![Katie Harris '14]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1572029992/whitfield/ie2ckkghlvjul48al7ft/Katie_Harris.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1572029992/whitfield/ie2ckkghlvjul48al7ft/Katie_Harris.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1572029992/whitfield/ie2ckkghlvjul48al7ft/Katie_Harris.jpg","width":667}])
Whitfield’s alumni community is accomplished and diverse. We are proud to celebrate their successes and share their stories through our Alumni Profile feature in Whitfield eNews.
Katie Harris '14 graduated from Vanderbilt University in May 2018 with a B.S. in Human and Organizational Development. She accepted a job offer from Google and joined the company as a Human Resources Associate. As such, Katie is completing two year-long field rotations, exploring roles as an analyst, specialist, or generalist. After the two years, she will have the opportunity to join the team that she enjoyed the most and continue in that role.
Katie’s connection with Google was established last summer when she worked as a business intern in the company’s Building Opportunities for Leadership and Development (BOLD) Internship Program, a paid summer internship for rising undergraduate seniors that are interested in working in technology and full-time opportunities at Google.
A confident leader, during her four years at Vanderbilt, Katie has worked to bring together various student groups on campus in order to make Vanderbilt a more accessible, diverse, and equitable place for all students. This work led to co-founding Peabody Bridges, an organization designed to support underrepresented minorities, international students, low-income students and first-generation college students—both academically and professionally—within Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Additionally, she has been an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (serving as Chapter President this year), has been an RA for three years, an Undergraduate Honor Council Representative, and a member of the Vanderbilt Vibe Hip Hope Dance Team.
What were your primary interests and activities while you were at Whitfield?
As a student at Whitfield, I was very passionate about my involvement in the Diversity Awareness Club, Community Service Club, and Student Council. I also enjoyed being a member of the Varsity Dance Team, singing in the choir, and participating in theater performances with Thespian Troop #5436.
What are some of your favorite Whitfield memories?
One of my favorite Whitfield memories is definitely going to school with my siblings: Martel, Tyler, and Jordan. Because of Whitfield's close, tight-knit community, I had the opportunity to see them at school every single day and spend time with them through extracurricular activities like dancing at basketball games and participating in theater and choir performances. Another one of my favorite memories was hearing Dr. K (Michal Kwiecien) and Dr. Hays speak at Senior Assembly! Their speech was just one of the many examples that show how much teachers, staff, and administration at Whitfield truly care about engaging with and getting to know students on a personal level.
Describe how Whitfield prepared you for college.
Because Whitfield was relatively small, I became very comfortable asking teachers for help whenever necessary. This skill has been imperative to my success in college because whenever I’m struggling, I’m able to reach out to professors appropriately and confidently. My Whitfield education also really helped me with my grammar and writing skills—specifically in all of my humanities classes. I feel like writing is a skill I frequently take for granted but one that has really been valuable throughout my college experience.
If you’d like to share more about yourself, and the influence of your Whitfield experience, with our community, please visit www.whitfieldschool.org/alumniprofile. All profiles will be archived in the alumni profile page on the website.