UNT alumnus honored with 2002-03 Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship

When Thomas Black graduated from high school, he wasn't interested in attending college. Instead, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Persian Gulf. On Feb. 14, 1995, an incident occurred at sea that would change his life.

"I was on board a destroyer," says Black. "Our job was to enforce United Nations sanctions on vessels coming out of Iraq and surrounding areas."

Black says his crew, including Navy SEALs and a couple of Marine battalions, boarded a vessel that had been dead in the water for two weeks. Black helped a medical officer care for people who had suffered from a lack of food and water. When a man stretched out his hand with a plea for help in his eyes, it was a pivotal moment in Black's life.

"There was no need to understand his language. I understood he was asking for my help. I went back to the destroyer that night and decided to return to school and become a physician," Black says.

Black completed his bachelor's degree in biology magna cum laude at UNT in December 2001. He was recently awarded a Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship for 2002-03. Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest national honor society dedicated to the recognition and promotion of academic excellence of higher education. Black will receive $8,000 to aid in his pursuit of a medical degree. He will enter the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in August.

"It was exactly seven years from the day I decided to become a doctor until the day I was told I received the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship," Black says. "This is truly an honor."

Approximately 52 Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships of $8,000 are awarded each year. Selection is based upon undergraduate performance; leadership and service on the campus and in the community; evidence of graduate potential; a personal statement of educational perspective, purpose and objectives; and evaluation reports from three individuals who are in a position to attest to the student's performance, citizenship and character.

Black says UNT gave him a good foundation for medical school.

"When I first began my studies at UNT, I had a fear of math, but I was intent on becoming a doctor. I took basic pre-algebra for no credit and then algebra, calculus, physics and chemistry."

Black says he built one subject upon another until he was comfortable with the material. After he mastered chemistry, he taught organic chemistry at UNT's Chemistry Resource Center.

While pursuing his biology degree at UNT, he volunteered at area hospitals. In 2000, Black was selected as one of 25 people from across the nation to participate in heart surgeon Michael DeBakey's summer internship program.

Black was vice president of UNT's chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-med honor society. He also served as treasurer for Mortar Board and was a member of the academic honor society Alpha Chi.

BY CATHY CASHIO ccashio@unt.edu

Other web resources

• Phi Kappa Phi

Other featured articles in this issue

• Pohl named to lead the Sun Belt Conference for two-year term
• Regents don't change admissions policy
• UNT, NCTC enter concurrent admission agreement
• UNT alum David Layton named executive director of North Texas Exes
• Staff Council reps elected
• Faculty Senate elects officers for 2002-03
• UNT community members earn grants for international education programs
• Staff awards presented at President's Staff Sack Lunch
• Neeley nets UNT Honorary Alumnus Award

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