We’re launching a multi-part series this summer called #MeetTheMus, where we’ll introduce one of our Phi Mu Foundation Trustees each week, and give you an inside peek at what drives their passion for the lifetime development of Phi Mu women.

Our Trustee spotlight for this week is Past National President and current Trustee Robin White Fanning.

What made your collegiate Phi Mu experience special?

My collegiate experience was special because my closest friends and I were able to select a new sorority to bring to our campus, and that was Phi Mu! I was a charter member of my chapter (Beta Iota) and got to meet some great Phi Mu volunteers – Beth Maxson Monnin, Rho, who was my chapter consultant; Mary Raye Casper, Gamma Lambda; Clarice Shephard, Beta Zeta.

I have to say that my favorite Phi Mu job ever was serving as Chapter Adviser for Rho Beta at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. It was then that I met Mary Jane Johnson, Gamma Delta. She has been my mentor since I aspired to be Vice President Collegiate Operations and was lucky enough to serve in that role for three years. Then, I served as National President from 2006-2010. I loved being NP, and I will continue to serve our sisterhood with great love and pride.

What (or who) influenced you to give back to Phi Mu as an alumnae volunteer?

When my chapter was installed, there were alumnae initiates recruited by Ada Henry, Rho – Laurie Cappello and Audrey Linden – who served as two of our advisers. Laurie, Audrey and Ellie Rupp, Sigma, spent many hours assisting our chapter and helping us to be successful in the Clarkson community. Their kindness and support was an example that I knew I wanted to follow and continue in a lifelong experience.

How has your journey in Phi Mu impacted the woman that you are today?

There is no doubt that I am the person I am today because of Phi Mu. I never would have met my husband during my college years had I not been Greek. The collegiate Greek experience had a profound effect on our lives. We are better leaders in our community and church and better business professionals because of our Greek experience. If you think about it, life is a big recruitment party! We impact and influence others through networking, and being Greek surely helped us to begin to hone this skill.

What legacy do you hope to leave for Phi Mu through your work with the Foundation?

I hope that I can inspire others to develop a habit of giving. We truly make a difference in the lives of our members through scholarships, leadership programming, member assistance in times of distress, and in preserving our history to share with future generations. We are confident women leading in our communities and having an impact. Kindness is the most important trait we can share and through Phi Mu Foundation we benefit our sisters. We are privileged and it is our responsibility to support Phi Mu through our lifetimes.

What would you tell a young alumna about why she should invest with the Foundation?

I would advise a young alumna to invest in Phi Mu Foundation because she would be enabling other sisters to have the same opportunities that she has had and more. We “play it forward” and that is so much more than simply buying a cup of coffee for the next in line. We should play our experience forward investing in it and improving upon it. That is our obligation to this sisterhood.

What is your favorite song on the radio right now?

I can’t pick one! The Message and Beatles channel are my favorites on Sirius radio. I like pop and country music and Broadway soundtracks. The latest – Hamilton!

What book is on your summer reading list?

I have many books and read many at once. Recently I binge watched “Thirteen Reasons Why” and started the book on my last flight from HQ. I am an avid reader of many genres. It is important to me though to understand our students and women and the challenges we face.

What is your favorite Phi Mu tradition?

My favorite Phi Mu tradition is now Carnation Banquet! I always love the presentation of awards and then Darlene Reyes came along and makes it the event of the biennium, and I just find the whole evening so magical. Celebrating our sisterhood and our successes drives us to persevere and improve as we journey into the future.

Robin and her Alpha Chi Rho husband and were college sweethearts and have been married for 31 years. They have two adult sons, Mark and Ethan. Robin loves golden retrievers and has an almost 2-year-old golden pup named Sherman.

We’re launching a multi-part series this summer called #MeetTheMus, where we’ll introduce one of our Phi Mu Foundation Trustees each week, and give you an inside peek at what drives their passion for the lifetime development of Phi Mu women!

Our Trustee spotlight for this week is Jean Morgan!

What made your collegiate Phi Mu experience special?

The Creed and my sisters at Eta Beta. The Creed gave me something that I could live by and fall back on when I was struggling – remembering the ideas and meaning of what it meant to be a Phi Mu. My sisters kept me grounded and kept me involved in school and Phi Mu. Phi Mu gave me a sense of family of being a part of something bigger.

What (or who) influenced you to give back to Phi Mu as an alumnae volunteer?

As a collegiate the person who influenced me most was Betty Bonnett. She was an advisor and the first woman I meet from the South. To me she was a true example of a Phi Mu lady and a role model that I aspired to be like as an adult. As alumnae, Lisa Dart-Nakon, a sorority sister from my pledge class was the person who got me back involved with Phi Mu back in 2006, when she contacted me and asked me to be a member of the corporation board for Eta Beta. We did not have an active chapter then, but owned the house and were running it as a boarding house. It was because she called and said that they needed help and I said yes – that I have been involved at first just on the corporation board, but that was just the beginning.

How has your journey in Phi Mu impacted the woman that you are today?

By allowing me to be involved with college age woman and helping make a difference in their lives by setting an example, showing them what it means to be a Phi Mu for life and that there is much more to Phi Mu than just your days in college.

What legacy do you hope to leave for Phi Mu through your work with the Foundation?

To make the Foundation known for whom they are and what they do to the alumnae on the west coast, who sometimes feel isolated and that they are not as much a part of Phi Mu – due to the distance from our headquarters in Peachtree City. Putting a face with a name for our alumnae and collegians. This helps when I talk about the great things that the Foundation does, all the scholarships that are given, grants and assistance to both collegians and alumnae.

What would you tell a young alumna about why she should invest with the Foundation?

That investing with the Foundation helps to keep Phi Mu growing and promoting strong women leaders, women who will be our future leaders, in business, politics and in every walk of life. We are investing in ourselves and our future and the future of our children.

What is your favorite song on the radio right now?

All of Me by John Legend

What book is on your summer reading list?

Mysteries with women characters and recipes!

What is your favorite Phi Mu tradition?

Initiation – I love being a part of welcoming new members into Phi Mu.

A fun fact about Jean: after working on the plans for the remodel of the Eta Beta house for a few years and overseeing the construction of the remodel, she found out that while her dad was attending the University of Washington, he lived in a rooming house on the property where the Eta Beta house now stands and had to find a new place to live when the rooming house was torn down to build the Phi Mu house in 1951. They both lived in the same location while attending the college!

Jean has a daughter who also attended the University of Washington – but was there before Phi Mu was back on campus – and three cats, Minnie, Bonnie & Clyde. For fun, she likes to travel and spend time with family.

We’re launching a multi-part series this summer called #MeetTheMus, where we’ll introduce one of our Phi Mu Foundation Trustees each week, and give you an inside peek at what drives their passion for the lifetime development of Phi Mu women!

Next up, meet Trustee Lynn Storlien-McGraw!

What made your collegiate Phi Mu experience special?

The women who shared the experience with me! To this day, I remain in contact with many of them. We travel together, share in each other’s life experiences and are there to support one another just as we did when we affiliated years ago. We were part of a new chapter and the experience of establishing our chapter on campus and our affiliation with Phi Mu holds a special place in our hearts. We love supporting our collegiate chapter and enjoy returning to campus to relive fond memories, meet the next generation of sisters and share in their continued achievements and successes.

What (or who) influenced you to give back to Phi Mu as an alumnae volunteer?

The collegians – shortly after graduation I found myself living and working in a new community on a small private Catholic campus in Dubuque, Iowa. I was newly married and hired to serve Loras College as a Residence Hall Director. I missed my sisters dearly and was adjusting to being an alumna, a wife and young professional. At my time of joining the Loras community, there were only local sorority experiences offered. Some of the students approached me and were curious about my sorority affiliation with Phi Mu and inquired about the benefits of membership, how a nation affiliation was different and asked how they might go about bringing a national sorority to campus. Since I had recently been a part of that process with Zeta Sigma, I was able to coach these women through the process and connect them to others who could assist. Mary Jane Johnson, Past National President, at that time served as National Colony Director. I had such strong and positive interactions with her and other Phi Mu sisters during my undergraduate experience that I knew she would be a wonderful resource for these women and could connect them to NPC. I was delighted when Phi Mu was offered a presentation and overjoyed when we were invited to establish a chapter on campus. As I grew in my career and moved I found myself living closer to my collegiate chapter and was always delighted when I received invitations to return to campus and connect with sisters. I have had the fortune of meeting many collegians and alumnae over the years and every time I spend time with our sisters I am reminded of the amazing lifelong experiences we have the privilege of receiving and sharing because of our membership in Phi Mu.

How has your journey in Phi Mu impacted the woman that you are today?

Immeasurably, Phi Mu sisters encourage and challenge me every step of the way. Sisters believe in me when I am uncertain of my future or my abilities, push me outside of my leadership comfort zones, challenge me to expand my understanding of others and the world around me and rally around me when I need extra support. Phi Mu has provided countless incremental leadership opportunities that allow me to refine my skills and enhance my confidence with each new experience. Phi Mu has proved to me that I am a lifelong learner and that she has something to teach me throughout my life.

What legacy do you hope to leave for Phi Mu through your work with the Foundation?

I strive to inspire sisters to connect with each other and Phi Mu, to experience lifelong benefits of our membership and to identify opportunities to give back in ways that are meaningful and important to them. We each have the potential to make a significant impact on the future of our organization and on the lives of our fellow sisters.

What would you tell a young alumna about why she should invest with the Foundation?

I would tell her that sisters before her invested to ensure that she and her chapter could have a meaningful experience and that it is important for her to give back to ensure our sisterhood continues for future generations. I would tell her that no gift is too small and that every dollar we receive makes a difference to the experience and support we offer. I would encourage her to give how she can and grow her contributions as her personal circumstances allow. I would tell her that I believe what we each receive from our membership is proportional to our engagement and involvement with it and encourage her to find ways to stay connected from following the Foundation and Fraternity on social media to reading the Aglaia to calling a sister or volunteering with a local alumnae, collegiate or alumnae panhellenic chapter. The opportunities for friendship, service and philanthropy are a phone call or message away. You are a Phi Mu, your alumnae experiences can be amazing and your membership is for life!

What book is on your summer reading list?

There are a couple. I hope to finish How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims. My husband Tim and I are raising a son who will be a freshman in college this fall at the University of Minnesota and a daughter entering 8th grade. We love our parenting journey and I find that I continue to appreciate information and knowledge on this topic. There is some comfort in knowing that others share similar challenges and questions. I hope to carve out some time to read Radically Unfinished, authored by Phi Mu sister Erin Fischer. Erin’s book speaks about finding authentic, uncomplicated confidence. Erin is an exceptional speaker, facilitator, author and business woman and I look forward to reading her thoughts on this important and relevant topic.

What is your favorite Phi Mu tradition?

Sadly, my collegiate chapter lost a sister to a vehicle accident the summer before we were installed. The charter members honored her during our installation weekend and celebrated her life by planting a memorial tree on campus and developing a ceremony. Each spring since our installation, Zeta Sigma sisters remember Roxie and selects a chapter sister who emulates our ideals of love, honor and truth to receive the Sacred Heart Award and traveling necklace. This award is presented each year at a ceremony around our memorial tree where information about our chapter founding and Roxie are shared.