A Legacy of Support
John, '77, Diane, '76, and Tom Harris, '80
In 1972, John Harris ’77 joined Grand Valley State University’s wrestling team. His parents, Jack and Dorcas, were his biggest fans, but their support extended beyond simply cheering for their son. “They got to know every wrestler,” John said. “They took the losses of other kids as hard as they took [mine].”
No matter the date, time, or location, Jack and Dorcas showed up. John’s wife, Diane Harris ’76, recalls that, “They really enjoyed coming to every meet,” adding that, “people enjoyed being around them.” The couple’s presence helped create a true sense of community within the program. And, since wrestling was such a defining part of John’s college experience, when GVSU discontinued the varsity sport in 1993, he was determined to bring it back.
Revitalizing Wrestling
John, Diane, and John’s brother, Tom Harris ’80, were all key players in doing just that. In September of 2023, the Harris Family Athletic Complex – a 22,000-square-foot addition to the Fieldhouse Arena – was dedicated, marking the inaugural season of Grand Valley’s revitalized varsity wrestling program. This new space offers GVSU athletes a state-of-the-art facility to hone their skills. The amenities support dance, cheerleading, STUNT, martial arts, and police academy programs. But, for the Harris family, the key program remains wrestling. In its first season back, the men’s team laid a solid foundation, including a national championship win. Women’s wrestling will launch for the first time in the fall of 2024. “This first year is a building block,” John said. “The goal was to build this program into perpetuity and have it be one of the best in the land forevermore.”
For their philanthropic devotion to Grand Valley and the athletic community, the Harris family received the Enrichment Award on June 4.
Examples of Generosity
John, Diane, and Tom all point to the dedication and example of Jack and Dorcas, and all three continue to navigate life through the lens of their parents’ empathy and dedication.
“[My parents] had a great work ethic,” Tom said. “They worked hard. They were fair to everybody, and they taught us to be fair to our fellow students, friends, and family. They instilled that in us from the start.”
John agrees, adding that, “They were ethical, [and] they set a tone for how they believed you should behave.” For both John and Tom, their parents’ lives and actions instilled the values of generosity, helping others, and taking the time to truly care. “As I got older,” John said, “I recognized that not every family is like that. It was wonderful to be in that kind of environment and know that anything you did, your parents had your back…and to think that they will forever be enshrined here through the athletic complex is so special.”
Generations of Support
John and Diane’s children were also involved in the project, making the Harris Family Athletic Complex a culmination of three generations who care deeply about giving back. Their leadership is actively helping others and inspiring good. “We were humbled by how others stepped up,” John said. “We’re proud to be catalysts, but we couldn’t be prouder of our colleagues who stepped up and did everything to make this happen.”
Together, the family’s gift and their leadership in the wrestling campaign will leave a lasting impact on the GVSU community. “It’s great to think that we’re going to open this opportunity to so many more students to experience wrestling at a college level,” John said, “but even more important to experience it the Grand Valley way.”
“I think my mom and dad would be extremely proud that we were able to achieve that,” Tom added. The Harris family continues to inspire individuals to become leaders at GVSU, both on and off the wrestling mats.
