Donors commit $24 million to advance AI leadership, faculty excellence, and student success at RIT

Gift establishes endowed directorship for a new AI Institute and expands support for students and faculty

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rochester Institute of Technology has received a $24 million commitment to advance artificial intelligence leadership, faculty excellence, and student success.

The gift from Board of Trustees member and immediate past chair Jeff Harris '75 and President's Roundtable member and College of Liberal Arts National Council chair Joyce Pratt brings the Annapolis, Md., couple's lifetime giving to more than $30 million. Since 1985, Harris and Pratt have supported scholarships, professorships, academic programs, and student initiatives across the university.

The commitment supports several strategic priorities, including the creation of a Harris-Pratt Directorship for the university's new artificial intelligence institute expected to launch in early 2027, expanded scholarship support, and strengthened endowments for three distinguished professorships.

Recruitment of the institute's founding director will begin this summer. The institute will advance artificial intelligence education, research, and responsible application across disciplines while helping develop the talent needed to guide, apply, and improve emerging technologies.

"Jeff and Joyce have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to RIT through their leadership, service, and generosity over many years," said RIT President Bill Sanders." This gift invests in the people who shape the future of our university: our students, faculty, and academic leaders. As artificial intelligence evolves, it is once again people who matter most. The ability to guide, apply, and improve emerging technologies will depend on talented individuals prepared to lead through change."

Harris also notes the importance of preparing graduates who will shape the direction of technological change.

"Through my career, I have seen new technologies transform industries and processes, improving understanding and creating opportunities that people could scarcely imagine," said Harris. "What remains constant through technological change is the importance of people and their expertise, judgment, creativity, and ability to apply their knowledge to address real-world challenges. RIT has long excelled at the intersection of technological innovation and practical application, and we believe the university is well-positioned to help shape how human-facing artificial intelligence is applied.

"The Harris-Pratt Directorship will provide permanent leadership support for the AI Institute and help guide collaboration among faculty, students, and industry partners. The couple is also adding $1 million to the J. K. Harris Endowed Scholarship, established in 2015 to support the Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholars program.

The remaining $18 million will support faculty by adding $6 million each to three endowed positions.

• Jeffrey K. Harris Professorship
• Jane King Harris Professorship
• Gerald W. Harris Professorship

Named in honor of Harris and his parents, these three professorships provide sustained support for distinguished faculty whose teaching, research, and mentorship advance RIT's mission. There are more than 50 endowed professorships at RIT.

"One of the greatest rewards of our involvement with RIT has been seeing the impact that educational opportunity can have on students' lives," said Pratt. "Through scholarships, mentorship, and research experiences, our investments at RIT extend far beyond the classroom. We are proud to support the students and faculty who will shape the future."

Harris, a 1975 graduate in photographic science and instrumentation, serves on RIT's Board of Trustees and previously chaired the board. The experiential nature of RIT's imaging science program helped launch a distinguished career in national security and aerospace. He has served as president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, president of Lockheed Martin Special Programs, and president of Space Imaging, the first company to commercially provide high-resolution satellite imagery and information products of the Earth. Earlier in his career, Harris held senior federal leadership positions, including assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space and director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

Pratt is a member of the President's Roundtable and chairs the College of Liberal Arts National Council. She has been a longtime advocate for the importance of the liberal arts and the humanities in shaping student educational outcomes. A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Russian language and literature, she began her career as a Russian analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency and later served as CIA comptroller, overseeing agency-wide resource and budget planning. Following her government service, she joined Lockheed Martin, where she worked with leadership teams across the corporation to develop strategies supporting national security and defense missions.

"Together, the investments reflect Harris and Pratt's longstanding commitment to expanding opportunity, supporting academic excellence, and investing in the people who define the RIT experience," added Sanders.

SOURCE Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)