This summer in Denver, Colorado, Jerrick Henderson attended the Lambda Chi Alpha conference to represent his chapter from the University. Little did he know that he would be bringing home a national award.

The fraternity was given the Phoenix award at the conference in August. This award is the highest honor a chapter can win without applying ahead of time for it.

According to Damian Thorkelson, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, the award is given to the fraternity that rises out of the ashes over the year. He said that the fraternity was shocked to receive the award.

Henderson did not tell the other members that they won until they returned for fall semester. The fraternity was proud to learn of their accomplishments.

According to fraternity members, this award has influenced the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter in many ways.

“This is a great thing for the chapter, and it gives enthusiasm to the members. The award shows that someone is paying attention to what we are doing and that is satisfying,” senior Matthew Stoessner said.

Henderson was the member that accepted the award for the fraternity. He said that he was very proud to accept the award and that now it is up to the younger guys to continue to raise the bar.

“The Phoenix Award is a stepping stone to greater things,” Stoessner added. “It shows how far we have come and where we can go.”

The chapter is now pushing to get the highest award possible, the Grand High Alpha. This award is rarely given.

Lambda Chi Alpha, according to Thorkelson, has come a long way.

In 1998 the chapter was down to nine members. Since then the fraternity has worked to improve their numbers as well as grades and campus involvement.

Lambda Chi Alpha prides themselves in community service, including having an annual food drive.

When asked how receiving the Phoenix Award has affected the fraternity, Thorkelson said that it has helped them hold each other accountable for the way they act and how they present themselves.

Also Stoessner said, “We are going to continue the success we have had in the past with each office, and we will add on some thing more to it to make it better.”

This award is a very significant stepping stone for the University’s Lambda Chi Alpha chapter. Thorkelson said that if there were a fire in the fraternity house he would grab two things; their charter and the plague signifying the Phoenix Award.