Penn State Renames Pittsburgh Center in Honor of Franco Harris

The Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State supports education and outreach in the city.

Penn State honored the legacy of Nittany Lions and Pittsburgh icon Franco Harris by dedicating a university center in his name. The Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State serves as a research, outreach, and programming facility in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Formerly the Penn State Center Pittsburgh, the center is part of Penn State Outreach, which seeks to expand educational opportunities across Pennsylvania.

"Franco’s commitment to excellence, both on and off the field, and his dedication to philanthropy and public service exemplify the values we hold dear as a University,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said at a re-dedication ceremony Dec. 12, according to a university news story. "In renaming the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center in his honor, we affirm our commitment to continuing his legacy through programming and resources that positively impact, empower and enrich the youth, students, families and communities of the Pittsburgh region and beyond."

Harris, who passed away in December 2022 at 72, was a football giant and community steward at Penn State and in Pittsburgh. He played running back at Penn State for three seasons, rushing for 2,002 yards and 24 touchdowns in a backfield that included All-American Lydell Mitchell. Harris played with linebacker Jack Ham at Penn State and with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the two embarked on Pro Football Hall of Fame careers. 

Harris was named MVP of Super Bowl IX, in which he rushed for a then-Super Bowl record 158 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' 16-6 win over Dallas. Harris rushed for 1,000 yards eight times in his career and joined Ham on the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s. Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, Ham in 1988.

According to Penn State, the Franco Harris Center fosters numerous outreach programs, including the Readiness Institute, City Semester, and the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP). Its programming also includes career services, alumni meets and several Penn State Extension programs.

Harris' wife Dana and son Dok and Sue Paterno attended the re-dedication ceremony. Harris served on the boards of several Pittsburgh non-profit organizations, including Pittsburgh Promise and the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Foundation.

“Franco was forever building bridges for what’s right, what’s kind. He wouldn’t hang up his own photo or jersey on the wall, but he would use the space he had to make a difference,” Dana said at the ceremony, according to the Penn State news story. "He was a team player. He engaged and took time to talk to people. I saw the joy he could bring, and it will be tough for people to find someone to take his place. Any room he walked into he lit up, anything he touched, he made better.”

Learn more about the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State.

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