Like hundreds of her peers, Carrie Harris smiled and posed next to Georgia Tech's famed Ramblin' Wreck Friday in graduation garb, just a few minutes after accepting her diploma.

But her walk across the stage at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the Tech campus had special meaning for the Harris family — coming about 120 years after her great-great grandfather, Nathaniel Harris, helped found the Atlanta institution.

Rob Felt (ENLARGE)

Carrie Harris, who graduated from Georgia Tech Friday, is the great-great granddaughter of Nathaniel Harris, who helped found the school.

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A lawmaker and Confederate solider, the elder Harris introduced a bill in 1882 to establish a technical school in Georgia and helped secure $65,000 in seed money for a nine acre site near North Avenue.

No doubt he would have been proud, and likely surprised, to see his female descendant graduate from the massive research powerhouse Tech has grown into with a degree in biomedical engineering.

"We've always talked about the family history and it's a really cool story and a neat connection," Carrie Harris said Friday. "It's always been a booster and a source of inspiration."

Harris, who grew up in Carrollton with dreams of being a surgeon, said she used to walk past the dormitory named for her great-great grandpa freshman year and marvel at the meaning. Some of her friends would ask about the Harris name.... was she related?

"I'd say, 'well, actually, yeah there is,' " she said laughing. She switched her major to biomedical engineering and said she found her passion at Tech.

"It was the perfect place for me," she said.

Harris plans to head to Washington to work for the national trademark and patent office later this month, after a few more family celebrations.

"It tickled my dad especially, to see me go to Tech," she said. "I'm glad I carried on the family legacy."