Editor’s Note: In conjunction with Black History Month, the Daily will be profiling five outstanding black students this week.

Overseeing both the African American and women’s studies programs by day and typing her dissertation by night, Phyllis Harris looks to the future.

Harris, 42, is a full-time program assistant for the African American and women’s studies programs. She supervises students and staff, works on projects and keeps the programs running and organized.

Harris came to Iowa State in 1992 to attain her doctorate in human development and family studies.

Since her arrival, she has been involved with the university on a number of levels.

She is associated with the African American Studies Society, the George Washington Carver Celebration Committee, the Black Graduate Students and the Black Faculty and Staff.

Getting where she is today, however, has been a challenge.

Putting herself through the University of Northern Iowa, sometimes Harris was enrolled in only one class per semester.

“It may have taken me longer, but I’m still here, and I won’t leave until I [receive my doctorate],” she said.

Harris’ mother a single parent of six as well as a foster parent, regretted not being able to support her children through higher education.

However, Harris said her mother’s encouraging support was always a phone call away.

“[My mother] has a way of looking at the world through these eyes of ‘It will happen,'” she said. “I always get reminded when I call home to focus on, ‘This will pass.'”

Harris said her own community involvement was inspired by her mother’s activism.

“[My mom] always said that you don’t get anything in a vacuum. In order to get from the community, you have to give to it,” she said.

Harris said her mother advised her that “you can’t wait around for other people to do something; you need to do it yourself.”

Although she doesn’t have any “grand-scale” plans, Harris would like to think that what she does is important for the African American community.

Harris said her ideal job would be to work with communities to foster relationships with universities because she feels that they have “lost sight of the goal” and “lost focus.”

Harris said researchers fail to benefit society when they don’t report back to the community.

“It doesn’t do any good if we don’t share it,” she said.

Harris also would like to see the intellectual findings put into practice.

“Theoretical is great,” Harris said, “but you have to be able to apply it and be willing to work on it.”

The dissertation that consumes her nights and weekends is on “Racial and Gender Socialization” and how it affects social institutions.

Harris said she hopes to be finished with it in August.

One of the things Harris addresses is the social isolation of African Americans in Ames and issues surrounding acculturation.

For example, for a while, there was only one black hairdresser in Ames, she said, and it was a hassle to drive to Des Moines just for a hair appointment.

Harris also said sometimes she can walk on campus and never see another African American for an entire day.

Harris said African Americans have to balance society’s demands with maintaining their identities.

“And it’s not an easy tightrope to walk,” she said.

Harris said people just need to “let go of the fear” and the thoughts about “who has the right to society.”

“For example, people need to not feel threatened that an African American is going to take their job,” she said.

Harris said African Americans continually feel they have to reiterate their viewpoints because their concerns aren’t heard.

“If we felt like you were listening,” she said, “we wouldn’t have to repeat ourselves.”

If people would openly express themselves when discussing racial issues, Harris thinks a lot more would get accomplished.

“No matter how uncomfortable it might be, we have to talk about it,” she said.

“I may not agree with what you’re saying, but I can try to empathize and remember that people bring experiences with them, and they don’t live in a vacuum,” Harris said.