Dillard valedictorian Erica Woodridge plans to work with youth in the criminal justice system
Erica Woodridge
Dillard University’s Office of Academic Affairs has named a New Orleans native as a valedictorian to be honored Saturday (May 13) during Dillard’s 2023 commencement.
Erica Woodridge is one of five to receive the distinction of valedictorian in Dillard’s 2023 graduating class. She has earned a bachelor of arts in criminal justice and plans to work with youth in the community, according to a Dillard press release.
She attended Dillard as a recipient of the Benjamin E. Mays/ Samuel Dubois Cook Presidential Scholarship after receiving an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Delgado Community College. Woodridge maintained a 4.0 grade average at both schools while working full time, a LinkedIn profile shows, first as an emergency medical technician with Acadian Ambulance and then as a child support enforcement specialist with the Jefferson Parish government.
With her bachelor’s degree in hand, Woodridge will continue working in the district attorney’s office and plans to obtain a master’s degree in criminal justice. She is a member of Alpha Phi Sigma-Criminal Justice Honor Society.
The CEO of Essence Ventures, Caroline Wanga, will deliver the commencement address during the 2023 graduation ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at 8 a.m. on the Avenue of the Oaks.
