Two College of Humanities seniors are the recipients of the Centennial Achievement Undergraduate Awards, including Emily Wright, a double major in Religious Studies and Journalism.
Wright grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, where she observed a pious population from up close and became consumed learning about people's belief systems and the institutions that house them. This, combined with Wright's continued interest in writing and activism, spawned her love for journalism.
After losing her mother to cancer in 2021, she deferred a semester for bereavement. She has worked as a teaching assistant in the School of Journalism, as outreach coordinator and a counselor with Bear Down Camp, been involved with the local Deaf community, interned for a clean-energy nonprofit, and volunteered for several campus organizations and units. Wright also studied abroad in Orvieto, Italy.
Wright has been awarded Dean's List with Distinction, was named a Drew Gyorke Memorial Photojournalism Contest Finalist, was selected for the Finley Best Beginning News Writing Competition and won the Arizona in Italy Summer 2023 Video Contest. Wright is expected to graduate summa cum laude. Following her graduation, she will pursue graduate studies in religion, gender, sexuality and ecology. She also plans to continue long-form feature writing and photojournalism.
See the College of Humanities news story here.