five-year anniversary at our national event in Atlanta, GA. I have never felt a milestone more personal. Our theme this year is “Evolve or Repeat.” It calls us to reflect and ask whether we are moving forward with intention or simply repeating what feels comfortable.

As Viktor Frankl once said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

That is my story of resilience. When everything seemed to fall apart, God did not allow me to quit. My response was to trust Him. My assignment was to continue to move forward with faith because the way had already been made, to believe that the vision was never planted without provision, to know I was never meant to carry it alone and to know the right people, the right resources, and the right opportunities are always on the way. And now, in the space we occupy today, we hold the power to choose how we move forward. That, to me, is the essence of resilience: recognizing that even in the hardest moments, there are decisions to make and responses to choose. Whether in relationships, family, or business, those choices still offer the opportunity to grow, to evolve as visionaries, as leaders, and as a collective movement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sigmachipsi.org/
• Other: https://gammasigmagamma.org/