Summer Phenix
Summer Phenix
Morgan Chambers: Rooted in Service
Morgan Chambers: Rooted in Service
For Morgan Chambers, service does not begin with action; it begins with understanding. As a senior psychology major with a minor in education studies from Jackson, Mississippi, Chambers has spent her time at Spelman College exploring how research, mentorship and leadership can come together to support communities in meaningful ways.
Now recognized as a recipient of the 2026 Spotlight Award: Game Changers, her work reflects a commitment not only to service, but to intentional and thoughtful impact.
Research and mentorship lay as the roots of Chambers’ community engagement. Through her work in Spelman’s Cognition and Temperament Lab, she has spent the past three years studying child development, focusing on how various factors can shape a child’s life. Her interest lies in better understanding these influences so that resources and interventions can be developed to support children, particularly those in marginalized communities. Instead of treating her research as simply statistics, she sees the human behind the point, bringing forth a humanity to her work that is often not seen when Black children are being researched.
“I believe that research is one of the most authentic forms of storytelling,” Chambers said. “Each data point actually represents a lived experience of a child or a family.”
Beyond research, Chambers has dedicated herself to mentorship, serving for the past two years as a first-year study group mentor. In this role, she meets regularly with students, offering guidance as they navigate their transition into college life. Rather than encouraging students to follow one specific path, she emphasizes the importance of finding one’s own way.
“There’s no one perfect way to do Spelman,” Chambers said. “Through honing your own interest and your own passions, you will find that in four years you will have been able to create a really beautiful experience for yourself.”
This idea is largely driven by her own experience at Spelman, which began with her desire to be like an older peer. Navigating Spelman her first few years allowed for a type of personal awakening that gave way to her understanding that being a Spelmanite doesn’t look one way.
Her journey into leadership was not straightforward. After being denied an SGA-appointed position during her sophomore year, Chambers stepped away from campus leadership and immersed herself more deeply in research. She now views that moment as a turning point, one that allowed her to better understand her interests and ultimately return to leadership with a clearer sense of purpose.
As Secretary of Academic Affairs, Chambers has focused on increasing access to research opportunities for students, recognizing that many are unaware of how to get involved. Through conversations with administrators and campus leadership, she has worked to bridge the gap between students and academic resources, ensuring that more students can benefit from opportunities that shaped her own experience.
As a psychology major, Chambers approaches service with a focus on understanding before action. She believes that in order to effectively support a community, one must first understand the people within it. This perspective has shaped both her mentorship and research, allowing her to address things with clarity and compassion, which has proved a successful method to her work, reinforcing her belief that asking questions and listening deeply are essential components of meaningful service.
Chambers’ work is not driven by a desire for recognition. Upon receiving the 2026 Spotlight Award, she even claimed to be shocked, describing her current year as relatively “low-key.” With that being said, the award still holds significant meaning for her, particularly because it acknowledges not only her visible leadership roles, but also the quieter work she is most passionate about.
“To know that the work that I’m passionate about and sometimes a little more quiet about is also recognized is something that’s really special to me,” Chambers said.
As she prepares to graduate, Chambers plans to pursue clinical child psychology in graduate school, continuing her focus on research and its application to real-world communities. She hopes to expand her research from solely the South to different regions and communities across the country. Her life’s goal is to help as many people as she can.
“I just really want to go on and help children and families for as much as I can and honestly as long as I can,” Chambers said.
She hopes people recognize that her work, though not always perfect, was always done with intention and a deep care for people struggling in this society. Through her work in research, mentorship and leadership, Chambers embodies what it means to be a change maker, not by following a single path, but by helping others find their own.
For Morgan Chambers, service does not begin with action; it begins with understanding. As a senior psychology major with a minor in education studies from Jackson, Mississippi, Chambers has spent her time at Spelman College exploring how research, mentorship and leadership can come together to support communities in meaningful ways.
Now recognized as a recipient of the 2026 Spotlight Award: Game Changers, her work reflects a commitment not only to service, but to intentional and thoughtful impact.
Research and mentorship lay as the roots of Chambers’ community engagement. Through her work in Spelman’s Cognition and Temperament Lab, she has spent the past three years studying child development, focusing on how various factors can shape a child’s life. Her interest lies in better understanding these influences so that resources and interventions can be developed to support children, particularly those in marginalized communities. Instead of treating her research as simply statistics, she sees the human behind the point, bringing forth a humanity to her work that is often not seen when Black children are being researched.
“I believe that research is one of the most authentic forms of storytelling,” Chambers said. “Each data point actually represents a lived experience of a child or a family.”
Beyond research, Chambers has dedicated herself to mentorship, serving for the past two years as a first-year study group mentor. In this role, she meets regularly with students, offering guidance as they navigate their transition into college life. Rather than encouraging students to follow one specific path, she emphasizes the importance of finding one’s own way.
“There’s no one perfect way to do Spelman,” Chambers said. “Through honing your own interest and your own passions, you will find that in four years you will have been able to create a really beautiful experience for yourself.”
This idea is largely driven by her own experience at Spelman, which began with her desire to be like an older peer. Navigating Spelman her first few years allowed for a type of personal awakening that gave way to her understanding that being a Spelmanite doesn’t look one way.
Her journey into leadership was not straightforward. After being denied an SGA-appointed position during her sophomore year, Chambers stepped away from campus leadership and immersed herself more deeply in research. She now views that moment as a turning point, one that allowed her to better understand her interests and ultimately return to leadership with a clearer sense of purpose.
As Secretary of Academic Affairs, Chambers has focused on increasing access to research opportunities for students, recognizing that many are unaware of how to get involved. Through conversations with administrators and campus leadership, she has worked to bridge the gap between students and academic resources, ensuring that more students can benefit from opportunities that shaped her own experience.
As a psychology major, Chambers approaches service with a focus on understanding before action. She believes that in order to effectively support a community, one must first understand the people within it. This perspective has shaped both her mentorship and research, allowing her to address things with clarity and compassion, which has proved a successful method to her work, reinforcing her belief that asking questions and listening deeply are essential components of meaningful service.
Chambers’ work is not driven by a desire for recognition. Upon receiving the 2026 Spotlight Award, she even claimed to be shocked, describing her current year as relatively “low-key.” With that being said, the award still holds significant meaning for her, particularly because it acknowledges not only her visible leadership roles, but also the quieter work she is most passionate about.
“To know that the work that I’m passionate about and sometimes a little more quiet about is also recognized is something that’s really special to me,” Chambers said.
As she prepares to graduate, Chambers plans to pursue clinical child psychology in graduate school, continuing her focus on research and its application to real-world communities. She hopes to expand her research from solely the South to different regions and communities across the country. Her life’s goal is to help as many people as she can.
“I just really want to go on and help children and families for as much as I can and honestly as long as I can,” Chambers said.
She hopes people recognize that her work, though not always perfect, was always done with intention and a deep care for people struggling in this society. Through her work in research, mentorship and leadership, Chambers embodies what it means to be a change maker, not by following a single path, but by helping others find their own.