DSU student Aisha Harris is the first recipient of the Bob Austin Scholarship.CLEVELAND, Miss. — Delta State University has announced the first recipient of the Bob Austin Scholarship, awarding the Fall 2026 scholarship to Aisha Harris of Birmingham, Alabama.
Harris is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Geospatial Analysis and Intelligence at DSU while working as a GIS Specialist with Jefferson County. For more than a decade, she has worked in both the public and private sectors using geographic information systems technology to support projects related to public safety, emergency response, redistricting, zoning, infrastructure and community development.
Harris said her passion for geospatial technology comes from seeing how GIS can help communities make informed decisions and improve everyday life.
As a first-generation college student, Harris said she is proud to continue advancing in the geospatial field while encouraging more women to pursue careers in GIS and geospatial intelligence.
The scholarship is named in honor of Dr. Robert F. Austin, a longtime geospatial industry professional whose career included work in higher education, local government and the private sector. Austin was widely recognized for his commitment to using geospatial technologies to improve lives through applications in emergency management, infrastructure and public policy, as well as expanding educational opportunities in geographic technologies.
“Aisha Harris represents the type of student the Bob Austin Scholarship was created to support,” said Dr. Suzette Matthews, Vice President of University Advancement and Executive Director of the DSU Foundation. “Her professional accomplishments, dedication to community impact and commitment to advancing the geospatial field make her an outstanding choice as the first recipient of this scholarship.”
Harris was previously recognized as a recipient of the 2024-2025 USGIF AWS Scholarship for Inclusive Leadership. She is also a member of the Gamma Theta Upsilon and the National Honor Society for Geospatial Technology.
For more information about Geospatial Information Technologies programs at Delta State University, visit deltastate.edu/business-aviation/accountancy-cis-git/.
