In 1962, Dr. Ruth Coles Harris made history as the first Black woman in Virginia to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), shattering barriers in a field where fewer than 100 African Americans nationwide held the credential at the time.
Dr. Harris’s nearly 50-year career at Virginia Union University (VUU) included serving as the founding dean of the Sydney Lewis School of Business, where she shaped the future of business education and empowered countless students.
Today, the Ruth Coles Harris Leadership Institute at VUU continues her legacy by empowering future leaders with the tools and knowledge to succeed.
