Harper College proudly honored the achievements of the Class of 2025 during its 57th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 16.
About 800 students gathered on the floor of the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates to commemorate the degrees and certificates they earned during the 2024-25 academic year.
Dr. Avis Proctor, Harper College president, opened the ceremony by recognizing the determination and resilience that define Harper students. During her remarks, she invited graduates to symbolically shine their lights using their cell phones in a moving moment of collective celebration.
“You have been a shining light for your families,” Dr. Proctor said. “As Harper alumni, you will serve as beacons of hope for your communities as you venture into your next steps to ultimately change the world.”
She also recognized two groups of graduates who took part in the Commencement Ceremony for the first time: those earning their Illinois High School Diploma and those completing Harper’s Career Skills Institute, a postsecondary certificate program for young adults with differing abilities. Both groups represent Harper’s commitment to access and lifelong learning.
In total, more than 2,400 graduates aged 17 to 73 earned more than 3,600 degrees and certificates over the past year. They include:
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Ruth Morales, a Harper alumna and physical therapist who began her academic journey at the college with a single anatomy class. Dr. Morales, a first-generation college graduate and DACA recipient, shared her powerful story of perseverance, from teen motherhood and homelessness to earning a doctorate from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
“If I was able to do it, I know all of you are capable of doing it as well,” Dr. Morales told graduates. “Sometimes the first time you try something it might not work out, but that doesn't mean anything – you just need to get yourself back up and try again.”
Dr. Proctor encouraged graduates to carry this truth with them: “No one is you and that is your power.”
“Every step you take from here will be uniquely yours – no one else can walk it the same way. Your perspective, your story, your ideas – they are your power,” she said. “And the world needs that power. Whether you’re continuing your education, entering the workforce, changing career paths or seeking advancement, remember that you bring something to this world that no one else can.”
