Harper College
Welcome to William Rainey Harper College!
The referendum founding Harper was passed in March 1965, and the first classes were held at Elk Grove High School on September 13, 1967.
We moved to our current location in September 1969.
We have 23 buildings on the 200 acres of our main campus and two satellite campuses (one in Prospect Heights and one in Schaumburg) for a total of 1.65 million square feet of building space.
Tour Stop #1: This video offers a quick tour of the main campus.
Continue the tour…pick any numbered location on this map to learn more about our about our campus.
Building A
One of our original six buildings, Building A opened as the Administration and Student Center in 1969. The building currently houses many of our student services including our Center for Student Involvement – home to more than 70 student clubs, Career Development Center, Center for Multicultural Learning, Health and Psychological Services, the Rita and John Canning Women’s Program, the Cockrell Dining Hall, Registrar and Business Office, One Stop Center and the Center for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students.
TIDBIT: The building is home to our Hospitality Management program. Each fall and spring semester, our hospitality students operate the Harper College Dining Room, a lab where you can enjoy a three-course meal for a nominal fee ($8 to $10) – a meal planned, prepared and served by our students. Take a look the weekly menu and hours by searching for the word “Dining” on our website.
TIDBIT: The Rita and John Canning Women’s Program was founded in 1970 and the program continues to thrive despite state funding cuts leading to other women's programs throughout Illinois to close. It serves an average of 450 people each year through a variety of educational, life skills, financial assistance and career planning services. Contrary to what its name implies, you do not have to be a woman to take advantage of the services. We currently have men in the program. To be eligible, participants need to meet low-income guidelines and one of several different criteria, such as a displaced homemaker, a woman who has experienced domestic violence, a single parent, a non-traditional career seeker, or a woman with limited English skills.
Building C
This building was our original art and architecture building and the second floor is still home to many of our art classes as well as our Art Exhibition Space. The exhibits presented in this space offer students direct contact with professional artists, the installation process and works of art, all within close proximity to where students are studying and practicing their own art. Display areas located in Buildings C, P and L hallways provide constantly changing exhibits of current student artwork.
Building P
This building was built in 1974 as part of the second phase of construction at Harper. It is home to our music program, and during the week you will hear a myriad of melodies – from students practicing piano to singers developing their voice. Harper provides a host of performance opportunities through instrumental and vocal ensembles, including the Harper Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Band, Steel Drum Bands and Festival Chorus, to name a few. Check out our Arts Calendar for a list of the many concerts we hold each year.
Building L
A 1994 addition to the campus, Building L is the current home to Harper’s Liberal Arts Division, including English, philosophy, humanities, music, theater, world languages and our championship speech team, theater and world languages. Harper's Speech and Debate team has won three national championships in the community college division at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament. The team has had 60 individual goal medalists/national champions and more than 100 national finalists.
Building L is also the current location for the bookstore. The bookstore carries all the supplies a student might need – including specialized items for programs like nursing or technical classes. You can also pick up Harper-branded items.
Special features of the building include a “black box” Drama Lab. This intimate, flexible black box style theater allows for traditional staging, theater in the round, or with the audience positioned on three sides of the stage. The setting is ideal for experimental and small ensemble shows, as well as theater classes.
Building R
Completed in 2002, the College's Performing Arts Center provides a professional venue for students and the community to showcase their craft and share the experience with more than 400 audience members.
Harper’s cultural arts events at the Performing Arts Center and other venues across campus draw an average of 7,000 to 10,000 people each year. The theater department alone has put on more than 90 different plays from “American Buffalo” to “The Zoo Story.”
Tidbit: Before the Performing Arts Center was built, performances were held in J Theatre, which was intended for lectures, not plays. Since it lacks an adequate backstage area, actors had to dash around outside and re-enter through a backdoor alcove, which was particularly fun for the casts during winter performances.
Harper Bust
Building F
The David K. Hill Family Library is one of the original six buildings, we just completed a major renovation of the building – under budget and ahead of schedule. The building opened on April 2. On the first floor you will find the Academic Support Centers, which provide tutoring and writing assistance to help students succeed. The Library occupies the second and most of the third floor. In one corner of the third floor, you will find the Academy for Teaching Excellence, a professional development resource center that promotes a vibrant teaching and learning culture for full-time and adjunct faculty by encouraging experimentation, research, discovery, interdisciplinary and discipline-specific conversations, reflection, assessment, and celebration of best practices.
Tidbit: Not everyone in our local community has a district or local library. However, every resident in Harper’s district has privileges at Harper’s library. If you live in an unincorporated section or a town that does not have a public library, come use ours. We have books, DVDs, CDs and more. All you need is a picture ID with your current address. See the Library website for details.
Building Z
Built in 2004, this complex of three buildings encompass our Science, Health Careers and Emerging Technologies. Building Z is where you will find biology, astronomy, chemistry, physics and earth sciences. Building X, the Foglia Center for Nursing and Allied Health, houses Health Careers and Building Y is home to the graphics lab and one of two mega computer labs.
This main hallway is home to our Distinguished Alumni “wall of fame.” The program started in 2008 to recognize former Harper students who have distinguished themselves in their careers and in their service to the community. To date, 58 individuals have received this prestigious award. This hallway is also home to one of the more popular places on campus – Subway!
Other special features include our Solarium and our biology lab that houses many creatures, including a black rat snake named Serious. Our biology department has created an online resource that lists the animals that inhabit the 200 acres around us, in case you are interested.
Nursing has a long history at Harper – it was one of the original 8 career and technical programs offered when the school first opened in 1967. Harper graduated its first class of RNs in 1969. The program moved into Avanté in 2004, and Harper’s state-of-the-art Simulation Hospital opened in 2010. The simulation hospital, housed in the Foglia Center for Nursing and Allied Health, is designed as a 6-bed unit featuring medical, obstetrics, pediatric and ICU rooms all complete with high-fidelity manikins. The hospital allows students to practice responding to the challenges of complex patient care in a controlled environment.
Our Surgical Technology program is supported by the state-of-the-art Derrick and Joni Hamilton Surgical Technology Suite adjacent to the simulation hospital. Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, a longtime partner and clinical site for our health career students, donated all of the equipment in the Surgical Tech Suite – equipment that had been used in Good Shepherd’s own operating rooms.Some of the other health careers currently offered include Radiologic and Cardiac Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography, Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician, Computed Tomography, Health Information Technology, Massage Therapy, Phlebotomy and Medical Office Administration, to name a few.
The Dental Hygiene Clinic consists of 18 dental hygiene stations with state-of-the-art technology, X-ray and sterilization rooms. The clinic averages 1,500 to 2,000 annual visits by community members for dental care for nominal fees.
Building Y
Building X
Building J
Built in 1980, this building added much needed classroom space and a large lecture hall that doubled as Harper’s theater for more than 20 years. Our Business and Social Science Division office and faculty call this building home (such as Accounting, Geography and GIS, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Business, Entrepreneurship, Economics, History and Political Science.) This building is among the oldest on campus that has not undergone any significant modernization.
One space in the building has been skillfully repurposed. Where there used to be a small, limited-service café, there is now Studio V, a lab space for our fashion merchandising students to learn retail operations. Studio V is a professional, student-run boutique offering a student-designed work including jewelry, fashion items, accessories, sculpture, art and original pieces.
Building I
Building I opened with Building J in 1980. Also one of the few that has never been remodeled.
The first floor is where students come to meet with counselors to develop their educational plan and receive counseling and advising services to empower students to maximize their potential, achieve their academic goals and support their success, growth and development.
We also offer services to students with disabilities through our Access and Disability Services located in this building. Each year, Harper's ADS office serves more than 1,350 students with disabilities while the Deaf Institute serves more than 50 deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing students.
Upstairs is one of two “mega computer labs” on the main campus Harper (the other is in Building Y) that are staffed to assist students with logging on and off, accessing specific programs they need for coursework and printing their work.
This building is also home to our youngest students – three to five year olds enrolled in our DCFS licensed and NAEYC accredited Child Learning Center. The Center not only provides an exemplary educational environment for young children, it also provides amodel of teaching methodology for Early Childhood Education students.
Tidbit: Child Learning Center has served the community for the last 30 years to the tune of more than 2,400 preschool alumni.
Biology Reserve
The outdoor biology lab enables students to study a restored Illinois prairie. Once a year, one third of the prairie is burned to simulate the natural processes.
Building H
Building H (1977, 2015)
The Career and Technical Program building houses most of our A.A.S. (Associate in Applied Science) programs that are designed to lead directly into a career. Built in 1977, it was completely renovated in 2015. This building was renovated in partnership with the state’s Capital Development Board. Working with state grant helps Harper extend its funds. because CDB projects are a 75/25% split between the state and the College. This building was designed to meet LEED Silver standards – and one way we achieved that was by opening up the roof and adding windows to allow us to harvest daylight and save on electricity.
Programs in this building include Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning/Refrigeration (HVAC/R), Electronics Engineering Technology, Supply Chain Management, Paralegal Studies, Fire Science Technology, Welding, Architectural Studies, Computer Information Systems, Web Development, Fashion, Interior Design, and Law Enforcement, to name just a few. It is also home to the FMA Metal Fabrication Lab, which supports Harper’s Advanced Manufacturing program. Harper’s manufacturing program has partnered with about 170 area companies that offer apprenticeships, paid internships, financial support and expertise.
Special features include:
The FMA Metal Fabrication Lab, which was made possible in part by a $500,000 donation by the Fabricators & Manufactures Association, opened in 2016. The construction of this lab doubled the size of Harper’s manufacturing lab, and includes state-of-the-art equipment such as lasers, turrets, press brakes, and robotic welders – some of which was donated by FMA members.
HVAC/R Program
The HVAC/R lab features more than 70 pieces of major equipment including residential gas fired furnaces; air conditioning systems; boiler hydronic systems; refrigeration trainers; commercial walk-in refrigerators; ice machines; commercial rooftop units; and geothermal systems. The lab is open 50 hours a week including Saturdays to accommodate students’ schedules and let them move at their own pace. To keep up with industry trends, Harper is currently constructing three Buildings Energy Systems Technology (BEST) labs with the support of Daikin, Carrier, Trane and Thermosystems, which are slated to open Fall 2018. The BEST program will focus on the latest residential and commercial wireless, ductless and ecofriendly technologies used in HVAC/R and building automation training.
The Crime Scene Lab
A crime scene lab designed to simulate a fully furnished residential setting, including a forensics garage and vehicle, for our Law Enforcement and Justice Administration program. These rooms provide Law Enforcement students with a unique opportunity to practice classroom learned techniques in a real-life setting. Students conduct evidence processing for mock crime scenes, perform vehicle and residential searches, as well as apprehending offenders.
Fashion Design Lab
A fashion design lab that includes industrial sewing machines, a textile lab with weaving looms, knitting machines, silk screening and batik equipment, and computer aided design pattern making, to name just a few. Students put on an annual fashion show every May.
Tidbit: The Fashion program dates back to 1969 and at that time was the only community college in a six state area with such a program.
Building D
Now known as the Duchossois Family Educational Center, Building D was one of our six original buildings. This building has been the workhorse for the campus. The building was originally designed to house the College’s science and technology classrooms and programs, including the northwest suburbs’ first Dental Hygiene Clinic. Over the years, the space has been retrofitted, modified and adapted to house a range of programs. At some point, nearly very program has held classes in this building.
In 2015, we added two large lecture halls (one seats 90, the other seats 120), a chiller plant, and one of the most favorite spots on campus, Starbucks. Finally, in 2016, the building received a much-overdue renovation. We had considered demolishing the building, but to save 10 – 15% on construction costs, we opted to renovate. The only section that was demolished was the center “knuckle.” The dark, cavernous space was replaced with the three story, light-filled glass Beaubien Family Rotunda that opened up the space and provided breathtaking views of the lake. This rotunda has quickly become a favorite spot for students to meet and study.
This building also houses the University Center. Through the University Center, students can earn a bachelor's degree from a four-year university by taking courses offered right here at Harper. Students complete half of their degree at Harper’s much lower tuition rate and the other half of the bachelor’s degree at a discounted rate from the partner university. The result - a more economical bachelor’s degree and students avoid the additional expense of room and board. The University Center makes earning a university degree more convenient, affordable and accessible and will contribute to local workforce development.
Building O
Built in 1990, the Observatory welcomes more than 700 visitors annually. Its 14” telescope that allows us to distant objects like the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda galaxy. Helping visitors stargaze are several high school docents, who last year alone put in nearly 500 hours of volunteer work. Helping them stargaze are several high school docents, who last year alone put in nearly 500 hours of volunteer work. Drop by during one of our free community viewing sessions, look through a telescope, and prepare to be awed. You can find the schedule on our website.
Tidbit: Complementing the observatory is a permanent outdoor solar system model that offers a short walking tour of the sun and planets, with stations for the sun and each of the planets that provide an overview, images and interesting facts. And by short, we mean we have made it – literally – 10 billion times easier to visit the solar system. The model is on a one-to-10 billion scale. The stations are spaced apart just as the sun and its system of planets are – only at one 10-billionth of the actual distance. They also show size at scale, so the sun is about the size of a grapefruit while Earth is the size of a ballpoint pen tip.
Outdoor Pavilion
Since opening in 2016, the Outdoor Pavilion has hosted a variety of community events such as movie screenings and concerts. It is also the site of the annual commencement ceremony.
Building E
An original building, Building E holds three lecture halls – two that can accommodate 95 students and one that seats a little more than 200. Generally, though, we do have small class sizes – the average class size ranges from 19 to 21 students.
When Building D was renovated, we added a bridge between Building D and E. As a result all of our academic buildings, with the exception of Building M, are connected so you can circumnavigate the main buildings without going outside.
Building W
Building W was constructed in 2002 and partially funded by the Illinois Capital Development Board. It was named the Wojcik Conference Center in recognition of Illinois State Representative Kay Wojcik, who helped secure $1.1 million in state aid to construct the building. The state-of-the-art facility, which includes a 250-seat amphitheater, serves as a community resource for local businesses and organizations to hold conferences, meetings and trainings.
The building is also home to Harper’s Continuing Education – a program of non-credit courses for learners from 8 to 88. Classes include professional development courses and certifications as well as personal enrichment – you can take a class that enhances your career skills or feeds your mind and heart. CE is the team behind InZone, our summer enrichment program for 8 to 14 year olds. Every summer, more than 1,000 youngsters take advantage of classes ranging from 3D printing, coding and robot building to documentary filmmaking, fishing and cooking competitions.
On the second floor, you will find the Job Placement Resource Center. The JPRC staff works with students and Harper alumni with everything job related from resumes and interviewing skills to job search. If you are an alum with a degree or certificate looking for a job, you too can take advantage of these services.
Another program housed in this building is our Registered Apprenticeship program. In 2015, the White House awarded Harper College a grant to support apprenticeships. This program combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction in a high demand career. Harper apprentices earn a salary from their employer while attending college and learning a career. Their college courses are paid for by the employer so the apprentice graduates debt-free with 2 – 3 years work experience. Harper’s Registered Apprenticeship programs include those in traditional advanced manufacturing careers plus non-traditional white collar" apprenticeships. The "white collar" apprenticeship programs are insurance, banking and finance, sales and retail management, supply chain management, and graphic arts print production. Check out Registered Apprenticeships on our website to learn more.
The third floor of the building is our Administration wing, which includes the President’s Office and the Harper College Educational Foundation. The Foundation was established in 1973 to support our students through scholarships. Since then, it has raised $30.4 million from more than 9,000 individual donors. Every year, the Foundation awards more than $800,000 in scholarships.
Building B
Another original building, this building is home to our facilities management team and the Harper College Police Department. Harper’s police officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Building M
In 2018, Building M was transformed into the Foglia Foundation Health and Recreation Center as the result of a public-private partnership with the Palatine Park District and Northwest Community Healthcare. By pooling resources and capitalizing on the expertise of each partner, the building is now a state-of-the-art facility that is home to a brand-new fitness center and suspended jogging track, a completely renovated pool and locker room, the Harper Hawks and their sports training facility along with the Kinesiology and Health Education programs. The building also offers an on-campus Outpatient Care Center through Northwest Community Healthcare. The Care Center provides immediate care, primary care, lab services and much more for students, Harper employees and the community.
Historical tidbit: The horse barn from the original Tri-Color Stables was a fixture on Harper's campus in the early days. Data processing classes were held before the horses were relocated, and students couldn't walk barefoot on campus for fear of tetanus from the horses. The barn was converted into an athletic fieldhouse and later destroyed in a fire in June 1973. Building M was then constructed in 1980. In the intervening years, Harper partnered with schools, park districts and facilities to sustain our physical education programming – much as we are doing today while Building M is under construction.