William Rainey Harper College is a comprehensive community college in Palatine, Illinois, United States. The college was established by referendum in 1965 and opened in September 1967. It is named for Dr. William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago. The current president is Dr. Kenneth Ender.
Type | Public |
---|---|
Established | 1965 |
Academic staff | 200 full-time, approximately 653 part-time |
Students | 26,441 students enrolled in credit courses |
Location | , , |
Campus | Urban |
Colors | Blue and Silver |
Mascot | Hawk |
Website | www.harpercollege.edu |
Harper College Fact Book |
Campus
Location
Harper College has a 200-acre (80.9 ha) campus approximately 25 miles (40 km) northwest of downtown Chicago, Illinois in the suburb of Palatine.
Harper also offers classes and services at other locations within Community College District 512:
- The Northeast Center (NEC) in Prospect Heights
- The Harper Professional Center (HPC) in Schaumburg
- The Illinois Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) within the Harper Professional Center in Schaumburg
- Harper College works in partnership with the Illinois workNet Center in Arlington Heights.[1]
Architecture
The campus was designed to have an informal layout. The architectural concept uses scale and placement of buildings, multilevel plazas, brick, wood and concrete building materials and glass window walls to give a variety of interior and exterior views. The structures are built into the natural contours of the land, with entrances on several levels.[2] The Avanté Center for Science, Health Careers and Emerging Technologies covers more than 6 acres (2.428 ha) of learning space including 35 laboratories, nine lecture halls, a nursing lab, and a working dental clinic. According to the architects Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Inc. (HOK), Avanté incorporates energy-saving elements using a holistic approach.
Academics
Harper College offers more than 50 transfer options, allowing students to earn their associate degree before transferring to a four-year college or university to complete their bachelor's degree. The college also offers more than 40 career programs which grant an associate degree or certificate and provide the skills necessary to enter the work force. These programs range in length from sixteen weeks to two years.
Academic profile
All courses, educational programs, counseling services and distance learning programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of College and Secondary Schools. Harper is currently seeking permission to offer two bachelor degree programs on a pilot basis: a bachelor degree in Public Safety Administration/Homeland Security and a bachelor degree in Technology Management.[3] These programs are designed for working adult students who already have their associate degree.[4] Offering two vocational bachelor degrees on a pilot basis will not turn Harper College into a four-year university. As in other states, Harper would remain an open-door community college that would offer a few bachelor degree programs in addition to its current offerings.[5]
Communities served
Harper College District 512 comprises these communities: Arlington Heights, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Lake Barrington, Mount Prospect, North Barrington, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Tower Lakes, Wheeling and small portions of Buffalo Grove, Carpentersville, Deer Park, Des Plaines, Fox River Grove, Hanover Park and Roselle.[6]
College sports
Football
The football program was eliminated in January 2012.
- 2003 NJCAA Division III National Champions
- 2004 NJCAA Division III National Champions
- 2008 NJCAA Division III National Champions
- Notable coaches, John Eliasik (member of NJCAA and Region IV Halls-of-Fame) and Dragan Teonic (2008 National Champions).
Track and field
- NJCAA National Division III Champions 2007
Wrestling
- Coach Dan Loprieno [7] inducted in 2008 to the NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame.
- NJCAA 2010 Wrestling Champions [8]
- NJCAA Division III National Champions in 2006 and 2001. The 2006-07 team finished second in the nation, earned fifth consecutive district title and had 10 National qualifiers and seven All-Americans.
Women's basketball
- Julie Jestus, 2006 NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame[9]
Women's volleyball
- 2007 Conference Co-Champions [10]
Notable alumni
- Mauro Fiore, class of 1984, cinematographer [11] In 2010, Fiore won the Academy Award for Cinematography for "Avatar." [12]
- E. E. Knight, class of 1985, science fiction and fantasy author[13]
- John Loprieno, class of 1980:[14] actor, writer, director[15]
- Marlee Matlin,[16] actress. In 1986 she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Children of a Lesser God.[17]
- Quincy Black, linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jason and Clay Guida, professional mixed martial arts fighters
- Dr. Christopher J. Schneider is an award-winning professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia. He is known for his research and publications on social media and crime.[18][19][20][21]
References
- ^ Illinois workNet Center
- ^ 2007–08 Harper College Catalog, page 11.
- ^ Illinois General Assembly House Bill 1434
- ^ Ataiyero, Kayce T. "Bill could be boon for Harper; College might offer 4-year programs". Chicago Tribune, April 4, 2007.
- ^ Chicago Tribune Editorial, May 24, 2007, p. 3.
- ^ Maps displaying district boundaries are available through the Illinois Community College Board
- ^ ["http://www.illinoisjuco.com/hall.html"]
- ^ ["http://www.njcaa.org/newsArticle.cfm?articleId=10604"]
- ^ NJCAA Region IV
- ^ NJCAA Region IV
- ^ [1]
- ^ ["http://oscar.go.com/oscar-night/winners#category_cinematography."]
- ^ E. E. Knight's MySpace profile
- ^ Harper College Educational Foundation Distinguished Alumni 2008
- ^ Daily Herald, May 2, 2006
- ^ Biography for Marlee Matlin at IMDb
- ^ Award information from Marlee, Official Web Site of Marlee Matlin
- ^ http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/provost-research/awards/media-award.html
- ^ http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/ikbarberschool/Teaching_Awards.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/world/americas/17vancouver.html?_r=2&
- ^ http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Online+vigilantes+slow+police+investigations+report+Stanley/7478872/story.html