Donis Harris
Academics and athletics have long been critical considerations for Donis Harris III, a school-record-setting Ferris State University men’s track and field team member, dating back to his time at St. Clair High School. Donis developed his competitive nature before high school, which has helped him succeed as a cross country and track athlete for over a decade.
“I actually began running as a middle schooler, as track was the first athletic program our district made available,” Harris said. “A group of six of us all began together, and we continued to train and compete through high school. That finds us now as team members or athletic alums, as four teammates ran for community colleges, and two of us were Division II athletes. I had run well as a senior at St. Clair and made a few contacts to pursue opportunities as a college athlete. It only took a weekend visit to Ferris in 2018 to see the campus and hear from coach Jared Kelsh. I signed with the program the Monday after that, and it has proven to be a great decision for me in so many ways.”
Deciding where to run came after determining what path he would take academically.
“Math was always one of my favorite subjects,” said Harris, who graduated magna cum laude in Spring 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy-Finance from the College of Business and is finishing off the required number of credits. “I knew after a conversation with my high school counselor that studying business would be a good way to apply my interests, and accounting was the subject area suggested to me. I have always been comfortable with that choice and felt capable of success from my first accounting class.”
Harris found that there was advice and inspiration readily available on the track and cross country teams to seek excellence in competition and in the classroom.
“Andrew Yaworski was a year ahead of me in Accounting and Finance, and he had won President’s Awards from the university in both sports for our best grade point average, along with earning All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference academic standing,” Harris said. “Andrew was a great resource and supporter, making it clear to me that putting in the work is the way to succeed, whether it was in competition or in the classroom. I am proud to be offering the same mentorship to Brendan Cairney as he makes his way as an athlete and student.”
Harris earned College of Business Dean’s List recognition for four semesters while contributing as a cross country and track and field team member. Perhaps the most demanding of those achievements came in 2022’s spring semester. He interned with an accounting firm in Grand Rapids, designed to demonstrate the rigors a Certified Public Accountant faces during income tax season.
“It was my last semester of my Bachelor of Science studies in Accounting and Finance, and I only had that capstone course,” Harris said, noting that students must complete 150 credits before examinations to become Certified Public Accountants. “Since the internship was based remotely, I would literally run a race or races in a meet, then return to my work for the company. That would go on late into the evening. There were also office visits worked into that schedule, which was a stressful experience, but valuable since I demonstrated I could manage the client service the company expected while continuing as a student and college athlete.”
With three internships completed, Harris strategized in his final year on the track and field team as a personal challenge.
“Though I had competed in the mile run in my career, it was never my strong suit,” Harris said. “The five-kilometer run has generally been my event, with the mile mixed in. I just wanted to do everything possible to post the best time I could.”
In late February, the opportunity came for Harris to make his mark in an invitational meet at Saginaw Valley State University.
“I really want to credit Andrew Shafley, a sophomore from Alma, because he agreed to be my ‘rabbit’ for that race,” Harris said. “Making a personal best or winning an important race is often a collaborative effort, and Andrew agreed to set the pace for my attempt. As our team traveled to the meet, we wrote the times he would need to achieve on his forearm, so Andrew could see them as we went around the 300-meter track.”
There was another racer and “rabbit” combination in the field that day, but he set Ferris’ record for a men’s mile run, at 4:06.89, bettering the program’s previous time of 4:11.43 set by Ryan Chute in 2013.
“The other team was on a pace to come in a few seconds ahead of us, so I did not win the race,” Harris said. “Andrew and I were still proud of our effort and results.”
Harris added the indoor 5K run to his record-setting accomplishments by posting a 14:27.43 at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in February, then topping the field at the Golden Grizzly Invite at Oakland University in April, with a time of 14:24.16 for five kilometers, outdoors. Harris’ current best in that event is approximately five seconds ahead of the previous Ferris indoor record and qualifies him as a provisional participant in the NCAA Division II National Championship.
Harris is wrapping up all necessary work to begin his career with Plante Moran as a Certified Public Accountant, which includes completing testing and amassing the required number of credits. However, he will not be done with learning at Ferris, as Donis is gradually completing the coursework for a Master of Business Administration.
“Everything points toward me joining the company in August, based on their onboarding process,” Harris said. “In the interim, I will formally apply to become a CPA and expect to be accepted into the field. I will also continue my MBA studies with an eye on graduating in May 2024.”
Donis said that gap of time before beginning his professional life will be a welcome change from his constant commitment to sports and studies.
“I have really been too busy to consider the long-term aspects of leaving campus,” Harris said. “I have gained so much experience and confidence through my time with Ferris cross county and track, along with all I learned in coursework and the field through my internships. I believe the transition to the start of my career will be very smooth.”
Harris said his career is his priority, but the chance to stay active thanks to his athletic ability is also intriguing.
“I will certainly be a less competitive participant,” he said. “I fully expect I will enter road races. It has been so much of what I know and enjoy for quite a long time. There are race schedules for former collegiate or elite athletes, so I look forward to that activity. Maybe I join up with a regional athletic brand’s team, where the athletes are supported and earn a stipend for their participation. Whatever develops, I am thankful for what Ferris Athletics has given me in the last five years and proud of what we accomplished on our teams.”