Terrence Lurry began his final year at Emory like his first year: performing at SongFest representing Smith, Thomas and Hopkins Halls.
At his first Songfest — an Emory tradition bringing first year students together to sing about their pride in their residence halls — Lurry felt the nerves of entering college, far from his hometown of Eads, Tennessee. But the event demonstrated the strength of the Emory community.
“It was one of the first times I was able to make friends in my hall and when I first started to feel the Emory spirit,” says Lurry. “I was able to feel less scared about starting in a whole new environment. It made me feel more ready to take on college.”
During SongFest 2025 — which as a Residence Life leader he helped plan, including picking the theme of “song from 1985” to honor the event’s 40-year anniversary — he led new Emory Eagles in their performance.
Lurry’s impact in Residence Life is just one of the many campus-wide contributions that has earned him the undergraduate Marion Luther Brittain Award.
As he prepares to graduate, he leaves a legacy built on campus involvement, also including work with Emory First, the Office of Undergraduate Affairs, QuestBridge Scholars Network and more. An aspiring anesthesiologist assistant, he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a minor in ethics from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.
Curating a campus community
Just a few weeks into his first year on campus, Lurry connected with a community that became a cornerstone of his involvement: QuestFAM, a cohort of first-year QuestBridge Scholars mentored by upper-level students. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit program that identifies high-achieving, low-income students nationwide and connects them with the nation’s best colleges and universities.
QuestFAM community members “helped answer questions about our experience, and were people we could lean on,” says Lurry. “I still talk to my QuestFAM family to this day.”
QuestFAM provided the springboard for Lurry to get even more involved with the QuestBridge Scholars Network at Emory. He first became the service committee co-chair, overseeing community outreach to local high schoolers and leading service projects for the organization, from park cleanups to food drives. Since May 2023, he has served as the network’s co-president.
“QuestBridge has made me a braver leader, because I am dedicated to the service and betterment of other people,” says Lurry.
His early service work launched him into even deeper involvement in the campus community. Since his second year, Lurry has held many positions in Residence Life, working his way up to assistant complex director and senior resident advisor. In these roles, he curated a sense of belonging and growth among students living on campus and resident advisors alike.
“I am so mindful of making residents feel at home away from home, and also making sure that they experience academic growth, social growth, professional development,” says Lurry. “I can see the layers of community building from the programming level to considering what it means to enforce policy to keeping people safe.”
Coming from a low-income background himself, Lurry worked closely with the Belonging and Community Justice team to uplift and build Emory First, a central hub for students from first-generation, low-income (FGLI) backgrounds. Since August 2023, he has served as the executive student director of Emory First, managing the community space and creating engaging programming for students.
“Terrence has been a beacon of light and an agent of change for FGLI students at Emory for years,” says Mike Jones, director of Emory First. “Terrence is constantly going above and beyond his student leader role to amplify the FGLI student experience on campus, all while exuding a level of energy and kindness that positively impacts those around him. His dedication and commitment to Emory University are indescribable, and we are better because of him.”
Combining experience and passion
After graduating from Emory College, Lurry will remain on campus for two more years, studying to become an anesthesiologist assistant through the School of Medicine’s master of medical science in anesthesiology program.
“I’m a big fan of the connections and opportunities that I’ve already made at Emory,” says Lurry. “I wanted to carry those over into the graduate level and use some of the platforms and resources that I’ve gotten to affect positive change in the graduate population.”
He doesn’t see himself always working as an anesthesiologist assistant. Lurry says he is eager to combine his passion for health care, education access and student experience to forge a career in medical education or administration.
“I want to help shape the whole student experience. I really like the anesthesiologist assistant program because it starts me down the path of being in health care, but I can also apply other lenses and interests earlier in my career,” says Lurry.
Lurry attributes his Brittain Award to the people who supported him at home and on campus.
“As much as the work that I do is impactful, I don’t think that I would have the drive to do it if someone wasn’t saying, ‘Yes, you can do it and I’m proud of you,’” Lurry says. “It’s nice to have the support of my family and loved ones.”