Harper College Athletics: A Comprehensive Overview

Harper College is not just an academic institution; it also boasts a vibrant athletics program that contributes significantly to student life and community engagement. This article delves into the various facets of Harper College's athletic offerings, providing a detailed look at the intercollegiate sports, relevant regulations, and resources available to student-athletes and fans alike.

Intercollegiate Sports at Harper College

Harper College offers a diverse range of intercollegiate sports, providing opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level. The college currently fields teams in 12 sports:

Men's Soccer
Women's Soccer
Men's Cross-Country
Women's Cross-Country
Women's Volleyball
Wrestling
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Baseball
Softball
Men's Track and Field
Women's Track and Field

These programs provide student-athletes with a platform to develop their skills, compete against other colleges, and represent Harper College with pride.

Affiliations and Eligibility

Harper College is a member of two prominent athletic organizations: the North Central Community College Conference (N4C) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

The N4C includes several other community colleges in the region, such as the College of DuPage, Joliet Junior College, Madison College, and Milwaukee Area Technical College. Membership in the N4C allows Harper College to engage in regular competition with these schools, fostering regional rivalries and promoting athletic excellence.

Read also: Harper College Fees

As a member of the NJCAA, Harper College adheres to the eligibility requirements set forth by the national organization. To participate in a sport, students must meet these NJCAA standards. Interested students are encouraged to contact the Head Coach of their respective sport to receive detailed information about eligibility and program specifics. Prior to participation, student-athletes are required to complete an online profile and undergo a pre-participation physical. Additional information can be found on the Hawks website at www.harperhawks.net.

Supporting the Hawks: Publicity and Events

Promoting athletic events and achievements is an important aspect of fostering school spirit and community involvement. At Harper College, publicity for events must be approved by Student Engagement and can only be displayed in designated locations, following established posting guidelines. While the recommended poster size is 8.5" x 11", larger posters are permissible if space allows. All publicity materials should clearly display the name of the sponsoring organization.

Student clubs and organizations can utilize a poster service available through Student Engagement, located in Building A, Room A336. It is recommended to request this service four to six weeks in advance to allow sufficient time for design, printing, and campus posting. To ensure compliance with college policies, all flyers intended for posting on Student Engagement bulletin boards must be stamped for approval by Student Engagement, also in Building A, Room A336. Typically, posters are displayed for a maximum of three weeks, although exceptions may be requested through Student Engagement.

Student Engagement bulletin boards are cleared at the end of each semester (fall, spring, and summer). For non-Harper for-profit events, announcements are limited to the two "Open Access" bulletin boards: one in the Student Center (Building A) near the Registrar's Office, and the other in Building J near J Theatre. These Open Access boards are cleared monthly to accommodate updates and new postings.

WHCM, the college's radio station, also provides support by airing public service announcements for on-campus organizations and non-partisan local service organizations.

Accessing Events: Tickets and Information

The Harper College Box Office/ID Card Office, located in the Performing Arts Center (Building R), is the primary point of contact for event tickets. General admission, student, staff, and senior tickets can be purchased via phone, online, or in person. Due to the popularity of many events, purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended. Harper students with a valid HarperCard are eligible to purchase up to two tickets at the student discount price. Note that all ticket purchases are subject to additional service fees, and event details (subject matter, times, dates, venues, and Box Office hours) are subject to change.

Additional Resources for Students

Harper College provides a variety of resources to support students, including student-athletes, in their academic and personal pursuits.

Computer Labs

Harper College offers open computer labs across its campuses. The main campus has two large open labs in Buildings Y and I, available seven days a week. The Harper College Learning and Career Center (LCC) in Prospect Heights also has a large open lab, open Monday through Thursday. These labs are staffed to assist students with logging in, accessing programs, and printing.

The main campus labs feature accessible workstations with specialized software for individuals with disabilities. These workstations are clearly marked and given priority to students with disabilities. All open labs provide access to current Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX computers with standard versions of Microsoft Office, as well as other program-specific software. Print capabilities are available at all three locations.

Dining Services

Sodexo Campus Services operates the Cockrell Dining Hall in Building A, offering breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. Payment options include cash, SOGO, the BITE App (Mobile Wallet), American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. Dining Services also provides on-campus catering for approved student activities and special events. Note that hours may vary during class breaks and summer sessions.

Vending machines offering hot beverages, cold beverages, and snacks are located in most buildings on campus. Fresh food machines, providing salads, sandwiches, and wraps, can be found in Buildings L (near the bookstore) and X (near Massage Therapy).

Campus Recreation

The Department of Campus Recreation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Harper students and the surrounding community by offering innovative, educational, and recreational opportunities and programs.

HarperStore

The HarperStore serves as a resource for textbooks, supplies, spirit wear, reference materials, and other items. Payment methods accepted include cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover Card, PayPal, Samsung Pay, and HarperStore Gift Cards. When paying by check or credit card, a photo ID is required. Financial aid can also be used to purchase textbooks. The HarperStore offers home delivery for added convenience.

HarperCard

All credit students are entitled to a free HarperCard, a photo ID card that serves multiple purposes. The HarperCard can be used for identification, admittance to College events and open recreation, discounts at the Box Office, as a Library Card, as a copy card for campus photocopy machines, to print documents at print stations, and for various other campus services.

Campus Safety

The Harper College Police Department is a 24-hour law enforcement agency responsible for the safety and security of the Harper College community. The department enforces college rules and regulations, village and county ordinances, and state and federal laws. Harper College police officers have the same authority as municipal and state officers, including the authority to detain people, conduct investigations, gather evidence, and make arrests.

The Harper College Police Department is the central repository for all lost and found items recovered on campus. Found items, regardless of value, must be turned over to the department for safekeeping. Emergency call boxes are strategically located throughout campus parking lots and by inner campus sidewalks, identifiable by the blue lights on parking lot and sidewalk light standards.

tags: #harper #college #athletics #programs