Raven Harris
New Castle, DE
High School: Wilmington Friends School
Intended Major: Biology
Concentration: Pre-med
Activities: Multicultural Scholars Program, Customs Person, Recreational Squash
Favorite Haverford Memory: “My favorite Haverford memory didn’t actually occur at Haverford; It was through the Cities Program at Bryn Mawr. We did projects in which all of the sites we studied were in the city, and I realized there was more to Philadelphia than just South Street or the museums. I now go to West Philly regularly and eat at these great Pakistani and Indian restaurants which I wouldn’t have ever known about if I didn’t have to write a research paper about my site in West Philly.”
Favorite Class: “My favorite class was probably Black Religion and Liberation Thought with Professor Terrence Johnson. Honestly, when I came to college I didn’t know I would ever take a religion class, but Haverford encourages you to stretch beyond your personal boundaries when it comes to choosing classes. This class was interdisciplinary, combining Philosophy, Sociology, and Religion, and the readings were the best texts I have ever read including the writings of Cornel West, James Baldwin, and many other Black theologians.”
How the Haverford experience is unique: “Haverford is a very welcoming environment. It’s been great getting to know people from different countries. There aren’t cliques, though there are people who hang out, but it’s not closed off. College isn’t about fitting in; it’s about being who you are and being an individual -- doing well in whatever you choose to do. The only sense of conformity here is that everybody has a purpose and a goal -- trying to be the best you. There isn’t time to worry about how you act or dress as long as you’re consistent with the ideal of being in a community that is welcoming for everybody. Then if somebody’s different you say, ‘OK that’s them, that’s the way they are. So be it.’”