Harper College is closed on Friday, April 18, for Reading Day.
Harper College and community leaders recently attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Business and Social Sciences Building. Pictured (from left) are Dr. Yolanda Barnes, dean of Business and Social Science; Violet John, student; Walt Mundt, board of trustees vice chair; Dr. Avis Proctor, president; James Meyer, trustee; David Richmond, associate professor; and Dr. Ruth Williams, provost.
Harper College hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Business and Social Sciences Building. The 92,380-square-foot-facility will provide flexible learning environments for students and expand the Palatine campus with upgraded features – including a 300-seat theater/auditorium, the Early Childhood Laboratory School and Harper’s first moot courtroom.
The two-story building will serve as the new home for a wide range of programs, from accounting and education to drone technology and history. It will replace the aging Buildings I and J with modern classrooms, improved accessibility and adaptable spaces designed to support the evolving needs of the Harper community.
At the groundbreaking event, Dr. Avis Proctor, Harper’s president, emphasized that this new facility is designed to serve community members.
“Every community needs a place of new ideas, dreams and hope. For our community, Harper College is that place. A place that offers hope and opportunity and facilitates spaces to cultivate and consider new ideas,” Dr. Proctor said at the groundbreaking event. “Someday soon, the halls of the new Business and Social Sciences Building will be filled with students on their way to becoming leading entrepreneurs, educators, social scientists, policymakers and community leaders ready to change the world.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in June on the $78 million Business and Social Sciences Building, funded by the voter-approved 2018 referendum for Community College District 512. Building J will be demolished this summer, while Building I will remain in use during construction. The new facility is expected to be completed in spring 2028.
In addition to housing academic programs, the building will feature Studio V, a student-run boutique offering creations by Harper students, faculty, staff and local artisans. It will also serve as the home of Fast Track, the college’s accelerated learning program offered in a cohort format for working adults.
Dr. Yolanda Barnes, dean of Business and Social Science, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony about how the new facility will foster collaboration – bringing together departments, strengthening connections between students and faculty, and building bridges between the college and the workforce.
“This building will be designed to support learning that is active, applied and inclusive,” Dr. Barnes said. “Flexible classrooms, a moot courtroom, a student-run boutique and the Early Childhood Laboratory School are just a few of the spaces that will give students hands-on experience. By providing these real-world learning environments, we strengthen our career programs. For our transfer students, these environments complement rigorous academic coursework, ensuring they are well-prepared to continue their education at four-year institutions.”
Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, the Business and Social Sciences Building will incorporate a range of sustainable features, such as rain gardens, recycled materials and enhanced indoor air quality. The project also emphasizes natural lighting and will expand Harper’s green space with a larger interior courtyard.
For more information about the Business and Social Sciences Building, visit the construction project webpage.