Ohio Gamma Wins Buchanan Cup

The highest honor our National Headquarters awards to undergraduate chapters is the Buchanan Cup. In the 2000’s we won 8 straight Buch Cups which are awarded every 2 years at Conclave. When we had our “ problem” in late 2018 we no longer qualified to even apply for a Buch Cup as the chapter first needed to get their charter back. Rechartering was accomplished in the summer of 2022.

The undergrads and the AVC then set a goal to get another Buch Cup as fast as possible with Conclave 2023 the ultimate goal. So with great anticipation, 13 undergrads and 6 alums made the trip to San Antonio for Conclave and great “ hope” of winning the Buch Cup. Chapters don’t know the results until the night of the presentation.

Of 198 chapters, about 100 applied for a Buch Cup and only 30 were eventually awarded, but we didn’t know that. We were left to wonder for quite awhile that night as the first 17 were awarded and we were not in that group but the program took a pause after 17. We thought they were moving to the Gold Buch Cups for chapters having won 5 or more straight cups. Fortunately we were wrong and when the program restarted we were 3rd in the next group!

So lots of anxiety but a tremendous thrill to receive ours. While there are not specific records we were told to get a Cup so quickly after getting the charter back was very rare.

So we were all quite excited and our undergrads, led by Casey Petrae, our immediate past President who coordinated submitting the material, deserve our gratitude and congratulations. This was the culmination of all our goals!!

John C.J. Waggoner