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Growing up in an active political family led recent Rio Salado College graduate Emma Harlow to take part in political marches and rallies, volunteer work in her community and leadership roles in high school and college.
Thanks to her selection as one of two All AZ Scholars from Rio Salado, Harlow will deepen her knowledge in that area with a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University.
Harlow and Martha Salter, who also completed her associate degree in the last few weeks, were recognized Wednesday during a live and virtual event. The All-Arizona Academic Team is part of the All-USA Scholarship competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), an academic honor society for college students. Students selected to the team receive undergraduate tuition transfer scholarships toward pursuing their first bachelor’s degree.
Harlow’s accomplishments include her service in 2021-22 as Rio Salado’s student senator, participation in the college’s PTK chapter and a 3.6 GPA - all while working part- or full-time over the past two years.
Harlow graduated from high school in Tempe in 2020. The upheaval of her senior year gave her pause in choosing her next steps. Family advice led her to Rio, where she earned her degree in political science.
“I haven’t narrowed it or solidified the plan yet, but I do plan to work with grassroots organizations or nonprofit organizations that are specifically geared toward civil rights issues,” Harlow said. “Always wanting to be part of a community myself, these things have inspired me to get involved. I want to be sure that those who don’t have their voices heard can be amplified.”
She credits Rio with putting her in the right place at the right time. Though she didn’t start college until September 2020, a few months after her high school classmates, she will still finish her bachelor’s alongside them.
“My experience has been phenomenal,” Harlow said. “I was student senator and that was an amazing experience in and of itself. Just being at Rio Salado, the education was amazing. The flexibility of online learning was phenomenal. I keep using that word but it’s the only word that can describe my experience.”