2025 Milestone Markers

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.  

Game of Thrones won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, just one of 12 Emmys it received that year, breaking the record for most wins in a single year.  

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was Amazon’s best-selling book of the year.  

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch with more than 63 years on the throne, surpassing the record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.  

The National Council approved a new strategic plan for 2015-20, with four focus areas: Discover, Grow, Engage and Sustain.  

Alpha Chi Omega entered a partnership with CSL Properties to oversee day-to-day operations of all National Housing Corporation-owned and -managed properties.  

There were a record number of attendees at Leadership Academy, which featured the theme “Changing the Conversation.”  

Our chapter roll grew with the addition of Kappa Phi (Loyola Marymount University) and Kappa Chi (Florida Gulf Coast University) chapters and the reestablishment of the Delta Omega (University of Kentucky) chapter. 

The Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were held in Sydney, Australia.  

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Bush v. Gore to halt the recount of the 2000 presidential election in Florida, making George W. Bush the winner of the election.  

The first residential crew arrived at the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz rocket.  

The first season of the reality television show Survivor aired.  

During the national convention in Indianapolis, attendees welcomed speakers including then-foreign policy advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice (Gamma Delta, University of Denver) and journalist Georgie Anne Geyer (Gamma, Northwestern University). Attendees also had the opportunity to visit Alpha Chi Omega headquarters and DePauw University.  

Holiday (Holly) Hart McKiernan (Alpha, DePauw University) became Alpha Chi Omega’s executive director and counsel, succeeding longtime executive director Nancy Nitchman Leonard (Alpha Chi, Butler University).  

Philanthropy rounds were a new trend in recruitment, allowing chapters to showcase and involve potential new members in their altruistic initiatives. 

State Day 2000 provided an avenue for sisters to celebrate Alpha Chi Omega by joining together, supporting the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation and raising awareness of domestic violence.  

The year was declared International Women’s Year by the United Nations, which established goals to advance women’s rights around the world through the first UN conference on the status of women.  

Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen with the vision of “a computer on every desk and in every home.”  

The Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon. 

Jaws was the number one movie of the year. Its success led to the term “summer blockbuster.” 

The Fraternity held a Training and Leadership Conference on The University of Oklahoma campus for province presidents and district alumnae chairmen.  

National economics and a subsequent decrease in investment income required the Fraternity to cut expenditures wherever possible.  

Alpha Chi Omega volunteer officers and chapter consultants stayed and met in the living quarters section of the headquarters building on Founders Road in Indianapolis.  

Alpha Chi Omega welcomed the Epsilon Phi (Georgia Institute of Technology) chapter to the chapter roll.  

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.  

Gatorade was created by scientists at the University of Florida College of Medicine for the Florida Gators student-athletes to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes.  

Movie musicals were popular with audiences and critics alike. My Fair Lady won eight Academy Awards, while Mary Poppins won five.  

Major Edward H. White II became the first American astronaut to walk in space, 120 miles above the Earth.  

The following chapters were added to the chapter roll: Delta Tau (Minnesota State University, Mankato), Delta Upsilon (Colorado State University), Delta Phi (Texas A&M University-Kingsville), Delta Chi (William Woods University) and Delta Psi (University of California, Santa Barbara). Delta Tau was the 100th chapter to be established. 

A songwriting competition was held and advertised in The Lyre, seeking songs to be included in a new edition of the Alpha Chi Omega songbook. 

The National Council voted “to empower Central Office staff to rent a Xerox machine.” 

Three Alpha Chi Omega alumnae served as assistant deans of students at campuses with Alpha Chi Omega chapters – Colorado State University; University of California, Santa Barbara; and University of Kentucky.  

The Diners Club card became the first general purpose credit card, allowing club members to charge the cost of restaurant bills.  

The Korean War began; the United States soon became involved.  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) created the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list to bring attention to a number of fugitives they deemed to be particularly dangerous.  

Disney’s animated feature film Cinderella was released. 

Alpha Chi Omega welcomed the following new chapters to our chapter roll: Gamma Kappa (Idaho State University), Gamma Lambda (Kent State University), Gamma Mu (Ball State University) and Gamma Nu (San Diego State University).  

The Zeta chapter at the New England Conservatory was closed in order to comply with a National Panhellenic Conference ruling that all collegiate chapter host institutions must be four-year institutions.  

Founder Bertha Deniston Cunningham (Alpha, DePauw University) passed away in Indianapolis on October 2. 

State Days were held in 32 states, with nearly 3,000 alumnae and collegiate members attending.