Maryland-D.C. Suburban Alumnae Club

The History of the Maryland-D.C. Suburban Alumnae Club

The Maryland-D.C. Suburban Alumnae Club was chartered in 1960. At that time, it existed alongside the Washington, D.C. Alumnae Club and the Northern Virginia Alumnae Club. The three clubs have always celebrated Founders’ Day as a joint effort, rotating the host club among the three. When D.C. Alpha recolonized, the Washington, D.C. Alumnae Club supported the chapter by forming a young alums subset, which later morphed into the Nation’s Capital Alumnae Club; this allowed the older generations to continue their “lunch bunch” events independently. When it became clear that the women of D.C. were not being fully supported by an alumnae club that offered what they needed, the Maryland-D.C. Suburban Alumnae Club agreed to absorb the non-Nations Capital Alumnae Club members into the club’s roster. Thus, since 2015, the membership of the Maryland-D.C. Suburban Alumnae Club includes all Pi Phis from the D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side, plus all D.C. Pi Phis who have been out of college for 15 years or more. This allows the Nation’s Capital Alumnae Club to focus on young alums and events that appeal to this demographic, while giving the older Washington D.C. alums an outlet for a wider variety of interest groups.

Philanthropic Service

In the 1990s, the club supported a local women and children’s residence called Crossway Community, which served an at-risk-for-homelessness population. Most recently, the club has adopted a local elementary school, JoAnn Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary School, to help with reading groups, to support the literacy needs of the school and to provide donations of children’s books. Members assisted in the Fraternity Day of Service 2017 events in the Washington D.C. area, in conjunction with other area alumnae clubs (Northern Virginia Alumnae Club and Nations Capital-D.C. Alumnae Club).

Notable Alumnae

• Marianne Reid Wild, Grand President (1952-58)