It’s almost impossible to talk about the Honors College without mentioning Dr. Julia Ehrhardt. Dr. Ehrhardt was one of the first-ever faculty hires that the Honors College made, arriving here in 1998. Julia earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Women’s Studies and continued her education at Yale University where she earned a master’s in philosophy and a Ph.D. in American Studies. Shortly after graduation, she was hired as a Reach for Excellence assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma.
Carolyn Morgan, who was appointed as interim Director of the Honors Program in 1995 and is now an Honors advisor, has worked closely with Dr. Ehrhardt throughout her tenure at OU. She applauds Ehrhardt on the knowledge she has brought to the Honors College. “As one of the first three assistant professors hired in our transition from a program to an Honors College,” Morgan says, “Dr. Ehrhardt was instrumental in establishing excellent teaching as one of our hallmarks. On my first visit to her classroom, I was amazed at her skill in both imparting knowledge and engaging student response.” Dr. Ehrhardt's excellent teaching has been recognized with the Regents Award for Superior Teaching (2016), the Good Neighbor Award from the McNair Scholars program (2019), and she was twice selected to teach Presidential Dream courses.
Julia has had a significant role in establishing and maintaining special programs designed to give students a well-rounded college experience. In 2004 Dr. Ehrhardt founded the OUtdoor Adventure Trip which is still popular among Honors students. OUtdoor Adventure is a seven-day backpacking trip offered to incoming first-year Honors College students. This is a great introduction to the university and allows students to connect with their peers. She also started the Honors in Italy program, which broadened the Honors College study abroad opportunities. William Lonn, a 2014 Honors graduate who had the opportunity to study abroad with her, said, “Dr. Ehrhardt has had the greatest impact on how I interpret the world around me. Many OU professors contributed to that transformation, but I owe Dr. Ehrhardt a great deal.” Most recently, she has served as the faculty advisor for The Honors Undergraduate Research Journal, which she has done several times over the years.
Julia Ehrhardt’s influence reaches well beyond the Honors College, for example as president of Phi Beta Kappa and as affiliate faculty in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest scholastic honors society and is the nation’s leading advocate for the liberal arts and sciences at the undergraduate level. Dr. James Thompson, who has worked closely with Julia for years in Phi Beta Kappa, had wonderful things to say about his experience. “I greatly value the many interactions I have with Julia Ehrhardt on behalf of talented and motivated students. She is a priceless asset to them in ways many will probably never know.” He continues, “We also share our mentorship of pre-med students and those seeking very competitive scholarships and positions. She encourages their pursuit of the highest goals, and she enthusiastically passes on to us reports of their efforts and successes. By sharing and supporting students in this way, Julia is a catalyst in the positive, professional environment that makes the Honors College, and indeed the University as a whole.”
Dr. Susan Kates, a professor in the English department, has worked with her throughout the years and considers her a great friend. Kates had this to say about Julia: “There is no way to measure the contributions Julia Ehrhardt has made to this university. She has written letters that have helped students win prestigious fellowships and awards. She has proved to be a safe haven for countless LGBTQ+ students. She is probably the professor I have heard students praise most. She has been successful in these and other ventures because she is a first-rate human being, and I have learned how to be a better professor and person in her company.”
Although Dr. Ehrhardt has been instrumental in organizations in and out of the Honors College, her biggest impact has been as a professor and mentor to her students. She is the Associate Professor of American Studies at the Honors College, and her courses include Contemporary American Women’s Writing, Perspectives on Food and Culture, American Literary Cultures, and Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Literature. Her courses have been long-time favorites among Honors students and for many of them serve as the beginning of a remarkable mentorship with Julia. Alec Cooper, who will be graduating this spring, completed his Honors Reading with her as well as taking a few of her classes, and holds her in high regard. Of his relationship he says, “Dr. Ehrhardt is one of those special few professors who goes above and beyond when it comes to promoting learning in her classes and supporting her students. In every class I have had with her, she has always promoted unique, interesting discussions on a range of topics that truly widened my worldview and forced me to see new topics from multiple perspectives. Dr. Ehrhardt has also made it a point to support me in my journey to medical school, always willing to review my writing for my applications as well as check in on how I was feeling about the process. Overall, I cannot help but feel blessed to have had such a caring, impactful, and supportive professor during my undergraduate career.”
Honors alumna Shagah Zakerion may have summed it up best when she said “Dr. Ehrhardt’s passion for women’s and gender studies, combined with her warmth and approachability, have had a lasting impact. As she leaves OU, she can know that her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Although she will be greatly missed by students, staff, and faculty alike, we congratulate her on her retirement and wish her all the best for the future.
