William Rainey Harper College is a public community college in Palatine, Illinois. It was established by referendum in 1965 and opened in September 1967. It is named for William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago.
Contents
Campus
Harper College has a 200-acre (80.9 ha) campus, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of downtown Chicago, in the suburb of Palatine, Illinois.
Harper also offers classes and services at other locations:
Harper College Learning and Career Center in Prospect Heights, Illinois
The Harper Professional Center in Schaumburg, Illinois
Harper College works in partnership with the Illinois Small Business Development Center (ISBDC), which is part of the Harper Professional Center in Schaumburg.
Harper College works in partnership with the North Suburban Cook County American Job Center in Wheeling, Illinois
Service area
Harper College District 512 comprises 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 parts of Buffalo Grove, Carpentersville, Deer Park, Des Plaines, Fox River Grove, Hanover Park, and Roselle.
Athletics
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).
Cross country
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2011
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2012
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2013
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2014
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2015
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2016
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2017
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2018
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2023
Track and field
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2005
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2006
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2007
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2008
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2009
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2011
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2012
NJCAA National Division III Runners-Up 2013(M)
NJCAA National Division III Runners-Up 2015(M)
NJCAA National Division III Runners-Up 2017(W)
NJCAA National Division III Champions 2023(W)
Wrestling
Coach Dan Loprieno inducted in 2008 to the NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame.
NJCAA 2010 Wrestling Champions
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
Women's volleyball
NJCAA Division III National Champions 2016
NJCAA Division III National Runners-Up 2017
Notable alumni
Angelo Dawkins, professional wrestler
Quincy Black, professional football player
Curtis Blaydes (attended), professional mixed martial artist
Will Brooks, college football player and professional mixed martial artist
Mauro Fiore, cinematographer
Jason and Clay Guida, professional mixed martial artists
Dave Kingman, professional baseball player
Charlie Kirk, right-wing political activist and talk show host (attended)
E. E. Knight, science fiction and fantasy author
Al Levine, professional baseball player
John Loprieno, actor, writer, director
Marlee Matlin, actress
Rosemary Mulligan, politician
Steve Octavien, professional football player
Haley Reinhart, singer-songwriter and actress
Mike Rio, college football player and professional mixed martial artist
Christopher J. Schneider, sociologist
Rob Sherman, political activist, perennial candidate, and businessman