Nations Capital -District of Columbia Alumnae Club

The History of the Nations Capital - D.C. Alumnae Club

Chartered in 1997, the members of Nation’s Capital-D.C. Alumnae Club are an active group of professional women, who live and work in Washington D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland. The chapter is diverse with members of all ages.

The club has four signature events a year (opening meeting in September, Club Dinner in November, Angel Exchange in December and New Year’s Brunch in January). Members are also encouraged to participate in interest groups, or smaller groups that meet more frequently with a common interest. And of course, members dedicate a significant portion of the club’s programming to volunteer events, specifically ones that promote literacy in the club’s community.

The club has an ongoing, yearlong partnership with an organization and a school, and then it plans multiple events across Read > Lead > Achieve^® month in September and Fraternity Day of Service in March. There is also a Welcoming Committee, made up of volunteer members who manage recruitment and onboarding of new club members. New this year, the committee started planning events specifically targeted at interested potential club members and have seen great success. New members have really appreciated the special outreach and easy transition into the club

The club hosts activities across the D.C. Metro area, from local brewery tours to "Jazz in the Garden." There are also athletic events, bocce tournaments, rock climbing outings and more. Many members are a part of the Capitol Hill Lunch Bunch; this group is made up of Pi Phis who work on or near Capitol Hill and who get together over lunch on Fridays or when Congress is in recess. These is also a group for any member who enjoys trying new restaurants for brunch. There’s a book club, as well as a wine club that enjoys outings to rooftop happy hours, wine tasting classes and winery tours. Professional development is an important component of the club; it hosts many workshops and networking events for Capitol Hill interns during July, as well as financial seminars in the spring.

Philanthropic Service

During Read > Lead > Achieve Month, members typically conduct at least three events throughout the month, one of them a book donation drive. The club submits an application for the FDS 500 Grant on behalf of a local D.C.-area school. In the past, members have hosted a fundraiser through the club’s Monthly Mingles. For the past two years, they have maintained an ongoing partnership with the Books to Prison program, and this past year organized an on-site book-sorting volunteer event. Members also work with Turning the Page, an organization that partners with schools in the city to work with students on literacy activities after school.

Each year, the club celebrates Fraternity Day of Service. Members host multiple activities across the months of February and March including book drives, on-site events with Books to Prison, Speed Reads and literacy days at local elementary schools.

Awards and Club Recognition

• Excellence in Chapter Support (2011, 2012)
• Excellence in Communication (regional)
• Excellence in Programming (2011)
• Premier Alumnae Club - Small Club (2015)
• Premier Alumnae Club - Large Club (2018)