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Leah Morris
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MAJOR

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LEARN BY DOING

  • National Archives
  • Study Abroad
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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

  • Caring for Kids
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SUPPORT FROM DONOR PROGRAM

  • Martha Frick Symington Sanger
  • Helen Clay Frick Foundation
Leah Morris

All In

Leah  Morris

Class of 2021 • Pitman, New Jersey
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MAJOR

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LEARN BY DOING

  • Study Abroad
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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

  • Caring for Kids
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SUPPORT FROM DONOR PROGRAM

  • Martha Frick Symington Sanger
  • Helen Clay Frick Foundation
Whether she is packing food for needy schoolchildren, attending theatre productions and lectures, or playing Bingo in the Student Center, Leah Morris is always busy.

 

“I try to get involved in the community and I’m always convincing my friends to go out and do things,” Leah says. “I only get to be in college for four years, so I figure I might as well take full advantage.”

For Leah, that includes a semester abroad this spring at the University of Hull in England. Hull is one of 30 study abroad programs available to WC students. 

She was drawn to Washington College because of its intimate size and the flexibility of the liberal arts. And when she saw the College’s waterfront area, she knew this was the place for her.

“I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do at first,” she says. “I knew I liked history and working with people. And I knew this was where I wanted to be. I’ve been really pleased that I’ve been able to make connections that have helped me solidify my career plans.”

She made many of those connections through the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, where she was part of the National Homefront Education Team. Using oral histories collected from local individuals who lived in Kent County during World War II, she and fellow team members created lessons and classroom activities that teachers could use as part of their AP history curriculum.

The Starr Center also led her to an Explore America summer internship at the National Archives, where she worked with the museum’s education team. During her 11 weeks in Washington, she worked on three specific projects: creating a flip book commemorating the Women’s Suffrage Movement’s “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions”; making worksheets for second-graders for civics and social studies curriculum; and serving as lead intern on an Escape Room scenario that required adult participants to crack a database to prevent the closure of the National Park Service. The flipbook she made will be available to the public as a printed publication, and the student worksheets will be available to teachers through the National Archives website.

Leah intends to apply for jobs with museums, national parks, or libraries where she can focus on education programming.­­

Leah's Four Year Plan

Year 1

Favorite ClassENG 209-210 (American Literature)

Leah appreciated Prof. Rich De Prospo’s holistic approach to American Lit classes. “I like how he uses references to music, movies, and films to offer cultural context,” Leah says. She spent her first year focused on General Ed requirements.

Year 2

Learning by DoingExhibition at Starr Center

The “Town of Chester” was a major Port of Entry in colonial America and all the imported goods came through the Custom House—where WC’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience is headquartered today. Digging through historical-society records and newspaper archives, Leah helped create the exhibition, Chestertown’s Support of Trade.

Year 3

Learning by DoingInternship at National Archives

Through the Starr Center’s Explore America Summer Internship program, Leah spent 11 weeks working with the education team at the National Archives. In addition to creating guides for AP history teachers and making civics and social studies worksheets for second-graders, Leah made a flip book of the Declaration of Sentiments. Her flipbook of the document signed at the first women’s rights convention will be published as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of women’s right to vote.

Year 4

Looking Forward ToLaunching Her Career

Leah will spend her senior year working on her Senior Capstone Experience and applying for jobs with museums, national parks, or libraries where she can focus on education programming.

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