Staff Directory
- Title:
- Major Gift Officer
- Email:
Jewels Harris joined Pitt Athletics in March 2025. In her current role as Major Gift Officer, her primary focus is to identify, cultivate and secure major gift commitments in support of Pitt Athletics and its more than 500 student-athletes.
She also serves as a seasonal member of the Rose Bowl Game production team. Her tasks include supporting the Lead Production Manager with assignments, planning and executing on-field recognition events, and assisting with the game day timeline and schedule.
In August 2021, Harris began working as a graduate assistant in the athletic department at the University of Alabama. During her time, she assisted the Deputy Athletic Director/ Senior Woman Administrator with daily responsibilities, coordinated with the administrative operations assistant developing material for athletic administrators, and worked with donors as a representative of the Crimson Tide Foundation. Harris also assisted in planning the celebration of 50 years of varsity women’s athletics at the University of Alabama.
After her time at Auburn, Harris spent two seasons at Virginia Tech, becoming the first director of operations for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. Harris managed the budget and daily operations of the Virginia Tech swimming & diving programs, supported the Hokie’s athletics foundation in fundraising efforts through alumni communication, organized team and staff travel, oversaw budget tracking and managed reimbursements of expenses, prepared equipment orders, and managed compliance as well as recruiting paperwork in preparation for on campus visits and oversaw on-campus recruiting activities. During the 2022-2023 season, the Hokie’s saw the programs first ever national champion and the highest NCAA team finishes in program history.
Harris graduated from Auburn University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Journalism and was a four-year letter winner as a part of the swim team. During her time at Auburn, Harris successfully swam at SEC's all four years and competed at NCAA's in 2019 and 2021, and qualified for and competed at the 2020 Olympic Team Trials. Harris was a member of a top-five conference team and a top-15 national team while with the Tigers. She has many accomplishments under her belt as a student-athlete, earning a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll from 2018 to 2021 and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar Team in 2018, 2020 and 2021. Harris previously interned with Auburn athletics, working primarily with the marketing and communications departments.
