Texas A&M System Veterans Service Award Winner – Laking Harris
Laking Harris, a sophomore Business/Finance major and veteran of the United States Marine Corps has been awarded the 2021 Texas A&M University System Veteran Excellence Award. There is only one winner annually chosen from applicants throughout the entire statewide Texas A&M University System – and Laking is making his difference by adding value in Texarkana USA!
The Student Veteran Excellence Award is presented to a student veteran at any institution of the Texas A&M University System who: Demonstrates service to the campus and/or community; Exemplifies the core values of the campus or military services; and Serves as an advocate for student veterans or veteran issues. Students must be nominated by faculty, staff or peers. To be eligible, students must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00, with verified current or former military status.
Originally from Englewood, California, Harris spent seven years as a member of the United States Marine Corps, where he was stationed in Japan, North Carolina, and California. He moved to Texas to be close to his family. Laking is the first member of his family to serve or to go to college, and is an active volunteer in a number of campus organizations as well as with the City of Texarkana, a neighborhood association, and other organizations.
“To say Laking is energetic and focused would be a great understatement,” said Robert Hernandez, Manager of the TAMUT Veteran Services Center. “Once his path to completing his degree was established, he quickly networked himself into numerous campus organizations, Texarkana community organizations, as well as a role as a Veteran Services Assistant working in our campus Veteran Services Center helping and guiding his fellow Veteran students utilize their Veteran education benefits. It is rare to find a young individual with as much energy and focus possessed by Laking and he is doing an amazing job a balancing all activities and his studies.”
Congratulations Laking! You are another superlative to celebrate in Texarkana USA!