Recycled Reading
When you’re done turning the pages of the book on your nightstand, consider turning it into something else. That’s the challenge issued by Harper College’s Library in its first annual Recycled Books Contest – a competition urging community members, students, staff and faculty to imaginatively reuse their favorite read in an entirely new way. “It’s kind of a different way to go green,” Instructor Michele Ukleja says. “We’re encouraging competitors to come up with new uses for a book that’s sitting on their shelf right now. It could be a work of art, or a functional object. As is always the case in the world of books, the possibilities are endless.” The contest is part of Harper’s celebration of National Library Week, kicking off Monday, April 12; other events include a book sale (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 13 and 14 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 15) and a “Library After Dark” open house featuring refreshments, games, prizes and activities. (5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 15). Entry forms for the Recycled Books Contest are available online at http://libguides.harpercollege.edu/natlibweek and are due by
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Barn Photography
Students in one of Harper College’s newest classes will have unique homework after each session: leave the bustling Northwest suburbs and find a barn to photograph. It’s not as much a challenge as it may seem, Instructor Ernest Schweit says, and that’s part of the point: there are plenty of farms within a 45-minute drive of Harper’s campus, offering students a chance to digitally capture a bit of iconic Americana as they test their photography skills in the increasingly nostalgic arena of barn photography. “The simple way to photograph a barn is to snap a picture like you would for a real estate section,” says Schweit, the photographer behind a Farcountry Press book on Wisconsin barns. “But there’s also a way to approach it where you take just a piece of the picture. You capture those abstract angles and unique textures: a roof line, for instance, against the rounded curve of a silo.” His course, Barn Photography: Preserving an American Icon, is open to all local photographers. It combines classroom sessions on specific techniques and philosophy with individual photo shoots – Schweit will provide students with lists of public barns to photograph – and in-class critiques. “The sight of barns evokes a feeling of years gone by and recalls a time when life was simpler,” Schweit says. “In 20 years, a lot of them will be gone. In this class, we’re showing students how to preserve them through perfect digital pictures.” Schweit spent two and a half years traveling through Wisconsin, chronicling some 100 barns through his camera lens for his book. Raised in
Media Note: A jpeg image of Schweit’s book, which he compiled with Lake Barrington resident Nancy Schumm-Burgess, is available. For samples of Schweit’s barn photography, visit www.ernestjschweit.blogspot.com. For interviews with Schweit or photography students, contact
Hot Health Careers
Jobs in Health Insurance Billing and Medical Transcription are on the rise nationally, with employment opportunities expected to grow by more than 15 percent. They’re also hot fields at Harper College, with prospective students filling up seats at related College information sessions. “Changes in America’s healthcare system are creating – and will continue to create – many new jobs in these two fields,” says Geri Kale-Smith, who oversees Harper’s certificate programs in Health Insurance Billing and Medical Transcription. “The positions are in-demand, can come with great salaries, and can be extremely rewarding. These programs give students who are interested in the healthcare field some new, viable career options.” The two programs are available at Harper in both traditional and Fast Track – Harper’s accelerated program for adults – formats, allowing students to complete their certificates in 15 months or less. The College’s programs also feature an externship component, giving a jumpstart on their careers by working in the field. Graduates can land a variety of jobs in medical clinics and offices. An information session for adults interested in the College’s Fast Track certificate programs in Health Insurance Billing or Medical Transcription will run from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 13 in the Student Center, on the main floor of Building A. An information session for students interested in the traditional certificate programs in the two fields is at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 14 in Room X250, Building X in the Avante Center. Both sessions are free and open to all.
Media Note: Reporters and photographers can attend Harper’s Health Insurance Billing and Medical Transcription information session to talk with prospective students about the career fields. Harper health careers faculty also are available to comment on the programs’ popularity. Contact
Speech Team Victories
The Harper College Speech and Debate Team continued its winning tradition this spring, capturing one national championship and finishing fourth at another national tournament. The squad was crowned National Champion among community colleges at the annual Pi Kappa Delta tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. Fifteen of Harper’s 27 speeches won awards, and two students finished in the Top 10 at the tournament, which drew 60 teams from colleges and universities across the nation. At the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in New Orleans, Harper’s team finished fourth in its division and took seven speeches to the Finals round. Teams from 64 community colleges competed. “Our team members continually impressed us with their strong public speaking skills, their teamwork and their leadership,” Coach Jeff Przybylo says. “These victories were a group effort, and all of us are extremely proud of our showing this season.” Przybylo also was victorious: he won the Distinguished Service Award, presented annually to a coach who exemplifies longtime leadership in the national organization. Przybylo, of Streamwood, is in his fourteenth year coaching Harper’s team, and has been a member of Phi Rho Pi since 1996, serving in various roles – including, currently, Vice President. Harper’s Speech and Debate Team has a history of success. The group has won six state titles. This year, the team came in second among two-year schools at the Illinois state competition, taking more than half of its 27 speeches to the Finals round and boasting one state champion.
Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].
Small Works Exhibit
Nearly two dozen pieces from artists across the United States are on display through April 22 in Harper College’s 33rd annual National Small Works Exhibition. The exhibit, a Harper tradition, showcases small-scale photography, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, digital art and more. All works measure less than two feet. “This show is interesting because of the variety of approaches to the subject matter and the innovative uses of media,” Harper Art Curator Margaret Buchen says. “The small scale of the work creates a more intimate relationship with the viewer.” The Harper exhibit, which this year drew more than 1,040 submissions from more than 340 artists across the nation, requires every piece to measure 22 inches or less, including display frames. Submitted art was judged by Douglas Stapleton, Assistant Curator at the Illinois State Museum, Chicago Gallery. Several local artists – including Harper College students Kasia Stachowiak of Mount Prospect and Karen Murphy of Schaumburg – were among those chosen to be part of the show. Stachowiak is fascinated with color, patterns and structural forms, and incorporates those into her etched prints. Murphy explores various materials and forms in her ceramic sculptures. The Small Works exhibit is sponsored by the Harper College Educational Foundation. Viewing times are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays through Thursday, April 22 in Room C200, Building C, on Harper’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine. Call in advance to confirm times, 847.925.6568. The show is free and open to the public.
Media Note: This year’s exhibit features work from several local artists, including residents of Glenview, Naperville, Chicago, Schaumburg and Mount Prospect. For more information, including a list of artists, contact
Visiting Author
In his 16-year-old novel “Greene’s Summer,” expatriate American author Thomas E. Kennedy drew on his experience as an editor on a psychiatric treatment handbook to shape a story of a man who struggles to overcome physical, mental and emotional scars after being jailed and tortured for political reasons. Kennedy will read from the book – which recently was republished in the United States under the new title “In the Company of Angels” – at noon on Thursday, April 15 in Harper College’s Drama Lab, Room L109, Building L on the main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in
Press Contact: Terry Karow, Marketing and Public Relations Specialist,
Southern Shakespeare
The National Players traveling drama company will bring Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” to the
Press Contact: Terry Karow, Marketing and Public Relations Specialist,
Disney-Style Success
Disney’s secret to success isn’t magic. It’s a thoughtful approach to customer service, honed over a half-century of experience in the face of fierce competition and the public’s ever-changing tastes and attitudes.
Media Note: Disney Institute leaders are available in advance of the program for interviews. They are able to offer tips for finding success amid a down – but rebounding – economy, and offer suggestions for preparing a business to thrive once the recession is over. Contact
College Savings Aid
Statistics show the cost of college tuition, room and board at four-year public institutions rose by 30 percent from 1998 to 2008 – and it’s still growing. This spring,
Media Note: Reporters are welcome to attend the event and talk with participants about the task of saving for college amid shrinking financial aid resources and rising tuition costs.
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Entrepreneur Help
Making a small business flourish can be a daunting task, particularly in a difficult economy. But it’s not impossible. With an eye on helping small business owners compete and excel in a continued rough-and-tumble climate,
Media Note: The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College has had many success stories, despite the poor economy. To interview successful entrepreneurs for this story or others, or for comments on small business start-up tips, contact
Photo Opportunities
Event: Visit from Geof Manthorne of Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes”
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Location: Sports and
Event: Book reading by author Thomas E. Kennedy
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Location: Drama Lab, Room L109, Building L
Event: National Small Works Exhibition
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Location: Art Exhibition Space, Room C200, Building C
Event: Entrepreneur’s Quest 2010 for small businesses
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