The 1990s were a time of continued change for Mu Alpha Chapter – indeed it was a time where some felt that the very future of the chapter was in doubt.
The president of Mu Alpha Chapter in 1990 was Pete Morreale. Alicia Santana was Vice President of Service. John Goelz was elected to serve the Mu Alpha Alumni Association as President. The spring 1990 pledgemaster was Michael Cervino and Alicia Santana was the fall 1990 pledgemaster.
Alpha Phi Omega at Georgetown University, being older than most campus organizations and many contemporary campus departments, was originally given access to university benefits through the School of Foreign Service. As East Campus and Main Campus became unified, the chapter eventually found itself in the care of Campus Ministries, maintaining off-campus bank accounts and funding its own programs. After the establishment of the Volunteer and Public Service Center, it became clear that as a service organization, it made sense to make VPS its new home. After promised by the then-Director of VPS that Mu Alpha would maintain its financial autonomy and fraternal integrity, the chapter agreed to the transition. This process began in 1990.
However, in October of 1990, a scathing editorial about Mu Alpha was written by one of its own and published in the Georgetown Voice. The effects of this editorial may never be properly measured, though it can be assumed that subsequent challenges with the Volunteer and Public Service Center could have been affected by negative public perception of the chapter.
Nevertheless, for the first time in the chapter’s history, a chapter initiate rose to the highest office in the fraternity: Jerry Shroeder was elected by acclamation to serve as National President of Alpha Phi Omega at the 1990 National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri.
Regardless of the chapter’s reputation on campus, Mu Alpha Brothers Scott Barney, Michael-Alexis Courtines, Marty O’Bryan, and Paul Schroeder were acknowledged in the Winter/Spring 1991 Torch and Trefoil for military service in Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. This was a service project of the Alpha Epsilon Chapter, Louisiana State University.
Scott Hamberger served as Mu Alpha’s President in 1991. Other officers included Jeff Maher, Vice President of Service; Tracy Young, spring 1991 pledgemaster; and Andrea Pucky, fall 1991 pledgemaster. Lee Dioso was elected president of the Mu Alpha Alumni Association.
This administration successfully implemented a Section 84 Conference on April 19-20, 1991, with the theme of “Rejuvenation.” At this conference, students pursuing the charter of a new Alpha Phi Omega chapter at George Mason University became an official Petitioning Group.
In the spring of 1991 the Volunteer and Public Service Advisory Board accepted Alpha Phi Omega as a student organization subject to an annual review and contingent upon Mu Alpha taking significant steps to change its membership and service programs.
The 1992 Chapter President was Matthew Dumas. Beth Adams was Vice President of Service, Brandon Avella was Treasurer, Jeff Maher was pledgemaster for spring 1992, and Zorayda Alviar for pledgemaster for fall 1992. A Vice President for Operations position was created during this year. Kelli Auletta was elected president of the Mu Alpha Alumni Association and served for two years.
The Ugliest Person on Campus competition was held once again during 1992. It earned over $1,800 for the American Cancer Society, Calvary Women’s Shelter, and the DC Special Olympics.
In the spring of 1992, Mu Alpha reached a tentative agreement regarding the handling of the chapter’s finances, which included financial autonomy. When it appeared as though the Director of VPS reneged on this agreement, Mu Alpha failed to transfer its funds by the originally stated deadline of July 1, 1992. Though many issues contributed to the chapter’s floundering relationship with the university, it was perhaps these actions which created the most discord. A second letter was sent to the chapter in the fall of 1992 requesting to complete the financial transfer.
At the 1992 National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, Jerry Schroeder was re-elected by acclamation to serve as National President of Alpha Phi Omega.
Brandon Avella served as chapter president in 1993. In his administration were the following officers: Claudine Cangliano, Vice President of Service; Kristin Mortimer, Vice President of Membership; Devashree Gupta, Vice President for Operations; Kathi Kerivan, Publicity Officer; Jason Kovnevsky, Treasurer; Frederick Hawkins, Sergeant-at-Arms; Holly Knowles, Alumni Secretary; Gina Dyson, Historian; Andrew McPherson, Sectional Representative; Stacey Sanseverino and Kathryn Forbush, Fellowship Co-Chairs; Maurice Moon, spring 1993 pledgemaster; and Eva Bordeaux, fall 1993 pledgemaster. Brandon Avella and David Bujard also served on the VPS advisory board.
Members of the Advisory Committee were Rev. Robert J. Rokusek, Chairman; Kelli Auletta; John Celli, Rev. Joseph T. Durkin; and Prof. George R. Houston, Jr.
On March 28, 1993, the results of a survey on gender exclusive language were discussed at a meeting of the advisory committee. All respondents were proud to be called brother, none had a problem calling women brothers, and all respondents rejected a change in terminology, even though Fr. Durkin had suggested the terms “brother and sister” at this meeting. It was believed by the advisory committee that the VPS advisory board sought to change the chapter’s terminology to be more inclusive.
The long range goals of the chapter were to promote greater communication with the university, to increase membership (specifically the recruitment of men), to continue fundraising for the Phillips Trust, to consider initiating more honorary brothers, and to increase involvement with other Alpha Phi Omega chapters.
Mu Alpha chapter performed 1,533 total service hours in spring 1993 alone, not counting the man-hours necessary for the Ugly Person on Campus Contest. The chapter’s service program included the van escort program, Boy Scout Troop 1344 (for the mentally handicapped), Calvary Women’s Shelter, Food & Friends, blood drives, Capital Area Food Bank, 7-2-9 Club, House of Ruth (providing recreational activities for children in a transitional home), ushering at campus events, JIV mailings, puppet shows at the children’s ward of the Georgetown Hospital, the GU Ministry Center painting project, Hand-in-Hand, volunteering for the Dahlgren Chapel Centennial, Diabetes Foundation ticket sales, the Philipine Library Materials Project, and fundraising for the Power Endowment, which had raised over $60,000 over 11 years.
Matthew Dumas and Ashley Price received Distinguished Service Keys in spring 1993.
In an ironic turn of events, in light of the results of the chapter’s survey on gender exclusive language, the chapter issued the following resolution on April 22, 1993:
“We, the undergraduates of Alpha Phi Omega – Mu Alpha Chapter, in understanding the evolution of our organization, do hereby resolve, from this day forward that all women of our chapter shall be welcome to refer to themselves as sisters of Mu Alpha Chapter. Since this chapter was opened to female members in 1977, we have never forced anyone to accept a label with which they were uncomfortable. Sexism and human degradation in any form never has been, nor will they ever be, accepted by Alpha Phi Omega – Mu Alpha Chapter. Furthermore, we resolve to support and lobby for the elimination of exclusive language at the national level of Alpha Phi Omega.”
In May of 1993, The Director of the Volunteer and Public Service Center convened a steering committee to monitor and assess the chapter’s service program, ritual, ceremonies, and the general treatment of women. This steering committee met in September of 1993, even though the belief of the chapter was that it had met the conditions of becoming a VPS organization. Mu Alpha later submitted a 15-point statement of expectations from the Volunteer and Public Service Center and the VPS Advisory Board, affirming the chapter’s commitment to service and demanding support from its only advisory body.
In 1993, the pledgemaster responsibilities of the Vice President of Membership were made into a new executive board position, Vice President of Pledging, allowing the Vice President of Membership to focus exclusively on the needs of initiated brothers. The Vice President of Pledging would then focus on the recruitment and education of new members.
Fall 1993 service project coordinators were Kristen Mortimer and Frederick Hawkins for Washington Home, Devashree Gupta for the Scout troop, Holly Knowles for House of Ruth, Donna Shen for Calvary, Pete Ketcham for Food & Friends and the Capital Area Food Bank, Helen Cha for the 7-2-9 Club, Kathi Kerivan and Jason Kovnevsky for the Van Escort, David Bujard for blood drives, Thao Le for elderly Jesuits, and Gina Dyson for special projects. Ugly Person on Campus was also held in fall 1993.
On September 21, Jerry Schroeder spoke at Georgetown to discuss community service, the National Service Corps (later Americorps), and its importance in the community and nation. Theta Chi and Mu Alpha supported this Leavey Program Room event.
As the fall of 1993 progressed, it became clear that even after settling a financial transfer with the university – including a telephone debt from several years before, successfully transitioning from Campus Ministries to VPS, and the support of the entire advisory committee, and the active participation on the VPS advisory board by two members of the chapter (David Bujard and Devashree Gupta), the leadership of VPS was still not satisfied with the service and membership program of Mu Alpha chapter. It was then determined that Alumni Association President and Advisor Kelli Auletta and Region III Director Lee Correll would approach VPS to seek a resolution.
National President Jerry Schroeder established the National Committee on Diversity/Multicultural Advancement in 1994 and appointed Dwayne A. Hearn (Gamma Beta) as its chair.
Jason Kovenevsky was elected president in 1994. The Vice President of Service was David Bujard. Beth Brechbill was the Vice President of Pledging for the spring 1994 pledgeline.
Kindra Tully was elected President of the Mu Alpha Alumni Association in 1994. Her major achievements included strong communication, data collection, surveys, and increased alumni satisfaction during trying times for the chapter.
Fr. Robert Rokusek retired from Georgetown after 21 years – 18 years as a Mu Alpha advisor – to work as the Executive Director of the Council for Religion in Independent Schools.
Brandon Avella received a Distinguished Service Key in spring of 1994.
The most profound events of the year 1994 – and indeed the chapter’s history – are told in a story well known to Mu Alpha initiates. The chapter faced its most urgent crisis in the spring semester of 1994, leading to the self-imposed cancellation of the pledging program. These issues persisted through the fall 1994 semester, preventing the chapter from carrying out its most solemn responsibilities of recruiting and training new members. Unrelated to this turn of events, Georgetown University reclaimed Alpha Phi Omega’s office space in the basement of Copley Hall to renovate and repurpose the space. No student organizations in Copley retained their offices after this renovation was complete one year later. Mu Alpha had called Copley home since 1971.
For the first time in nearly 40 years, Mu Alpha was facing its destiny and knew that it must adapt to a new reality or face fading into history as so many student organizations had.
”The undergraduates made the decision to cancel pledging in order to provide a period of reflection so that the chapter could devise a process better suited to the present university climate. They have taken this time of reflection to put together a comprehensive revision of pledging…we should always remember that pledging is a process which strives to produce active and committed brothers. Whatever serves that end should be done, whatever hinders it should be avoided. Georgetown has changed in many ways, while pledging largely has not. The undergraduates are ardently working to create a challenging pledging process which maintains the best of our traditions while at the same time addressing the new climate within the university.” Kindra Tully and Chris Rutledge, President and Vice President of the Mu Alpha Alumni Association.
Mu Alpha’s office moved to room 433 in the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center.
On December 22, 1994, Fr. John L. Ciani died of cancer at the age of 43. He and Ms. Tanya Rush of the Campus Facilities Office had both accepted honorary membership in Mu Alpha, but neither had been initiated.
In 1995, Jason Kovnevsky was re-elected to serve as president of Mu Alpha chapter. Gina Dyson was Vice President of Service. Vice Presidents of Pledging were Donna Shen (spring) and Jessie Jowett (fall).
On February 1, 1995, the chapter submitted new pledging proposal which was accepted by the Volunteer and Public Service Center. Line 79 was initiated at Maison Française, Embassy of France, on Saturday April 1, 1995. David Bujard and Donna Shen were awarded Distinguished Services Keys immediately following the initiation of new brothers.
One week later, Mu Alpha hosted the Section 84 Conference with the theme of “Leadership, Friendship, Service – No Frills.” Held on April 7 and 8, 1995, the conference was co-chaired by David Bujard and Jennifer Amos.
By the fall of 1995, Mu Alpha’s relationship with VPS and the GU administration was described as “amicable” by Devashree Gupta. Mu Alpha brothers were again active on the VPS Advisory Board as well as the District Action Project.
A 1995 change in university policy allowed Mu Alpha to independently reserve Copley Formal lounge. Previously, only the alumni association could reserve it. This change allowed the chapter greater ability to plan and implement the New Bro/Sis party.
Jennifer Amos coordinated a new Girl Scouts project which reached out to underprivileged fourth grade girls in DC.
Principal fundraising for the Phillips trust was also nearly complete in 1995.
Jeff Huening was elected to serve Mu Alpha as its president in 1996. Jeff Miller served as Vice President of Service and Kristen Mortimer and Karyl Roberts served as Vice Presidents of Pledging for the spring and fall, respectively.
By the spring of 1996, Mu Alpha could briefly exhale to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a dinner in the galleria of the Bunn Intercultural Center and a party in Copley Formal Lounge.
Jeff Huening was elected to serve as president of Mu Alpha for a second year. Other officers were Vice President of Communications, Monica Segura; Vice President of Service, Jaremy McMullen; Vice Presisdent of Membership, Liz Khalil; Vice President of Finance, Bill Chen; Alumni Secretary/Historian, Alex Scherer; and Administrative Secretary, Meredith Duers. Tom Cassels served as the spring 1997 Vice President of Pledging and Amit Khanna served in the same position for fall 1997.
In spring 1997, Mu Alpha participated in Hunger and Homelessness Week with VPS groups. The chapter performed projects at Mary House, Samaritan Inns, and staffed tables for food and clothing drives.
A new project was unveiled in 1997. The Summerbridge Tutoring program assisted middle school students to prepare them for the Summerbridge Americorps program, an intensive version of summer school. The project met on Tuesdays at Garnett-Patterson Middle School.
On October 2, 1997, the Mu Alpha Archive was established at Lauinger Library.
Three new service projects were added in the fall of 1997. Growing Together was a tutoring program for elementary school students at St. Stephen and the Incarnate Episcopal Church. See Forever was a tutoring program at a charter high school for students in the criminal justice system. The Gudelsky Swimming program at the Jewish Community Center in Rockille, Maryland taught the basics of swimming to mentally and physically handicapped children. Other projects included Calvary, Washington Home, Mary House, and the blood drives.
During the 1997-98 year, www.mualpha.org was launched as the official website of the Mu Alpha Alumni Association.
Tom Cassels was president of Mu Alpha chapter in 1998. Jaremy McMullen served as Vice President of Service.
Line 85 was initiated in the spring of 1998 and was led by Vice President of Pledging Bill Chen. Jeff Heuning and Anice Schervish were awarded Distinguished Service Keys at the New Bro/Sis party.
Soon after their initiation, Line 85 found themselves assisting the chapter in implementing “Hands on Service” – the Section 84 Conference hosted by Mu Alpha. The Mu Alpha Alumni Association made financial contributions to ensure the success of the conference.
By the end of the spring semester, the chapter had logged over 2,000 service hours.
The Alpha Phi Omega office moved to dedicated, unshared office space in Leavey 434 in fall 1998 and remained there for ten years.
Bernadette Redondo served as Vice President of Pledging for Line 86 in the fall of 1998. This group of seven was initiated at the New Zealand Embassy.
As the 1990s closed, Mu Alpha Chapter elected Maureen Coghlan as its first woman president. The hallmarks of Maureen’s administration were the lofty goals of the service program and recovering from a significant chapter debt. Serving on Maureen’s administration were Anandi Kotak, Vice President of Communications and Alyssa Noto, Vice President of Service, among others.
Paula Lyons served as Vice President of Pledging in spring 1999. Line 87, a group of freshman and sophomores, was dedicated to the memory of Carla Lara, who died of cancer the previous year. Also on Line 87 was honorary brother Fr. Brendan Hurley of Georgetown’s Campus Ministries. The initiation and New Bro/Sis party were held in F. Scott’s, just off campus. Paula Lyons and Tom Cassels were awarded Distinguished Service Keys.
Alison Barnett was the Vice President of Pledging for Line 88 which was initiated in fall 1999.
