Local Graduate Gets Scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis

Amanda Harris, a local resident and 2012 graduate of the Westminster Schools, is heading to Missouri's Washington University in St. Louis as a recipient of the John B. Ervin Scholarship.

Harris did a lot of charitable work in high school, including many things related to dance. She started an organization called Wear then Share that collects dance clothes so underprivileged kids can take dance classes too. Wear then Share has collected more than 4,000 items of clothing so far. She also helped to organize a costume closet at The Mary Hall Freedom House, which is a homeless shelter for women and children, and set up a dance program at the Boys and Girls Club.

While at Westminster, she was also a freshman peer leader, a member of the diversity club Spectrum, dance captain for the school's dance corps, treasurer of her sophomore class and secretary of her junior class in the student government.

The Ervin Scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen at Washington University who have demonstrated leadership and intellectual achievements, community service commitments and dedication to diversity. The scholarship is renewable for all four years of school.

It is named for John B. Ervin, who was dean of the School of Continuing Education, now known as University College in Arts and Sciences, during the 1960s and 70s. He was a black educator, scholar and author who was also appointed to the National Advisory Council on Extension and Continuing Education by Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. The school is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Ervin Scholarship.