Harper College will hold its 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards to honor and celebrate
former students for outstanding career and community achievements. The awards ceremony
will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 19, in the Wojcik Conference Center
on the college’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. It will begin with
a reception followed by the awards ceremony.
The initiative was launched in 2008 as part of Harper’s 40th anniversary celebration.
Since then, 83 recipients representing a variety of educational journeys and professional
paths have been honored. Honorees have included mayors, leaders in health care, scientists,
professional athletes, trailblazers in the arts, entrepreneurs, business leaders and
more.
The 2023 honorees include:
Outstanding Recent Alumni Award Honoree
Jennifer AK Mepham, M.S.N., B.S., R.N., C.H.S.E.
System simulation education specialist, Advocate Health
Distinguished Alumni Award Honorees
Veronica Gott
Director, English Learner Program, High School District 214
Doryce McCarthy
President, OMNI Youth Services
Kari-Ann Ryan
Director of marketing and development, Mid-West Moving & Storage; founder of LMJ’s
Lost Souls Alzheimer’s Fund
John Schippman
Vice president of content, sports, NBCUniversal Local, Chicago
“Harper College is proud to recognize these accomplished alumni leaders for their
remarkable contributions to their professions and in their communities,” said Shannon
Hynes, director of alumni and affinity groups. “Our Distinguished Alumni Program is
an opportunity to highlight our former students who now inspire others.”
View the recipients' biographies and learn more about the ceremony and the Distinguished
Alumni program. For more information, please contact Harper College Alumni Relations
at 847.925.6701 or alumni@harpercollege.edu.