Photo: Dr. Steve Mauro presents Timothy Harris with the President’s Medallion at the annual President’s Society dinner
ALFRED, NY, Nov. 19, 2024 – Timothy Harris, ’77, was honored for his support of Alfred State College at the annual President’s Society Dinner held at the Lake Lodge. Harris was awarded the President’s Medallion by President Dr. Steve Mauro.
View the photo gallery from the President’s Society Dinner
Harris graduated with an engineering science degree from Alfred State and went on to further his education at Cornell and Northwestern. After working at Texas Instruments, he joined the start-up company Compaq Computers. In his sixteen years, he rose through the ranks and retired as Vice President and General Manager for the commercial desktop division.
Harris later served as CEO of Questia Media and owned Hayward KOA Holiday Recreation with his wife Wendy. The RV Park received the KOA Founder’s and President’s Award in 2022.
The Harris family has strong roots at Alfred State. His father, Fred, taught math at the college for over thirty years, his mother studied nursing at the college, and four of his five siblings attended ASC.
“This institution gave us all that launch,” commented Harris. “That opportunity to get to our dreams and make a better life for ourselves and our families.”
In honor of the impact that Alfred State had on them, the family made a $500,000 donation to Alfred State to create a world-class, state-of-the-art learning environment for students in the largest classroom on campus.
The newly dedicated Harris Hall and lobby are located right inside the main entrance of the Engineering Technology Building. The 168-seat classroom hosts larger educational events and showcases for multiple majors within the School of Architecture, Management, & Engineering Technology and the School of Arts and Sciences. The renovated lobby features a comfortable space for students to study or work together.
Dr. Mauro thanked the Harris family and shared how students are already benefiting from the renovated space. “On behalf of our administration, faculty, and our students, thank you to the whole Harris family and to Tim and Wendy in particular for your incredible contribution that makes the impossible possible for us.”
Honoring Harris was part of an evening that celebrated and thanked generous donors to Alfred State. Dr. Mauro gave attendees updates on the College and allowed Heavy Equipment Operations Professor Brian Adams and a pair of his students, Andrew Clegg and Tyler Parrish, to share details of the work they have done to help the Jasper community recover from flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby. ASC Heavy Equipment Operations rebuilding flood-damaged areas
The President’s Society is a dedicated group of alumni, friends, parents, faculty, staff, corporations, and foundations who support the College through contributions of $1,000 or more annually, along with our Legacy donors who have named Alfred State within their planned gifts. Each fall, the College holds a recognition dinner in honor of the President’s Society & Legacy Society members.
Elijah Adams named a SUNY EOP Ambassador
ALFRED, NY, Nov. 19, 2024 – Elijah Adams (Bronx, NY) has been named a SUNY EOP Student Ambassadors. Adams will represent Alfred State at the SUNY level and help students within the EOP program on campus.
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Student Ambassadors mentor their fellow students, create a student EOP support network of EOP students across the SUNY System, advise the Chancellor on strengthening the program, and help inspire more students to seek opportunities through EOP.
Adams, a junior sport management major, participated in the Summer Prep Academy and served as a mentor for the program this summer. On top of being active in EOP programming, he is a member of the Sport Business Club, works on the gameday operations team for the athletic department, helps run ASC’s 3v3 basketball league, and has worked for the Buffalo Bills through a partnership with the sport management curriculum.
“It feels amazing to be named a SUNY EOP ambassador,” commented Adams. “It is a great opportunity to grow as a person. More importantly, I am honored to represent the program that changed my life and help others do the same.”
“The EOP program provided me the opportunity to come to college. The financial and educational support has been phenomenal in helping me make it this far. I look forward to impacting others and helping them have the opportunity to choose what they want in life. I really want to help grow the EOP program and I look forward to the skills I will gain along the way.
“Elijah’s success is a perfect example of the intention behind Arthur O. Eve’s purpose for writing Education Law 6451,” commented Nadine Shardlow, Director of the Educational Opportunity Program at ASC. “He has recognized the opportunity that was afforded to him through his acceptance to Alfred State College and has run full speed toward his goal of obtaining his degree. Nothing brings me more joy than to watch the caterpillar develop the cocoon and transform into the monarch butterfly. Elijah will be one of those butterflies.”
The ambassador program is a way to build on the success of EOP by strengthening peer mentorship and networking for students from historically excluded and underserved backgrounds. It continues the Chancellor’s commitment to bringing student perspectives into the decision-making process at SUNY to ensure students’ needs are addressed in ways that work for them.
