Grace E. Harris

Grace E. Harris, Ph.D. (born July 1, 1933), is a retired administrator from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr. Grace E. Harris was one of the first African American faculty members hired by Virginia Commonwealth University in 1967, which initially rejected her admission on the basis of race, when it was known as Richmond Professional Institute (RPI), when she was a graduate student in 1954. She would later rise through the ranks at the university to become Dean, Provost, and Acting President on two occasions, becoming the highest-ranking African American and highest-ranking woman in VCU’s history.

Harris had formerly been employed as a social worker, supervisor, and executive director in public and nonprofit social service agencies in Hampton and Richmond, VA. Active in community organizations in the Richmond area, Harris has served on numerous boards, task forces, and commissions. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Virginia Health Care Foundation and the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Appointments, of which she has been a member since its establishment by former Gov. Mark Warner in 2002. She also was vice chair of Warner’s transition team — Put Virginia First.