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Mu Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Omega


 

Mu Alpha is the Georgetown University chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) community service fraternity. Perhaps the most famous alumnus of the Mu Alpha Chapter is former president Bill Clinton.

Membership

Excepting transfers, every Mu Alpha member has a big brother or sister, commonly referred to as a "big." A big can be many things during the pledging process. Some bigs act more as friends and confidantes; others act as teachers and guides. The primary role of a big, however, is to act as a intermediary between the pledge and the brotherhood. Some big/little relationships and friendships last for a lifetime. At least one big and little have married.

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In the 1960s, the chapter began to organize itself into "trees", or familial networks of bigs and littles. If one person, for example, took two little brothers and sisters, and they in turn took little brothers or sisters, one could group those people together. Sometimes, especially early on, existing brothers went ahead and began trees. However, especially later, the most common way of starting a tree is to be a transfer; as the transfer does not usually have a big, he or she can start a tree.

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Mu Alpha chapter currently has 8 trees: Looney, Ashby, Chapel Hill, Elite Palm, Sequoia, Dynasty, Kehoe, and Executive "Branch". Some trees have died; that is, every remaining member of the tree graduated without taking a little. Some examples of "dead" trees are Glorious Vanderbilt and Bonsai.

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List of Officers in Mu Alpha Chapter