Kelsey Harkins ’25 Wins Dawn Marie Sisas Memorial Scholarship

The scholarship awards outstanding English majors who are graduates of Southern High School in Anne Arundel County.

By Chloe Kim

Kelsey Harkins ’25, an English and studio arts double major, has won the Dawn Marie Sisas Memorial Scholarship. Endowed in May 1986 by Richard and Carol Ann Sisas in honor of their daughter, the scholarship was established to award outstanding undergraduate English majors who attended Southern High School in Anne Arundel County and helps defray the cost of tuition.

“I was stunned because of how niche it is. I’m seriously thankful I was able to qualify for it,” Harkins said. “It’s reassuring when others recognize good qualities about you that you may not recognize yourself.”

Harkins is a transfer student who cultivated a love for creative writing and poetry while attending Anne Arundel Community College. She decided to pursue an English major as a “good jumping off point” to further hone her writing skills and develop her craft. As a studio artist, she works in mediums including painting, illustration, woodworking and computer programming. 

The poetry and fiction writing classes offered by the department introduced Harkins to workshopping and group critiques, a new experience she called “a ton of fun.”

“All in all, I just really love being an English major,” Harkins said.