Gentleman of the year

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PHC student Bryant Condrey wins award from conservative women's group

Bryant Condrey, a junior at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Va., has been named Gentleman of the Year by the Network of Enlightened Women (NeW), an organization for culturally conservative women.

"We believe there is a role for gentlemen in society today," Karin Agness, founder and president of NeW, said. "It's a way to encourage them to be their best."

Condrey's girlfriend, James Madison University student Alyssa Richardson, nominated him for the showcase. "It was so easy to find the all the reason for why he was so chivalrous," she said. "I didn't tell him about the nomination, because I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I was kind of shocked, and happy, because she did it," Condrey said. "It was completely out of the blue." Condrey's 800 votes on Facebook put him about 100 ahead of the second-place finisher.

The concept of gentlemanliness can be sensitive or confusing for many. An ABCNews.com article on the contest asked, "Does Chivalry Exist?" Lizzie Post, spokesman for the Emily Post Institute, said that she thinks the concept of chivalry can be confusing but it is not extinct.

"After the women's liberation movement in the 1960s, men didn't know what was safe to do or how to act," she said. "They were told what they learned from their mothers was wrong; thus began this confusion around when and how we want things from a gentleman… You can bring chivalry back by addressing something that you really appreciated a man doing, like praising them for doing something kind or recognizing them for doing something considerate for you or another."

Condrey believes that the concept of gentlemanliness is closely tied to true manhood. "You can't go very far in being a man if you aren't a gentleman," he said. "I think that it's more than just opening doors; it's a selflessness, and always putting others and different things ahead of you."

The slideshow of Condrey presenting his girlfriend with roses, gallantly leading her in a formal dance, and even picking her up in a horse and carriage hovers was featured on Facebook and undoubtedly boosted his vote count.