Engineering seniors named national Tau Beta Pi scholars

LAWRENCE — Two seniors at the University of Kansas School of Engineering were recognized for distinguished scholarship and exemplary character by the oldest engineering honor society in the United States. Darrin Sorem, a Lawrence native studying mechanical engineering, and Haider Tarar, a chemical engineering major from Pakistan, are 2014-2015 Tau Beta Pi Scholars.

Sorem and Tarar are among 242 students nationwide selected for the scholarship, which comes with a $2,000 stipend. Tau Beta Pi confers its honors based on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession.

Sorem is a Self Engineering Leadership Fellow and is leader of the 2015 Jayhawk Motorsports team, which designs and builds Formula-style cars and competes in multiple international competitions. He was initiated into the Tau Beta Pi Kansas Alpha chapter after his sophomore year.

“Being recognized by Tau Beta Pi at the national level is a great honor,” Sorem said.

Tarar serves as president of the KU chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, president of the Tau Beta Pi Kansas Alpha chapter, and recently served on KU Student Senate.

“This award allows me more time in my senior year to pursue better opportunities for my future,” Tarar said. “It’s also encouraging to get recognized for my hard work, which should engender a keen mindset going forward.”

All Tau Beta Pi scholarships are named for members or corporations – Sorem and Tarar each received a Record Scholarship, which commemorates 1929 KU graduate Leroy E. Record, whose bequest to Tau Beta Pi provides earnings to support awards in perpetuity. This year the total number of Record Scholarships awarded eclipsed 1,000 since the fund started in 2001.