California Sen. Kamala Harris, a graduate of Howard University, received a congratulations message from the historically black college over Twitter, after Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden named her as his running mate.
“From the Hilltop to Capitol Hill, congratulations to our alumna, Senator Kamala Harris,” Howard wrote in a tweet.
Harris double majored in political science and economics at Howard, and graduated in 1986, before she attended law school at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
From the Hilltop to Capitol Hill, congratulations to our alumna, Senator @KamalaHarris. pic.twitter.com/4SwNtNiNci
— Howard University (@HowardU) August 12, 2020
Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick, when asked by MSNBC about his reaction to Harris being chosen as Biden’s vice presidential pick, said it was an extremely proud moment.
Frederick said during Wednesday’s televised interview that Harris called him the day before to have a conversation on other matters, and he thought her humility and how calm she “almost seemed surreal.”
“This is a moment of historic significance,” he said. “We also need to make sure we take pause and recognize that she’s well-prepared and she’s extremely intelligent, which is what we want in a nominee. She is someone of the people. She understands what common Americans are facing every day.”
Frederick added that it was a signature moment for the school. “She has stood on the shoulders of many who have gone before her, and now she gets to clear a path for many who will come after her.”
Harris, a daughter of an immigrant couple from India and Jamaica, could become the nation’s first Black, Asian-American and female vice president.
She made history before, becoming the first Indian American to serve as a US senator, as well as the first African American and South Asian American woman to serve as California attorney general.