Howard University student wins Avel Louise Gordly Scholarship for Oregon Black Women

Serah Judd, a sophomore at Howard University, has been awarded the Avel Louise Gordly Scholarship, which offers $3,500 to support Black women graduates from Oregon high schools. Judd, who graduated from Beaverton International High School in 2024, demonstrated leadership as a member of the Black Student Union and the Oregon Department of Education's Black Success Committee. She is currently pursuing a pre-law track at Howard with aspirations of becoming a judge. Her active involvement includes serving on the College of Arts and Sciences Council and as a Junior Resident Assistant, in addition to playing violin in a church orchestra. The scholarship, named in honor of Avel Gordly, the first African American woman elected to the Oregon Senate, is awarded based on merit from a competitive pool of candidates.

Carmen Thompson, chair of the scholarship committee, emphasized Judd's exceptional candidacy. This scholarship provides financial support for up to four years at any in-state institution or a Historically Black College or University in the U. S. Judd's achievement highlights the ongoing efforts to support diversity in education and empower future leaders.