Ella Harris, a Major in African American Studies earning a certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies, is the co-winner of the George B. Wood Legacy Sophomore Prize for the Class of 2025 awarded at the University’s formal Opening Exercises on September 3rd.
The prize is awarded each year to members of the junior class in recognition of exceptional academic achievement during sophomore year.
Ella was compelled to pursue African American Studies (AAS) because of how the department encourages her to make meaningful connections between her identity and academics. Some of Ella’s research areas of interest include the phenomenon of passing, literature by Black female authors about the Black female experience, and the construction of Black identity, especially for people who are mixed race. In the past, Ella received the Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence for her academic work.
In the future, Ella hopes to explore the fields of museum studies and mixed race studies.