This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

On Campus: Harper News Roundup

This week's edition of Harper College news includes information on commencement, scholarship winners, a fundraising golf event and a social media boot camp for small businesses.

Commencement Puts Focus on Jobs: Eighteen area high school students will don caps and gowns and cross the stage at Harper College on Saturday (May 18), picking up a career-boosting college credential before they even complete their senior year. The students are among the 2013 recipients of the Certified Nursing Assistant credential, a potential precursor to healthcare studies that qualifies them for jobs now and offers a jumpstart on higher education. About 170 high school students – including two 16-year-olds – will earn the credential this academic year through a growing Harper dual credit program that allow high-schoolers to amass college credit at no cost to them. “They get out of high school, and they’re already completely trained for this career,” says Elizabeth Pagenkopf, who heads up the CNA program and has watched recipients go on to success in Harper’s Nursing program and beyond. The trend will be reflected in remarks from Jane Oates, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration and this year’s commencement speaker. Oates oversees a national effort to design and deliver training and employment programs for America’s workers, with a focus on good jobs in good industries. In all, more than 3,500 students are receiving degrees or certificates this academic year. Among them are 14 recipients of a new manufacturing certificate launched by Harper last fall with an eye on training students for high-tech jobs in an industry short on skilled workers.

Fashion Students Net Scholarships: Myra Chung thought fashion would be the last career she’d pursue after she struggled through her first high school sewing lesson. Now the Harper College fashion student is on her way to designing her own collection. Chung, alongside classmate Michelle Kreutner, is a winner of a new Fashion Group International scholarship, netting her $2,500 to hone her craft. The two were among five Harper finalists for the awards, which will be given out annually to two Harper students through 2017 through a partnership with FGI, the nonprofit organization for the fashion, apparel, beauty and home industries. Applicants interviewed with industry professionals and showcased a signature garment for consideration. Chung credits her Harper professors for encouraging her to continue with fashion and helping her explore intricate patterns, like the extensive design seen on her winning dress. “Fashion is like an addiction to me, and I want to keep learning and gaining new experiences so I can be a successful designer in the workforce,” she says. Kreutner’s plans include completing a final year at Harper, studying abroad in Europe and working as an assistant designer before growing her own brand. “This takes me one step closer to my dreams,” Kreutner says. For more information on Harper’s Fashion Design program, visit www.harpercollege.edu.

Grad Will Tackle Next Courses as Fellow in Germany: After completing her Harper College associate degree this May, Stephanie Bemis planned to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education close to home. Instead, she’ll head across the Atlantic for a hands-on yearlong fellowship in Germany. Bemis was one of only 75 students chosen nationwide for this year’s prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, an exchange program sponsored by the Fulbright-Hays Act. Bemis competed with 600 other applicants for the coveted slots, most of which went to students who’d already finished a four-year degree. The Algonquin resident, a standout student in Harper German classes, will spend two months in an intensive German language course, four months at a German university and five months completing an internship in Early Childhood Education.  Bemis says the skills she’ll gain should help when she eventually leads her own classroom. “I’m looking forward to learning how German schools operate and interacting with the German teachers to see what new procedures could be incorporated into American classrooms,” she says. Bemis, who began taking German in high school, was recommended for the program by Harper Instructor Kim Jaeger-Nicholas. “This experience is tailored to fit the needs of each student, which makes it incredibly worthwhile and helps participants become more competitive in the job market,” Jaeger-Nichols says. Harper has hosted visiting German students for the last three years as part of the program, but this is the first time a fellow was chosen from Harper to travel abroad.

Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New Student Trustee Takes Seat at Board Table: Eventually, Scott Lietzow wants to go to law school and become a congressman, helping set policies on a state or national level. To get rolling, he’s flexing his political muscles as Harper College’s new Student Trustee. The 25-year-old Arlington Heights resident, a former U.S. Marine, was elected by Harper students earlier this spring and formally sworn in at the Board of Trustees’ regular April meeting. “I came to Harper because I knew it was a great place to get an education,” Lietzow says. “This role enables me to give back to the school, represent students and experience firsthand how governing bodies function.” His focus will be on ensuring faculty and staff provide the best experience they can for his fellow Harper students. Lietzow spent four years with the Marines, performing anti-piracy operations overseas before enrolling at Harper with an eye on keeping tuition costs down and saving money for law school later. He is now state chairman of Young Americans for Liberty, a pro-liberty organization, and served this spring as the campaign manager for two Mount Prospect trustee candidates. The Student Trustee position carries a one-year term and an advisory vote.

Golf Open Raises Student Success Funds: Area residents are invited to tee off in the name of student success at the Harper College Educational Foundation’s 25th Annual Golf Open, which raises critical funding for scholarships and programming campus-wide. The event is Monday, June 10 at the Inverness Golf Club, 102 N. Roselle Road in Palatine. It includes 18 holes of golf, brunch, a cocktail reception and a buffet dinner and awards presentation. Individual golfers can play for $500; foursomes and sponsorships also are available, and an evening-only package featuring the cocktail reception and buffet dinner is available for $125. The Open will feature a raffle and live auction, with prizes including golf foursomes, gift cards for local businesses, baseball tickets and more. Raffle tickets are available for $20 or three for $50. Proceeds benefit Harper’s Resource for Excellence Fund, which aids the College with programming, scholarships and other support where it’s most needed, amid decreased state funding. The Open starts with a 10 a.m. registration, brunch and free golf clinic. The shotgun start is at 11:30 a.m. The Golf Open planning committee is chaired by Educational Foundation board members Mark Cleary, Director of Business Management at Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Jay Fritz, Managing Director at Cornerstone National Bank & Trust Company. To attend, purchase raffle tickets, become a sponsor or make donation, call 847.925.6490 or visit www.harpercollege.edu/foundation.

Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Social Media Boot Camp for Small Businesses: The calls kept rolling in to Harper College’s Small Business Development Center: Entrepreneurs were well aware they needed to jump on the social media bandwagon to boost their business, but had no idea how to start. The answer, a first-time social media boot camp tailored to new and existing Northwest suburban small businesses, will launch in June at Harper’s SBDC. “Our role is to respond to the needs of our local entrepreneurs, and this program was based entirely on input from them,” Small Business Development Manager Tom Cassell says. The four-session workshop will teach small business owners and marketing professionals to capitalize on social media – from Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn, Google Local and more. The boot camp runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, June 5 to June 25. Sessions are: June 5 – Social Media Marketing (an introduction to the fundamentals); June 12 – Social Media Engagement (creating a social brand and managing customer service using social media analytics); June 19 – Social Media Platforms (determining the best platform for a specific business); and June 26 – Social Media Local (putting a business on the map). The cost is $50 a session or $175 for all four. The series is the latest boot camp offering from Harper’s SBDC, which regularly provides training for small business owners and free one-on-one business counseling. To register, visit www.harpercollege.biz or call 847.925.6070.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?