Phi Theta Kappa honors Blinn Executive Dean Chris Marrs with the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction

Marrs will be recognized at PTK's annual convention in April

February 8, 2024

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the national honor society for two-year college students, has recognized Blinn College District Executive Dean Chris Marrs with its Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction for his work supporting high-achieving Blinn students and developing student leaders.

Marrs and 18 other college administrators were selected from thousands of eligible nominees from across the nation to be honored during PTK Catalyst 2024, the society’s annual convention held April 4-6 in Orlando, Fla.

“This recognition is a testament to Dean Marrs’ tireless efforts in cultivating a culture of excellence within our community,” said Dr. Mary Hensley, Chancellor of the Blinn College District. “His dedication, mentorship, and commitment to empowering students are inspiring to his peers, and we are grateful for his invaluable contributions to our institution.”

As Blinn’s Executive Dean at Texas A&M-RELLIS, Marrs oversees campus facilities and operations. He is a 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, where he previously served as Executive Officer of the Texas A&M Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Unit and Associate Professor of Naval Science, supervising the education, training, and professional development of more than 600 students each year.

Committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders, Marrs serves as an Adjunct Professor for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s College of Business, where he teaches a weekly leadership course to undergraduate seniors at RELLIS.

Marrs earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Texas A&M University and his Master of Science in aviation safety from the University of Central Missouri. He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Aviation Safety Officer course and the U.S. Air Force Command & Staff College Joint Professional Military Education Program.

His personal military decorations include three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, the Strike Air Medal, and various personal and unit awards. He has amassed over 2,800 flight hours in six aircraft and has completed 673 carrier arrested landings on five aircraft carriers.

Marrs was nominated for the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction by students from the Alpha Phi Lambda Chapter of PTK, which encompasses the Blinn-Bryan and RELLIS campuses. Students recognized Marrs for actively supporting the chapter’s projects and initiatives. He promotes the benefits of PTK among students at RELLIS, including among workforce students, gives speeches at PTK events, has assisted student groups on numerous projects, and always makes time to offer personal and small group mentorship to students who seek his guidance.

“I am both humbled and honored to receive this award, and the fact that it was initiated by students makes it very special to me,” Marrs said. “It lets me know that my message is getting through. They are all so amazing and want to change the world. I challenge them, ‘Do you know how to change the world?’ and then I look them in the eye and tell them, ‘One person at a time. One relationship at a time. Above everything else, invest in people.’”

PTK is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges. The Society is comprised of more than 3.8 million members, with almost 1,300 chapters in 11 countries.