David Harris

David Harris joined Union College as its 19th president in July 2018 and immediately set a tone for his tenure by urging students, faculty, and staff to get “comfortable being uncomfortable” in tackling important societal and campus issues.

Harris has championed strategies and initiatives that have both expanded opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and achieved greater equity of experiences for all students once they reach college. For example, Union joined the initial cohort of five liberal arts colleges nationwide to partner with the Schuler Education Foundation on its Schuler Access Initiative, which will provide funding to increase the number of Pell-eligible students who have access to a great liberal arts education.

In addition, President Harris harbors a strong belief that creating a diverse student population is not sufficient to create greater opportunities for all students. In that spirit, Harris launched the Making U Possible program in 2020 to expand opportunities for deserving students once they arrive on campus. The initiative – to which President Harris and his wife Anne were the first donors – provides funding to students seeking co-curricular opportunities that are so vital to achieving the full Union College experience, including study-away programs, internships, and other immersive experiences.