GSW Chi Phi wins National Chapter Excellence Award, two others at Bicentennial Congress in D.C.

AMERICUS, Ga. (August 15, 2025) – Georgia Southwestern State University’s (GSW) Delta Pi Chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity brought home top honors from the 159th Special Bicentennial Congress in Washington, D.C., earning three national awards, including the fraternity’s most prestigious honor, the Thomas Gehring Award for Chapter Excellence.

The Gehring Award, established in 1980, recognizes Chi Phi’s most outstanding chapter each year for exemplifying the fraternity’s values and setting the standard for excellence. Out of nearly 50 chapters nationwide, GSW’s Delta Pi Chapter was the sole recipient this year.

“This was quite an achievement and honor to say the least,” said Chi Phi Alumni Advisor Tripp Larkey. “The events from that weekend were truly historic for both the national Chi Phi Fraternity as well as our chapter at GSW. Our fraternity is the first to celebrate 200 years of continual existence, and we were a part of that celebration. The Delta Pi Chapter from GSW won three awards on the national level against more than 50 chapters across various other colleges, universities and Ivy League schools. I am proud to be a graduate of GSW, an alumnus of Chi Phi, as well as the active alumni advisor for our chapter.”

The chapter also received the Outstanding Community Service Award for contributing a collective 1,300 service hours over the past year — averaging 53 hours per brother — and the Outstanding Communication/Public Relations Award for excellence in promoting Chi Phi’s values through social media, public engagement and service promotion.

Chapter President Chris Hickman reflected on the experience, saying, “The weekend was filled with meaningful brotherhood, new adventures in places we had never seen, and unforgettable memories we will carry for a lifetime.”

In addition to attending the ceremonies, brothers Franklin Harris, Braden Bell, Hickman and Larkey toured national monuments, visited the U.S. Capitol and connected with Chi Phi members from across the country. Also present were friends of the chapter Edwin F. Sammons, a GSW alumnus and founder of the Chi Phi Scholarship at GSW, and Isabelle Larkey, a GSW alumna.

The Bicentennial Congress celebrated Chi Phi’s distinction as the first men’s social fraternity to reach 200 years of continuous existence. The event was hosted at the historic Willard Hotel.