400 Westpark Drive  |  Peachtree City, GA 30269

#MeetTheMus: Trustee Jean Morgan, Eta Beta

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.

#MeetTheMus: Trustee Lynn Storlien-McGraw, Zeta Sigma

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.

Lynn and her husband Tim at Phi Mu Formal, 1991.

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.

The McGraw Family

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.

#MeetTheMus: Trustee Jennifer Chapman Joyner, Alpha Iota

 

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 Jennifer Chapman Joyner.

What made your collegiate Phi Mu experience special?

Many people may not know that I have an older sister that was a senior at Mercer when I went through recruitment. She was an officer in our chapter at the time and I had a very special recruitment going through as a legacy and then having her participate in my initiation.

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

My first volunteer experience was as Alpha Iota’s faculty adviser when I joined the staff at Mercer University. They needed one – and at that point, there wasn’t an alumna on staff at the University. Shortly after, I became the chapter adviser and stayed in that position for six years until we moved. I feel becoming the chapter adviser was very serendipitous in that the current adviser had to step down unexpectedly and I received a letter from Headquarters congratulating me on my appointment as chapter adviser. I have no idea how that happened to this day (I didn’t even know they knew I was the faculty adviser – it was pre-OP and anything web-based), but it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a volunteer. Chapter advisers are truly the hardest working volunteers for Phi Mu! I highly encourage all alumnae to get involved on an advisory council.

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

I served as my chapter’s recruitment chair and I truly believe that started my interest in event planning, public relations and “friend-raising.” Had I not been given that leadership opportunity, I don’t think I would have found my true love for my profession and my true love of all things “membership.” Having served the Fraternity in the Membership Department for eight years was some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had yet as a volunteer. This is my first term as a Foundation Trustee and I have found a new love as a volunteer. Instead of helping women just in my area, I now get to help all collegiate women and alumnae through the help of the Phi Mu Foundation.

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

I have always believed that giving to the Foundation is an investment in our future. By investing in our members (scholarships, member assistance, leadership training and historic preservation), I believe that I’m helping improve and grow our sisterhood so that Phi Mu will be even more vibrant and relevant – not just for my 10 year old daughter, but her daughter and her daughter’s daughter and so forth. Phi Mu is an extremely important part of my life – I can’t imagine my life without it. I’m sure that is true for every Phi Mu and what I hope will encourage others to make an investment in Phi Mu.

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

I can think of many things I can support and contribute to in my community, but nothing has touched me the way Phi Mu has touched me. I made the choice a long time ago to make Phi Mu my philanthropic priority. That has meant different things over time, but it is still true today. I support my University, other charitable organizations, etc., but Phi Mu is where I believe I make the biggest impact and where I chose to make my largest investment.

What is your favorite song on the radio right now?

I love all things Mumford & Sons and Adele but Ed Sheeran’s new album is really good!

What book is on your summer reading list?

John Grisham came out with a new book this summer, “Camino Island.” I’ve always enjoyed his books! This one looks like a good read!

What is your favorite Phi Mu tradition?

Because my chapter is in Macon, a tradition for us was for the entire chapter to go on a history tour of Wesleyan, the Cannonball House and Riverside Cemetery before initiation. I realize how incredibly blessed we are to be surrounded by our Fraternity’s rich founding. Having all of us gathered at these sacred places made our initiation mean even more to each initiate and placing a carnation bouquet at the grave of Martha Bibb Hardaway each time paying tribute to one of our Founders, was always special to me.


Jennifer resides in Georgia, and is married to her husband, Richard of almost 19 years. She has one daughter, Audrey (10) and a step-daughter, Anna Swope (25) who lives in Orlando, FL with her husband, Aaron.

#MeetTheMus: Trustee Diane Hawkins Eggert, Zeta Iota

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!

First up, Past Phi Mu Foundation President and current Trustee Diane Hawkins Eggert.

What made your collegiate Phi Mu experience special?

The closeness of my sorority sisters. Compared to today’s chapter sizes, we would be considered very small – about 50 members. It was easy to get to know almost all the members in a very significant way, we knew their backgrounds, their hometowns, their families. It was not uncommon for house roommates to be from different pledge classes or even college classes – I had roommates that were Juniors and Seniors when I was a Sophomore. We have kept that closeness through many years – a group of us have gotten together annually for many, many years.

I will always remember the trip together in August 2014 – my husband had passed away recently, one of the members of our group died very suddenly at the same time , and another member’s ALS was progressing – we still came together. There were many tears but then there were many happy times – laughing as we remembered some crazy experiences from our past and our collegiate days. It gave us strength but also peace knowing that we had the incredible support from each other.

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

Giving back just came naturally to me because Phi Mu gave me so much. I wanted to ensure that others had as rich as Phi Mu experience as I had. Not only did Phi Mu give me a family during my college days, but it ensured that I would never be a stranger in a new town! When I moved into a new area, all I had to do is find out where the nearest Phi Mu Alumnae chapter was! I was part of the Annapolis Phi Mu Alumnae for 20 years – far longer than my college days, and those women were an incredible social support system. When I moved to Birmingham, I found Phi Mu sisters through participation in the alumnae chapter, serving on the Alpha Gamma Advisory Council and participating in the Birmingham Panhellenic!

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

I believe that Phi Mu encouraged me to take on new leadership opportunities, both as a collegian and an alumnae. My very first Phi Mu position was as Parliamentarian! I knew nothing about parliamentary procedures, but I learned and became comfortable in the role. Many years later, Claudia Nemir, Eta Alpha, and then Phi Mu Foundation President, asked me to take on the role of Vice President Finance during the period we were constructing our Headquarters. I still remember Claudia cautioning me that with all that was happening, taking the job meant a ‘high burn rate!’ But I knew that I could do it and I knew that I would have the support of a fantastic group of women as I grew into the position.

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

I hope that I have contributed to the continued growth of the Foundation. Nearly 100 women have sat on the Foundation Board of Trustees over the years, each giving her talents and making the Foundation stronger. In the very early days, these women took bold steps to ensure the viability of the Foundation by embarking on a fundraising campaign when the organization was in its infancy. Through the years, the women on the Board guided the Foundation through some difficult times, when we could not afford a professional staff, during downturn in the economic climate, and through the challenge to fundraise and build our Headquarters. I hope that my participation has built on their efforts and the Foundation is a more vibrant, more strategic, more professional organization.

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

You get by giving. Donating to our sisterhood makes our organization stronger and enables us to keep women in school, provides life-changing leadership experiences for our collegians, helps our sisters facing distressing situations, and ensures that our legacy is preserved. Each of these missions benefit our donors in direct and intangible ways. You get the satisfaction of helping women thrive.

What is your favorite song on the radio right now?

I am sure “Hey Jude” by the Beatles is playing on the radio somewhere! (You can imagine how thrilled I was when my grandson told me that he liked the Beatles!)

What book is on your summer reading list?

I am not sure I will get to them all but waiting on my bedside table are: Three Sisters, Three Queens, Philippa Gregory; Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen; Stranger in the Woods, Michael Finkel; Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders; and Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance

What is your favorite Phi Mu tradition?

This is very old school, but passing the candle for a significant event in a sisters life – with the lights low and the candle light glowing on each sisters face as it is passed around the room, with the chapter signing, “Picture a Girl” – I love it!