Grace E. Harris was an accomplished college administrator. Harris was one of the first African-American faculty members hired by Virginia Commonwealth University in 1967, which initially rejected her admission based on 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. She also served on the advisory board of the Virginia Health Care Foundation and the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Appointments.
