GAMMA PHI
Concord University

FOUNDED ON
5.28.1966

LOCATION
Athens, WV

HISTORY
Concord College was established by the West Virginia legislature as a branch normal school in 1872. The school opened in 1875, and moved to its present campus in 1912. The name was changed to Concord State Teachers College in 1931, to Concord College in 1943, and to Concord University in 2004. In the 1980’s Concord developed the largest endowment of any West Virginia public college.

In 1958 the local fraternity Phi Alpha Chi was established. In September 1964 the local decided to seek national affiliation. Dissention developed over which national fraternity to apply to and the segment of students favoring Alpha Sigma Phi withdrew from Phi Alpha Chi and formed Sigma Delta Phi in late 1964. In 1966 Sigma Delta Phi’s petition was accepted. Gamma Phi Chapter was installed on May 28, 1966. Grand Junior President John L. Blackburn, Missouri Valley ‘49, was the keynote speaker at the installation.  Initiation was performed by members of Davis & Elkins Gamma Delta Chapter. In the Spring of 1980 the chapter’s membership reached 47.

The recession of heavy industry and construction in the Appalachian Region in the 1980’s, and lack of strong undergraduate leadership and alumni involvement led to closure of the chapter and revocation of its charter in 1986. The chapter newsletter was “The Bridge”. The chapter roster contains 213 names.

A petition for re-colonization was received from an interest group of twenty-six students led by Brian Sharkey in Spring 1989, but did not result in a lasting or viable group. There have been subsequent contacts with the college or students at Concord about restoring Gamma Phi Chapter, but none to date have resulted in revival of the chapter.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Text

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Text

OMEGA CHAPTER
Text