Want to know why social closeness and connection in college is critical? Jason Corder, born in San Francisco in 1969, is a TEDx speaker, keynote speaker, author, cultural envoy, and coach who advises on mental and physical health. A graduate of Swarthmore College, he enjoyed a 20-year career as a visual artist, in which he was awarded a Ballinglen Fellowship and was a Sovereign European Art Prize Nominee. Having spent more than two decades living abroad, in Africa and Europe, he hones this global perspective into talks, workshops, podcast conversations and the like, to deepen dialogue and heighten perception. He lives with his three sons in Arizona. His TEDx talk is called "Social Closeness and Re-Establishing Connection".

In episode 464 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Jason decided on Swarthmore College for his undergraduate experience, what is was like living in Nairobi (Kenya), what he learned about the culture clash between Blacks and Whites, what is the research that shows why social closeness and connection in college is so important, why TEDx puts warning labels on some of the talks online, how we can stop our addiction to our phones, why we need to talk about mental health and wellness, and how we can find mindfulness and playfulness as adults. Enjoy!