The Georgetown University Step Team was founded in January of 1998 by Rashid Darden, who was a first year student in the College of Arts and Sciences at the time.  GUST was founded to build Georgetown spirit and unity, especially among the minorities on campus.  This goal was to be accomplished through stepping primarily, but also through community service, and social, cultural, and professional activities, often in conjunction with other campus organizations. 

On Thursday, January 29, 1998, an information session was held at 7:00pm in the Black Student House, 1410 Thirty-sixth Street, North West in Washington, DC.  Christina Gibson, who was also a first year student in the College, was extremely helpful in putting the information session together.  Around ten GU students and two Howard University students were in attendance.  A video of a step show was screened and the suggested structure of the step team was laid out before the interested students.  The goals of the step team were reviewed and the first two practices and one general meeting were planned.  The session adjourned approximately one hour later and the step team was born. 

On Sunday, February 1, eight students came together for the first step team practice, held from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the second floor lounge of the New South Residence Hall.  Christina Gibson served as the facilitator and teacher for this practice.  Two steps were learned and the original version of the step team party walk was choreographed.  Halfway through the practice, the group decided on the step team call, which is “One-one-one-one-seven…” and the response is “Eight-eight-eight-eight-nine.”  Unlike many organization who call out a year as their secondary calls, the step team was to call out the year that Georgetown was founded and to use it as their primary call.  The repetition of the first numbers was for aesthetic purposes. 

One week later, on Sunday, February 8, the second step team practice was held, again in the second floor New South lounge.  However, it was decided that practice should be moved to the Copley Hall Multi-Purpose Room, on the basement level of Copley, due to complaints from residents of the first floor of New South. 

The first meeting of the step team was held on Thursday, February 12 in the Black House.  The first officers were elected thusly: Rashid Darden, President; Molyneau DuBelle, Vice President; Aaron Mitchell, Secretary; Nadia Blaine, Treasurer;  Lenaya Miller, Sergeant At Arms;  Christina Gibson, Captain of the Female Steppers;  and Shahidah Bilal, Co-Captain of the Female Steppers.  Captain of the Male Steppers was left vacant until the step team had more interested males.  Goals for access to University benefits and University recognition were laid out as were goals for performances during the semester.  The decision was made to purchase Greek style T-shirts by the end of the semester. By the end of the meeting, the group rejected all other ideas for names of the step team and decided on simply the Georgetown University Step Team, or GUST for short. 

The GUST constitution was ratified on Sunday, February 22, 1998. 

The step team hand signal was decided upon by those in attendance at the practice on Sunday, March 22, 1998.  The GUST hand signal is a diamond formed by two hands.  The signal is accomplished by placing both fists in front of your chest, palm side away from you.  The pinkies and thumbs are extended and meet each other at their tips.  The joint of the index finger should also touch. 

GUST participated in the activities fair hosted by the Georgetown Admissions Ambassadors Program (GAAP) in the ICC fifth floor lounge on Saturday morning, April 4, 1998.  Moly and Rashid entertained questions about the step team from prospective students and some signed up for additional information. 

The first GUST performance was Friday evening, April 17, 1998, after the annual Star Search talent and fashion show.  GUST performed on the Village C patio, immediately before the pledges of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Nu Beta Chapter, and before the probate show of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Nu Alpha Chapter.  All GUST members wore their new T-shirts and several wore GUST jackets. 

GUST’s constitution was accepted by the Office of Student Programs on Wednesday, April 22, 1998. 

The Student Activities Commission approved GUST on Thursday evening, April 23, at the last meeting of the 1997-98 Commissioners.  To represent GUST at this meeting were Vice President Molyneau DuBelle and Adedeji Okediji. 

Members of GUST and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta Sororities and Lambda Upsilon Lambda and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities met on Friday, May 1, 1998, to discuss GUST’s similarities and differences with fraternities and sororities. 

At the final GUST meeting of the year, on Sunday, May 3, Christina Gibson stepped down as Captain in order to devote the proper attention to her future position of Apartment Assistant for the next school year.  Lenaya Miller was elected GUST’s second Captain.  Jennifer Ziehe was elected the new Sergeant At Arms, Lenaya’s previous office.  Nadia Blaine, the current Treasurer, was also appointed to be the Director of New Member Training for the Fall 1998 semester.  The activities for the 1998-99 school year were finalized. 

After the final meeting of the year, Ciatta Baysah resigned as Historian and left GUST to pursue other goals. 

Zeena Lafeer was selected GUST’s SAC Cluster Representative for the 1998-99 school year. 

The first GUST meeting of the 1998-99 academic year was held on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 in ICC 108. The organization approved the New Member Training workshops, which were designed as an orientation to GUST, Georgetown, and the culture of stepping as well as a unifying experience for new members.  GUST also approved it’s proposed activities for the year. 

GUST was represented at the SAC fair on September 12, 1998 by several members of the group.  Other members who were not able to assist in the recruitment effort wore their T-shirts during the weekend. 

Jennifer Ziehe stepped down as Sergeant At Arms in September 1998, but remained part of the organization. 

The Fall 1998 GUST information session was held on Wednesday, September 16, 1998 in White-Gravenor 201-A. 

New Member Training began on Wednesday, September 30, 1998 and ended on Thursday, November 19, 1998, bringing in 21 well prepared new member into the ranks of GUST 

On Wednesday, October 28, 1998, Nikki Brown lead a delegation of GUST members to “Back To Basics,” the Howard University Homecoming Step Show.  Nikki was appointed to be the Social chairperson of GUST soon thereafter. 

Liz Khalil (CAS '99) wrote an informative article on GUST just prior to the Fall Sow, detailing the history of the art and GUST's goals on campus. 

The 1998 Fall Show was held in Leavey Commons on Friday, November 20.  Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Nu Beta Chapter opened up the show, while Alpha Nu Omega Fraternity, Inc., a Christian alternative fraternity performed next.  Malika Kambe Umfazi Sorority, Inc., an Afro-Latino Sorority provided the meat of the show.  The male steppers of GUST made their debut performance on campus with a brief routine and presentation of flowers to the senior members of GUST.   The female steppers made their second performance a memorable one with mostly new steppers.  A crowd of nearly 300 people filled Leavey Commons, including guests from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Superfood, and the Office of Student Programs. 

Study Break '98 was held in the Black House on Wednesday, December 16.  Marian Okwu organized this event for the members of GUST and the University Community. 

The second year of GUST's existence began with a commemorative article appearing in the January 29, 1999 edition of The Hoya.

The women and men's teams both performed at Late Night at Leavey in January of '99, drawing a sizeable crowd of on-lookers.  Afterwards, GUST welcomed sixteen prspective members who completed New Member Training on Thursday, April 22, 1999, expanding its ranks to over fifty members.

While the men's team took a hiatus from performing that Spring, the women's team made notable appearances at several campus events, including Open House Weekend and Star Search.  GUST also made its first road trip to the University at Buffalo Step Troupe's Step Extravaganza on March 19 and 20, 1999. 

The 1999-2000 Officers were elected thusly: Rashid Darden, President; Joe Morrow, Vice-President; Kim Price, Secretary; Mayumi Grigsby, Treasurer; Zainab Zaid, Sgt. At-Arms; Toni Wiley, Historian; Soribel Holquin and Davin Williams, Captains; Regina Schuman and Rasheed Newson, Co-Captains. 

The 1999-2000 academic year was another year of growth seasoned by more firsts.

The Second Annual Fall Step Show was held on Friday, October __ 1999 in Gaston Hall.  For the first time GUST would be able to charge admission for a step show on campus.  While first met with resistance by university administrators, GUST was eventually able to convince the powers that be to allow the show to be held in Gaston, which also happens to be the largest venue on campus available for the performing arts

Also due to the improved venue, the organization was able to invite more step teams to perform in exhibition.  The opening act was Superfood, an a capella singing group on campus.  Superfood closed their set with a rendition of Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody?", complete with a step that mimicked the familiar beat of the song.

The mistress of ceremonies for this show was Chetachi Egwu, a Founder of Malika Kambe Umfazi Sorority, Inc.

In the tradition of welcoming teams from many different locations, several more step teams made their debuts at Georgetown.  Omega Phi Chi Sorority, Inc., made the trek down from New Jersey to demonstrate their multicultural flavor.  OPC was also hosted in the Black House by GUST Founder Rashid Darden.  Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., made the first of several appearances at Georgetown during this show.  Traveling the farthest was the University at Buffalo Step Troupe, who gave an extended performance to end the first half.

Making a guest appearance was the rap group Trilogy, who were unfortunately not received well by the audience.

Opening the second half of the show were members of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc., introduced by Chi Chapter Founder Angel Florenzan.  Although LUL had the smallest of the participating teams, they were well received by the audience.  The Latinas Promviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Regional Step Team immediately followed LUL with an extended performance, lead by Georgetown Senior Amanda Cardona.  Their performance ended with a salsa/merengue dance with the members of the Nu Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  Senior Justin-McLaughlin Williams was the step master for this performance.

After a performance by the Kappa Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., GUST did something it had never done before.  Men and women joined each other in performance for the first time.  Capitalizing on the novelty of coed stepping, the routine consisted of sensual and sophisticated dancing, playful banter, and as usual, solid stepping.

The evening ended with an afterparty in the Village C Formal Lounge, cosponsored by Lambda Upsilon Lambda and Alpha Phi Alpha.

A short time after the 1999 Fall Show, GUST performed for the Take Back the Night in Red Square, utilizing the primary steps from the previous routine.