Created to empower local students pursuing careers in business and financial fields, this endowed scholarship ensures that Alice’s legacy of mentorship, encouragement, and community advocacy will continue to open doors for generations of learners across the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The scholarship supports residents of Wood County or Wirt County, West Virginia, who are pursuing post-secondary education.  Applicants must possess at least a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA and demonstrate financial need, academic promise, good character, and good citizenship.  Open to both graduating high school seniors and non-traditional adult learners residing in Wood or Wirt counties, candidates must be pursuing a degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field.  Special preference is given to Wirt County residents and first-generation college students.

Born on August 13, 1961, in Spencer, West Virginia, Alice Marie Harris passed away on August 8, 2026.  She is joined in heaven with her beloved wife, Nancy Rauch Harris.

A 1979 graduate of Wirt High School, she earned degrees from Marshall University in 1984 and Louisiana State University in 2021, embodying a lifelong love of learning.  As a Certified Public Accountant, Alice led a practice specializing in nonprofit accounting in Maine before returning home to establish her own firm.  In 2014, she joined the leadership team at WVU Parkersburg, where she found her true calling as a mentor, educator, and advocate for students.  She was always helping others achieve far more than they believed possible.

Alice’s heart for service extended into every corner of her community.  She generously shared her time and financial expertise with numerous regional organizations, including the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley, the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, the Sisters Health Foundation, and The Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley.   Known for her integrity, compassion, and unwavering belief in her students, Alice lived out a profound commitment to uplifting everyone around her.

Following Alice’s passing in 2026, her family and friends established this fund through the PACF. The Alice M. Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund stands as a lasting tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to guiding, serving, and believing in others.