Fraternity membership delivers benefits on many levels, some immediate and some that come with time. For Doug Morrison ’85, better known as “Mojo,” his time at Lambda Chi Alpha at Penn State delivered both kinds of dividends.
Mojo said the chapter was known for the social calendar while he was in school and he enjoyed a walk down memory lane. “Brother Jimmy Peters ’85 joined the Air Force for security detail,” he said. “In the Air Force, in such roles, you’re called ‘legs.’ At a party before he went into the Force, we borrowed a mannequin leg to surprise Jimmy, and he danced with it all night.
“I’m afraid I never went on a road trip, but having watched ‘Animal House’ about 50 times as a high school senior, I always appreciated the concept,” Mojo joked.
While he was in school, Mojo enjoyed a variety of social opportunities around State College. “My favorite hangouts were pizza shops and then Roy Roger’s Restaurant for all-nighters,” he said. “I took up swimming towards the end of my college career and used to see brother Charlie Zendt ’59 also swimming at the Athletic Club pool.
“In addition, I found that I really enjoyed the alumni dinners at Homecoming and all the work that went into preparing the house for the events.”
While good times and fun stories played a role, Mojo said the biggest influence the fraternity had on him were his relationships with other members of the chapter.
“My favorite Lambda Chi Alpha tradition is the big brother program,” Mojo said. “My big brother, Thomas Gasbarre ’82, was a good influence on me and helped me through some tough times I was having when I first joined the fraternity.”
Along with his bond with his big brother, Mojo reflected on how relationships with alumni impacted his life. “When I was young, I received some mentoring from some alumni. I feel that undergrads can benefit a lot by looking towards alumni as mentors.
“I was most impacted by brothers John Connell ’85, Fred Franco ’83, and Steven Tredennick. All three, ultimately, helped me to overcome problems I had, such as learning to respect others and not trying to control things.
“Scott Alderfer ’86 has been a good friend and has helped me a lot,” he said. “I also ran into some problems in my life that Ned Book ’54 helped me through.”
Based on his experiences, Mojo offered some advice to younger members. “I feel that I lost contact with a lot of brothers who really helped me grow as an undergrad,” he said. “It was my fault.
“I encourage young members to stay in touch and maintain their bonding with fellow brothers. I’ve never really experienced the level of bonding with anyone as I experienced in Lambda Chi Alpha when I was an active member.”