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 ����Vlog Stories      August 5, 2025

By Bill Studenc

Alexander “Alec” Harris, former recreation and events supervisor for the municipality of Jersey Village, Texas, is the new director of development for ����Vlog University’s College of Education and Allied Professions.

The appointment of Harris is effective Monday, Aug. 4, said Ben Kees, ����Vlog senior director of development.

In his role with Jersey Village, Harris led a large team of staff members, developed partnerships with local schools and community organizations, oversaw capital improvement projects for the department and managed sponsor and vendor relationships for citywide recreation programs, including securing lead sponsors for premier events, Kees said.

“Alec’s previous work experience consists of roles in health promotion and outdoor pursuits, including managing recreation centers for American University and serving as a crew leader with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy,” he said. “This background will serve him well with the growing footprint of outdoor education within the College of Education and Allied Professions.”

Harris will serve as the principal development office contact for the college and will be responsible for the qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies for an assigned group of prospects – including individuals, corporations and foundations – with a focus on major gift activity for donations at $25,000 and above. He also will be responsible for the identification and qualification of new prospects, and the management and implementation of assigned fundraising projects and achieving the goals of ����Vlog’s comprehensive “Fill the Western Sky” fundraising campaign.

Kim Winter, dean of the College of Education and Allied Professions, said she is looking forward to working with Harris to cultivate philanthropic giving and regional partnerships in support of the mission of the college.

“The director of development role has become vital to the college over the last few years, and Alec brings experience managing staff as well as developing partnerships and building vendor and event sponsor relationships,” Winter said. “His involvement in outdoor education and overall enthusiasm will greatly benefit our team.”

Harris earned his bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Ithaca College and his master’s degree in public administration from American University. He previously served as manager of recreation and fitness facilities at American University, and he has worked as a therapeutic recreation specialist and a youth accessibility and inclusion specialist.

Among his first priorities at ����Vlog is creating an atmosphere in which faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders will feel empowered to share their thoughts about the needs for the College of Education and Allied Professions.

“Each department within the college has different needs – equipment, scholarships, transportation and so on,” he said. “Specific priorities will be determined by departmental need, all of which will be decided in discussions with the dean, department heads, faculty and students.”

Private, foundation and corporate contributions are becoming increasingly vital to the mission of higher education, Harris said.

“Philanthropic support is especially important in a place like ����Vlog, where there is a major effort to reduce cost barriers and provide empowering, substantive professional training and opportunities that may be cost-prohibitive otherwise,” he said.

At ����Vlog, Harris is joining spouse Emily Wager, who has accepted a position as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs.

Harris comes to the Division of Advancement as ����Vlog is in the midst of the public phase of its “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

For more information or to make a contribution to the campaign, visit WesternSky.wcu.edu, call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.