Where did Kamala Harris go to school? Here's a look at her college journey
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump clashed over his education credentials during their first debate in Philadelphia. But what is the VP’s educational background?
The Democratic presidential candidate attended Westmount High School in Montreal, Canada, from 1977 to 1981 after her mom, Shyamala Gopalan, got a teaching job at McGill University’s medical school and a research position at Jewish General Hospital.
After graduation, Harris attended Vanier College in Montreal for a year before transferring to Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., and graduated with a degree in economics and political science in 1986.
In her 2019 memoir, Harris wrote, “That was the beauty of Howard. Every signal told students that we could be anything — that we were young, gifted and Black, and we shouldn’t let anything get in the way of our success.”
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During her time at Howard, Harris actively engaged in campus life. She served on the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council as a first-year representative, joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and participated in the debate team.
Reflecting on her U.S. undergraduate experience, Harris has consistently praised the university for shaping her identity and ambition. In an interview with Howard Magazine, she noted, “The thing that Howard taught me is that you can do any collection of things, and not one thing to the exclusion of the other. You could be homecoming queen and valedictorian.”
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Following her undergraduate studies, Harris attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she served as president of the Black Law Students Association. She earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1989 and was admitted to the California Bar the following year.
Harris continues to celebrate her educational journey by occasionally visiting Howard University to support students and participate in campaign events. In April 2023, she returned to campus to advocate against restrictions on reproductive rights.
The vice president attributes much of her career success to her educational experiences and her mother, who often reminded her, “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things. Make sure you are not the last.”
Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the Paste BN Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow