Using His Gifts to Lift Others Up

When Brandon Harris ’22 got a scholarship to attend a private high school in his hometown of Annapolis, Maryland, that was his opportunity to do more. He is acutely aware that many of his childhood friends did not have the same chance, and he is committed to going home after Davidson to continue making a difference there.

“It has always bothered me,” he says. “I know if others were given the same opportunities I’ve had, they could do the exact types of things I’m doing in my life. I have friends who have chosen alternative lifestyles just to survive, and people view them as lower people in society. I don’t agree with that.”

Those “types of things” are plenty. Harris just started his second term as president of Davidson’s Student Government Association. He traveled to London with a classmate on a “Meet My World” grant and to Ecuador using a stipend from his Belk Scholarship. The philosophy major on the pre-med track is thinking he’ll go to law school first.

When Harris takes his experiences back to Annapolis, he won’t be starting from scratch. He started a non-profit in high school to help at-risk youth, and he’s been able to build on that work for credit through independent study alongside James K. Batten Professor of Public Policy Issac “Ike” Bailey ’95.

“It would be impossible to ignore that work after being involved in so many of their lives,” Harris says.

Harris has used his compassion and empathy for good at Davidson, too. As SGA president, he is committed to listening to all students and forging close relationships with administrators. While he initially thought he would attend a large university, he appreciates how his voice is heard at Davidson. One of his passions is recruiting more lower income students to campus.

Harris is dedicated to advocacy for all students, even if the COVID-19 pandemic has changed things.

“I miss seeing so many friends during class change and at larger gatherings in general, but this time has allowed me to take five classes and to really give thought to my next steps after Davidson,” he says. “I think a legal background will help me in my work back home, but I haven’t ruled out going to medical school down the road.”