Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D.

Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D., became the fifth chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2021, after serving in administrative roles at Washington State University and University of Alabama at Birmingham, among others. Since taking the helm at USC Upstate, Harris has developed the college’s Leadership Academy and significantly grown the school’s fund-raising income. His community service has included terms on the boards of Ten at the Top, Spartanburg Academic Movement, OneSpartanburg, and United Way of the Piedmont, and he was elected president of the Big South Conference for the 2025-’26 and 2026-’27 academic years.