Judith Harris

BA, MSc, PhD

Judith Harris is a gifted educator in the field of urban and inner-city studies. She has a vested interest in social learning, in which people learn from one another, with a focus on transformative education.

Harris is committed to making education equitable and accessible for some of the most marginalized people in our society, as evidenced by her commitment to the Walls to Bridges Program (W2B). Harris developed this program at UWinnipeg after training at an Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program Think Tank, located in a Graterford, Pennsylvania maximum security prison.

Since its inception in 2014, this eye-opening program has connected incarcerated students and campus-enrolled students. They study together inside the prison, earning credit toward their degrees, and sharing life experiences. W2B uses teaching methods designed to ensure both groups learn as equals. It has had a transformative impact on students on both sides of the wall.

Harris’ exceptional work in the W2B program is a natural extension of her longstanding career demonstrating the value of community outreach as a benefit to both the University and society as a whole. Her teaching and research highlight the positive outcomes that arise when academia collaborates with community, and her efforts have proven crucial in establishing programs that harness cooperation to build stronger communities.

Examples of such initiatives include a monthly think tank that brings former W2B students together to identify educational barriers and develop a road map for success; the Little Stars PLAYhouse, a daycare facility on Selkirk Avenue; and the Langside Learning Garden, a collaborative partnership with Spence Neighbourhood Association to develop sustainable urban gardening.

UWinnipeg is proud to award the 2019 Stars of Spence Prize to Judith Harris for her commitment to building stronger communities through collaboration and education.