The John C. Nichols Bridge Builder Award

The John C. Nichols Bridge Builder Award was created and first presented in 2004. The award is presented to alumni who have rendered at least three years of outstanding service to the establishment, development, or enhancement of a house corporation. Nominations may be made by an undergraduate chapter, alumni chapter, or by individual alumni through the respective division president. The division president then forwards his recommendation to the Awards Committee. Awards are given at division conferences, Karnea, a Delt special gathering, or at a chapter shelter.

Recommendations may be made to the President and Executive Vice President of the Fraternity for review by the division president and final approval by the Awards Committee of the Fraternity.

Award recipients through February 2, 2007

The Bridge-Builder

by Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man going a long highway

Came at the evening, cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and wide and steep,

With waters rolling cold and deep.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim –

The sullen stream had no fears for him;

But he turned when safe

on the other side,

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength

with building here.

Your journey will end

with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way.

You've crossed the chasm,

deep and wide,

Why build you this bridge at eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head.

“Good friend, in the path

I have come,” he said,

“There followeth after me today

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

The chasm that was as nought to me

To that fair-haired youth

may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in

the twilight dim –

Good friend, I am building

this bridge for him.”