Suraya Boggs
Suraya Boggs, a member of the Honors College from Spencer, will graduate with degrees in sociology and anthropology and a minor in law and legal studies. In addition to her academic accomplishments, she conducted research and actively engaged in extracurricular activities that align with her passion for social justice and human rights.
As an intern with the Center for Resilient Communities, Boggs examined food insecurity and food justice in West Virginia by analyzing data from various public assistance programs, and she studied the prevalence and challenges associated with codependency between immigrant parents and their American-born children as a participant in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. In addition, she conducted research through the Honors College on how physical features influence the assimilation experiences of Irish, Japanese and African immigrants.
Her most rewarding undergraduate experience is being chosen for the nationally competitive Public Policy and International Affairs Program Junior Summer Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. As a fellow, she took classes in economics, poverty and social policy while creating a policy proposal to address the use of violence in Allegheny County Jail. She said this experience ignited her passion for public policy and immigration law.
Boggs has served as a member of the WVU Collegiate Chapter of the NAACP, a teaching assistant in the Department of Sociology and a volunteer with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Farm and Food Workers Relief Program.
She is a two-time Eberly Scholar and recipient of the Department of Sociology Outstanding Senior Award.
Boggs plans to take a gap year after graduation and work as a paralegal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before pursuing a master’s degree in law and public policy.