Austin Gazaway, Delta Beta (North Georgia), is the 2024 recipient of the Howard H. Baker Leadership Award. This award is named in honor of Howard H. Baker, Alpha Sigma (Tennessee), who served as a United States senator for Tennessee from 1967-85 and as senate majority leader from 1981-85. Each year, this award recognizes a student member of Pi Kappa Phi who has exemplified the most outstanding leadership and involvement in his campus and community organizations independent of his chapter of Pi Kappa Phi.
For his contributions to the fraternal community at the University of North Georgia, Gazaway was one of 16 individuals named to the 2023-24 class of Fraternal Legends, the equivalent to a hall of fame for fraternity and sorority members.
As archon of the Delta Beta Chapter, Gazaway led his chapter to surpass all previous fundraising records with their War of the Roses event benefitting The Ability Experience and set a positive example for the men of his chapter by living the values of Pi Kappa Phi in every facet of his life. His commitment to the value of personal responsibility is perhaps best exemplified by his efforts to serve as a leader and changemaker in the University of North Georgia’s Interfraternity Council. As the IFC Vice President of Recruitment, Gazaway played a key role in the introduction of first semester recruitment for freshmen for the first time in the community’s history. Through his commitment to IFC leadership, he has spread common loyalty across fraternity affiliation lines and made a lasting impact on the North Georgia Greek community.
Gazaway graduated in 2024 and will be commissioned this summer as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.
Gazaway received this award at Pi Kappa Phi’s Supreme Chapter in Baltimore in July.