Seven UNMC students recently were named recipients of the 2002 Norman and Bernice Harris Graduate Student Scholarships. The Harris Graduate Scholarship is a cancer research fund of seven, $500-stipends a year for UNMC graduate students doing research related to cancer.
The Harrises will continue to give $3,500 a year for the scholarships while they are alive. Their estate plans include a $500,000 endowment, which would significantly increase the amount and number of awards. Specifically, their interests are in colorectal, breast and uterine cancer due to their personal battles with these diseases.
The deans of the UNMC colleges involved in cancer research, selected the student recipients based on need and scholastic achievement.
This year’s recipients are: Jodi Alt (Eppley); Mahefatiana Andrianfahanana (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); Michael Dixon (Eppley); Karl Kohlgraf (Eppley); Ming-Shuye Lee (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); Troy Luster (Eppley); Swayam Prabha (Pharmaceutical Sciences); and Heth Turnquist (Eppley).
Originally from Omaha, the Harrises have lived in San Diego since 1965. Norman Harris earned a bachelor of art’s degree from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1941 with a degree in political science. In 1993, he and his wife also received Honorary Doctorates of Human Letters from UNL. Until his retirement in 1973, Norman Harris managed a chain of retail discount stores. He then embarked on entrepreneurial adventures in real estate, franchising, accounting, tax preparation, banking and finance. He has been a University of Nebraska Foundation Trustee since 1993.
An artist, Bernice Harris taught at the Golden Door Spa near San Diego for several years. She has also written a book on Japanese flower arranging and is a decorative arranger and consultant.
Photos in descending order: 1) Left to right, Troy Luster, Heth Turnquist, Swayam Prabha, Michael Dixon, Norman Harris, Jodi Alt, Karl Kohlgraf, Ming-Shuye Lee, and Mahefatiana Andrianfahanana; 2) Norman Harris with Jodi Alt.