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CHAPTER HISTORY
Alpha Phi Omega was introduced to the Georgetown University community
by John Buckley, one of the founding members of APO at Florida State
University. In the Spring of 1955, largely through word of mouth, 20 active
individuals under the sponsorship of Dr. Frank Mann, began a program of
service as part of the petitioning process.
Because only the School of Foreign Service (SFS) had fraternities, APO in its fledgling years was under the de facto control of SFS. Dirck Teller acted as President and during the 1955-56 academic year, the petitioning group organized fundraisers and worked with the children of a local orphanage.
In March of 1956, the national Fraternity granted the Georgetown Petitioning Group a charter. Mu Alpha became the 265th chapter of Alpha Phi Omega and had 29 original chartered members. The charter was granted to the chapter in a ceremony at the University of Maryland - College Park, home to Epsilon Mu Chapter. Fr. Fadner, SJ, the regent of the School of Foreign Service, was installed as an honorary Brother. The faculty members on the charter included Fr. Fadner, Fr. Collins, Henry Cunningham as the moderator (advisor), and Dr. James Hunter.
Largely affiliated with Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Fraternity, Inc., at the outset, APO broke away from DPE under the leadership of chapter President Mark Phillips. Without affiliation with DPE, APO came to represent the campus as a whole instead of just the School of Foreign Service. The first non-SFS pledge, Jay Ossman, pledged in 1963. Since then, APO has had representation from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McDonough School of Business, as well as the Nursing and Language schools.
Mu Alpha Chapter has accepted women since 1977 with our first female President, Maureen Coghlan, elected in December 1998. Women in Mu Alpha Chapter are referred to as Brothers on the National level, but have the choice to be referred to as either Brothers or Sisters at the chapter level.
Mu Alpha chapter is unique in many more of our traditions. We still pledge in lines, according to height, and number the lines according to the semester that they pledge. For example, the Spring 2006 line is the 101st semester that a line was initiated into the chapter. Therefore, the Spring 2006 line is known as Line 101 within the chapter. Other chapter traditions include line paddles, nicknames, pledge books, and our New Brother/Sister party, which is the culmination of each semester's pledging.
For a history of the National Fraternity, click here.
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