Pearlissa Harris ’16, an urban studies major from Harvey, LA, has been awarded a “We Power Life” Scholarship from the Kelly Gibson Foundation (KGF) and Entergy, an energy company with headquarters in New Orleans. Members of the Kelly Gibson Junior Golf Tour are eligible for the awards based on community service, academic achievements, and financial need.
Harris is a member of the tour, which is made up of male and female golfers ages 7-22 who compete in junior golf tournaments throughout New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region. At Rhodes, she has assisted the director of the women’s golf team in his recruiting efforts. She also was elected president of the Black Student Association during her junior year of college and helped to facilitate a partnership between the BSA and LeBonheur Children’s Hospital of Memphis.
According to a KGF news release, “During her experience working with the children at the hospital, she realized the responsibility of being a resource that others can turn to. Entergy is proud to support educational excellence and believes in the power of education to transform lives and communities.”
Kelly and Elizabeth Gibson founded the KGF as Feed the Relief, Inc. in September of 2005 to provide support for the front line first responders to Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, Feed the Relief, a 501(c) (3) corporation, changed its name to the Kelly Gibson Foundation, and expanded its scope to enrich the lives of children through athletics.