Sandra Harris, a graduate of Texas Tech University's Department of Plant & Soil Science, has garnered a Women of Excellence Award for Arts & Culture from the Young Women's Christian Association of Lubbock. The honor will be presented during the YWCA Women of Excellence Celebration & Dinner, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday (Mar. 3) at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

In addition to Harris, other winners affiliated with Texas Tech include Beth Bridges (Business); Dina Jeffries (Human Services); Janice Magness (Education); Melinda Pharies (Mary Nell Strong Community Service Award); Comfort Pratt (Education); and Elizabeth Sharp (Social Justice).

Harris, who received her bachelor's degree in horticultural science (2002), currently serves as executive director of Lubbock's American Windmill Museum. The facility is located on 28 acres of city park land east of downtown Lubbock, and has more than 160 American style windmills on exhibition. 

While a College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources undergraduate student, Harris worked as a greenhouse assistant with university's Horticulture Gardens and Greenhouse Complex. Prior to joining the American Windmill Museum, she served as a technical programs and education coordinator with the City of Lubbock, and an executive assistant with Watermaster Irrigation Supply in Lubbock.

CONTACT: Glen Ritchie, Department Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-4325 or glen.ritchie@ttu.edu

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