UT Dallas senior Evan Baldwin Carr’s recent induction into the Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society was a commitment for his future, but it also represented a connection to his family’s past.

Evan did not know his parents would drive nearly 1,200 miles to surprise him at the ceremony, where he and 200 other students became part of the new UT Dallas chapter of the society. Phi Kappa Phi is among the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective collegiate honor societies.

The Carrs drove from Lansing, Mich. to deliver a special memento: the original Phi Kappa Phi membership pin of Evan’s late uncle and namesake, Army 1st Lt. Baldwin “Ronald” Carr.

Ronald Carr

1st Lt. Baldwin “Ronald” Carr was captured as prisoner of war in the Korean War one year after he was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi.

In 1950, Ronald Carr was inducted into the society. Just over a year later, he was captured and died as a prisoner of war in North Korea. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart medal in 2009.

“I was under the impression that my aunt would be coming, and lo and behold, my parents show up right next to me. It almost brought tears to my eyes,” Evan said.

“I believe it’s an honor and a privilege, and something that I have to carry on for the rest of my life and carry on in my family’s name as well,” Evan said of receiving the pin of the uncle he never met.

Dr. Denise Paquette Boots is the University’s founding president of Phi Kappa Phi. She said she was touched by the Carrs’ story.

“It struck me as a perfect example of the Phi Kappa Phi spirit of academic excellence that has been passed down across generations in this family,” she said. “I hope this will be a constant reminder of the ties that bind Evan both to UT Dallas and to the legacy of achievement and support that is part of his family heritage.”

Evan Baldwin Carr being pinned by mother during Phi Kappa Phi ceremony

Evan Carr, a School of Interdisciplinary Studies senior, was recently inducted into Phi Kappa Phi. His parents drove 1,200 miles to surprise him at the ceremony.

Evan came to UT Dallas as a transfer student from Richland College, which is part of the Dallas County Community College District.  The interdisciplinary studies major is now in a fast track program to obtain both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in an accelerated time frame. 

“Right now I’m working on my undergraduate degree, and I’ll be starting work on my master’s degree in public policy next semester.  I’d like to become an entrepreneur and possibly run for political office someday.”

Evan’s father, Gordon, said that passing on his brother’s pin to Evan was bittersweet.

“When we heard the news of Evan’s invitation to join the society, I found Ronald’s old pin in his jewelry box,” Gordon Carr said. “Evan is named after his uncle, so naturally his mother and I are excited that he’s been bestowed such an honor.” 

Gordon Carr called his son’s time at UT Dallas, including his invitation to join Phi Kappa Phi, an awakening experience.

“He’s changed so much since he’s been there,” he said. “He has a real entrepreneurial spirit, and I know he’ll graduate and go on to do great things.” 

Baldwin Ronald Carr Phi Kappa Phi Certificate

Baldwin Ronald Carr became a member of Phi Kappa Phi in 1950. He died as a prisoner of war in North Korea in 1951.

Gordon Carr said his brother Ronald was inducted into the society shortly before he graduated from what is now Michigan State University.  After college, he joined the Army and was part of the D Company of 6th Medium Tank Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, stationed in South Korea.

According to United States military documents, 1st Lt. Carr was “well respected by his troops and, in captivity, by fellow POWs.” Though he died at the PAK’s Palace POW camp in North Korea in late August 1951, his remains have never been recovered. 

It was at the conclusion of the November Phi Kappa Phi ceremony that Gordon Carr presented his son with Ronald Carr’s pin during an emotional statement.

“Ronald was an exceptional person,” Gordon Carr said of his brother. “Evan, I charge you to wear this pin with honor and to uphold all that it stands for.”

 


 

2011 Phi Kappa Phi Inductees

Undergraduates

Sarah Abdulqader
Naveen Abedin
Hannah Adams
Lisa Allman
Juliana Almeida
Jordan Anderson
Tyler Andrews
Rocky Angelucci
Karen Attebery
Yanjun Ba
Drew Babb
Andrew Baer
Erich Bao
Sorna Basirat
Conway Bass
Alison-Leigh Beatty
Olivia Belli
Sherri Bogard
James Bowen
Julie Bowles
Jonathan Boyd
Alyson Brands
Charles Cage
Philip Campbell
Evan Carr
Ryan Castle
Lewis Chang
Sophia Chang
Reba Cherian
Nari Choi
Woomi Choi
Joshua Clounch
Marissa Co
Jonathan Conrad
Lindsey Cook
Geoffrey Cooper
Katherine Crowell
Teloa Cude
Laura-Jane Cunningham
Gloria Daniel
Lauren Davis
Vickie Davis
Truc Do
Jennifer Dykes
Samah El-Khaled
Brittany Ellenberg
Marwah Elsehety
Aya Embabi
Kyle Evans
Robert Farmigoni
Deborah Farrell
Stevin George
Mary Goodnight
Laura Gorecki
Jessica Greenhouse-Beeson
Riccardo Gregorat
Jeffrey Gunn
Mary Gurak
Tuan Ha
Elizabeth Hanacik
Kaitlyn Hansen
Kathleen Hardin

Anthony Hernandez
Logan Hindes
Timothy Hoffman
Lisa Holmes
Michael Howell
Clifford Hsieh
Sharon Hudspeth
Adam Humphreys
Laura Hunt
Martin Huynh
Benjamin Irwin
Nistha Jajal
Da Hee Jeong
Angela Johnston
Leon Joseph
Michael Kandalaft
Grace Keller Scotch
Michael Kendrick
Sartaz Khan
Taehoon Kim
Jeffrey Kirk
Aaron Klick
Winford Ko
Christopher Kraft
Sabin Kshattry
Joshua Lay
Duc Le
Brenda Lee
Caroline Lee
Chang Min Lee
Audrey Lentz
Anna Li
Emily Lichtenheld
Rose Lodowski
Samantha Loehr
Amanda Loveless
Penelope Maley
Christina May
Deanna McGee
Samantha McMillan
Robert Miller
Kara Milot
Sara Minor
Michael Mirsky
Laura Moos
Harrison Moosavi
Elena Morten
Mohammed Nasim
Viswam Nathan
Aivy Nguyen
Chris Nguyen
Derek Nguyen
Hoang Nguyen
Long Nguyen
Nathaniel Nicandro
Monica Niewiarowski
Michael Nimmo
Stephanie Nimmo
Aisha Noor
Lilian Ogott
Julianne Oliver

Elizabeth Olson
Elizabeth Organ
Mayur Patel
Yolanda Pazwakavambwa
Lam Phan
Anitta Philip
Justin Philip
Rhonda Poole
James Porter
Andrew Previc
Ali Rafiee
Alexandra Rapp
Helen Reyes
Allyson Rice
Clayton Roark
Fredrick Robehmed
Elizabeth-as Robinson
Alan Roderick
Jeffrey Rosa
Gabriel Rosenfield
Ali Saherwala
Sepanta Saida
Iqra Sawani
Lauren Schaper
Audra Scharbauer
Elizabeth Scheirman
Anna Schuessler
Lindsay Sloan Scott
Lauren Sechrist
Kristi Selover
Shravik Sethi
Sachin Shah
Lisa Shepherd
Prarthana Sheth
Jennifer Short
Cynthia Smith
D’Anna Smith
Joon Sohn
Dale Soney
Ermias Sori
Delores Standeven
Katherine Strassel
Monica Tamil
Min Tang
Matthew Tiso
Saskia Versteeg
Emily Wagoner
Star Walker
Kelly Weeren
Larissa Weidenbruch
Dustin-Kirk Weir
Craig West
Krystal Williams
Lye-Ching Wong
Peter Wonica
Alex Wu
Mei-Chen Yeh
Minhee Yoon
Mohammad Zaman
Katerina Zhelnova
Gretchen Zuefeldt

Graduate Students

Alejandro Tirado Alcarez
Ziad Aldahhan
Eric Blackburn
Joel Browning
Rebecca Choi
John  Connolly
Garrett Davis
Ling Ding
Sandria Edgar
Blair Flicker
Steven Foland
Christine R Getts

Dilon Hanks
Malinda Hicks
Erik Jensen
Melissa Kenfield
Tao Li
Jingyi Liu
Guang Ma
Amit Maheska
Xiaoke Mao
Mary Catherine Mueller
Mark Neiberding
Erin Orrick

Jeremy Prince
James Scott
Richa Singh
Mark Standeford
Linxue Su
Michael Ten Eyck
Rajsree Vijayan
William Walker
Julie Wallace
Ben Wilson
Samuel Woolard
Quxian Zhang