Navigating Your Success: A Comprehensive Guide to the Harper Student Portal and Resources

Embarking on your college journey at Harper College is an exciting step towards personal and professional growth. To ensure a smooth and successful experience, it's crucial to understand how to navigate the Harper student portal and leverage the various resources available to you. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the tools, services, and support systems designed to help you thrive at Harper.

Accessing and Utilizing the Harper Student Portal

HarperAccess: Your Gateway to Information

HarperAccess serves as your central hub for accessing important academic and personal information. Here's how to get started:

Initial Access: You will be provided with a temporary (initial) password to access HarperAccess.
Password Reset: You will be asked to reset your password.
New PIN Setup: Set up your new PIN, then follow the provided link to access HarperAccess.
Proxy Access: If you wish to grant parents or guardians access to your records, you can do so through HarperAccess. Your student can authorize this access in HarperAccess.
Proxy Profile: At the HarperAccess Home page, complete your Proxy Profile.
Student Selection: After logging in, you will see a tab with each student's name along the top of the page. Select the student name of whose records you would like to view.
Record Viewing: Select a page that is listed to view the student's records. VIEW is the keyword.
Student Control: The student is in control of what has been authorized for you to view. The student is in control of the information that you can view.
Cookies: Cookies are set when a person is accessing HarperAccess.
Browser Closure: When you are finished, completely close the browser.
Technical Issues: If you encounter issues with accessing HarperAccess, ensure that cookies are enabled and that you are completely closing the browser after each session.

Blackboard: Your Online Classroom

Blackboard is the online learning management system used by Harper College. Instructors use Blackboard to post course materials, assignments, grades, and announcements.

Course Access: In order for you to be successful, you must log into your blackboard at the beginning of each course.
Familiarization: From there, click on each of the individual sections of Blackboard. Become familiar with the layout and the way the class is run.
Key Features: Instructors have the option to use the online tool to track grades, input resources, create group discussions, and collaborate on assignments.
Syllabus: Every class you take at Harper will begin with a contract between you and your instructor- this is known as a syllabus. It will contain vital information for your success. Some syllabi even have a schedule of due dates, but know that some instructors have a separate document.

Starfish: Connecting You to Support Services

Starfish is a platform that Harper uses for communication between support services and students.

Purpose: If someone in your support network is concerned about you, they may use Starfish to send you a message.
Flags: For example, if you start missing class regularly, your instructor might notice this and submit a Starfish Flag to notify your support network, such as your academic advisor, about this occurrence.
Advisor Outreach: Your Advisor might then reach out to you to connect you with other support resources.
Access: To be able to access Starfish, head to the landing page of your student portal.
Network: The people you can view in your network is everyone assigned to work with you and guide you on your path to success at Harper.

Academic Support Resources

Harper College offers a wide array of academic support services to help you succeed in your studies.

Academic Advising: Charting Your Course

Meeting with your Academic Advisor once a semester is going to help you stay on track.

Guidance: Whether you are looking to apply for a limited enrollment program, associate degree, transferring credits or a certificate program, your Academic Advisor can help you create a plan to reach your goals.
Preparation: Before you meet with your Advisor, you need to come prepared with questions you have.

The Library: More Than Just Books

The Library is much more than a place to check out books and movies.

Quiet Zone: The third floor of the library is the quiet zone. While you are welcome to study in groups, this floor is meant for minimal talking.

Academic Support Center: Your Learning Hub

The Academic Support Center, located in the lower level of the library, houses a variety of educational support resources.

Tutoring Center: The Tutoring Center assists students with learning content they might be struggling with in their courses. Sometimes subjects that are unfamiliar or new, may not come as easily to learn and by using the Tutoring Center they can help provide tips to improve your test scores and understand content.
Writing Center: Another section of the Academic Support Center is the Writing Center. This area can help you not only with your English classes, but any paper you need to write for a class. Their goal is to help you become a stronger more confident writer.

Access and Disability Services (ADS): Ensuring Equal Access

The last educational resource that is important to your college success is the Access and Disability Services office (ADS).

Accommodations: If you had an accommodation in high-school, it was an automatic opportunity the school district afforded students (examples of accommodations came from an individualized educational plan, also known as an IEP, or 504 plan). College is different than high-school, as accommodations are no longer required.
Disclosure: The only way an instructor would know you have an accommodation, is if one of the Access Advocates from ADS shares with your instructor that you need assistance in the class. You are not required, as a college student, to disclose you need or want accommodations; however, if you do want to use accommodations you need to have them in place at the start of term.
Implementation: The accommodation plan is only good for when it is implemented. That means if you decide halfway through the semester you need an accommodation, it can only be implemented from the midway point to the end of term.

Student Life and Support Services

Harper College recognizes that student success extends beyond the classroom. A variety of resources are available to support your overall well-being and engagement in campus life.

Read also: Harper College Fees

Counseling Services: Nurturing Your Well-being

College is a great experience that allows students to grow in many different ways. You will be challenged to learn many new skill sets, and your own identities will continue to evolve. Harper knows that your personal development is key to discovering who you are and who you want to be in the world. Counseling is one way that you can explore all different aspects of who you are. The Counseling Center is free to use for all Harper students enrolled in coursework.

Hawks Care: Financial and Resource Support

Sometimes you need more help financially then scholarships can cover. Hawks Care can provide additional support financially, on a limited basis, to help you temporarily cover bills like grocery or gas. If you need more long-term assistance, Hawks Care will inform and connect you to community resources.

Health and Recreation Center: Prioritizing Your Physical Health

Your mental wellness is just as important as your physical wellness. With your Harper ID, you have access to using the state-of-the-art gym, the Health and Recreation Center. You have the opportunity to attend free group classes (ex. yoga), use the weight room, basketball courts, or run/walk the upstairs track.

Dimensions of Wellness

There are 8 Dimensions to Wellness at Harper: Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social, and Spiritual.

Student Engagement: Connecting with Your Peers

Making friends as you age can be more difficult, but finding people that share your same interests can be easier than you might think. Student Engagement at Harper provides a variety of opportunities for students. For example, Harper has over 50 student organizations to choose from to make new friends. No matter your interests, there is surely something to help you feel connected to Harper and your peers. Athletics is another great way to meet people.

Veteran and Military Connected Students: Honoring Service

If you have ever served in the military, know that Harper appreciates and is grateful to you. Because there is a population of veterans seeking higher education, the office of Veteran and Military Connected Students is here to support you.

Cultural Center: Celebrating Diversity

The Cultural Center opened its doors in November 2021 and is a safe space for students to feel their culture affirmed, but also have a shared common space for educational and social activities.

Job Placement Resource Center (JPRC): Preparing for Your Future

Are you looking for an on-campus job? Internship? Need help with creating a resume? Then you will want to utilize the services of the Job Placement Resource Center (JPRC). The staff there can assist you in thinking about life after Harper. Having an up-to-date resume is important to landing your next or future job.

Technology Resources

Harper College provides students with essential technology resources to support their academic endeavors.

Microsoft Office 365

Did you know that with your enrollment at Harper College, you get access to Microsoft Office 365 which will give you access to Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Semester Loan Technology Program

Do you have technology needs like access to Wi-Fi, working laptop, or graphing calculator? Do not stress Harper College has your back with its âSemester Loan Technology programâ. This is on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.

Harper College Continuing Education

Harper College's Continuing Education (CE) programs are designed to meet the needs of adult learners seeking professional development and personal enrichment.

Streamlined Registration

Harper CE prioritizes a simplified registration experience, making it as easy as buying a book on Amazon. This includes ensuring relevant discount codes are readily available at checkout.

Enhanced Online Experience

Harper CE strives to deliver an intuitive customer experience that meets the expectations of today's learners. This includes a seamless online experience across marketing, enrollment, curriculum, and finance.

Targeted Marketing

Harper CE focuses on improving and targeting marketing efforts to ensure students are aware of the offerings that meet their specific needs. This involves displaying the right information at the right time to the right audiences.

Data-Driven Insights

Harper CE utilizes data to inform marketing efforts, personalize communication, and identify new learning opportunities. This includes tracking student goals, interests, employer information, and communication preferences.

Agile Course Development

Harper CE is committed to keeping pace with changing labor market conditions by developing new courses and programs. This requires a streamlined process for course approvals and resource allocation.

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities

College life presents both challenges and opportunities. Lacee's story exemplifies the resilience and determination required to overcome obstacles and achieve success.

Lacee's Journey: A Story of Resilience

Imagine being your 15-year-old self again. What did that feel like? For me, I felt all of those things every day. I played the clarinet, got good grades, was athletic from running track, active in school/church clubs and had amazing family/friends. I didnât want for anything until one day I no longer felt like my healthy self anymore and all I wanted was to be healthy again. It was November of 2012, at the time I had just moved to Los Angeles, California with my mother from Maryland. I was very excited to move and support my mom with her new job opportunity. She is like my best friend and nurturer at the same time. It was always just her and I growing up, no siblings. Californiaâs scenery was colorful and vibrant. That picture flipped upside down within weeks. I could feel my stomach expressing to me that it didnât like the chicken nuggets or the pepperoni pizza, I was feeding it. Sharp pains that felt like knives were sticking me each time I would eat, pushed me to never want to pick up another piece of food again. No over-the-counter medicine could relieve the amount of pain I would feel. Sick little me sat helplessly with my mother by my side in Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Centerâs emergency room waiting to be admitted and seen by a doctor. I thought to myself, âWhat was happening to me? I couldnât understand. I was just fine a month ago. My mom was just as confused as I was. The doctors werenât transparent enough with my diagnosis and had trouble figuring out what was the actual problem. After a few tests, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis/Crohnâs disease. I had no idea what ulcerative colitis was nor had I ever heard of it before. My current gastroenterologist, Dr. Ziring, asked who in my family had the disease but I wasnât familiar with anyone. My father, mother, and grandparents didnât have any trace of ulcerative colitis. It was concluded that the change in climate and stress could have taken a toll on my body to make me flare-up. I couldnât eat certain foods anymore. Nearly one month spent in the hospital, my routine had changed. I would wake up take my meds first, eat (liquid-solid foods), watch TV, read a book, walk around to gain my strength and repeat at least three times a day. Once I was released, I remember being so happy to be a normal person again. That feeling went away when my mom took me to buy nutritional drinks to restore my protein, vitamins, and minerals. I couldnât fit into any of my clothes from the amount of weight I lost and my toned body went away. Dr. Ziring told me that I would live with this forever because there is no cure, which I didnât want to believe. Fast forward to 2013 where I moved back to Maryland with my mother, I was enrolled back in my previous high school and actively seeing, pediatric gastroenterologist, Dr. Oliva-Hemker at John Hopkinâs hospital. I couldnât do any of the previous extracurricular activities I participated in and could only workout at a minimal intensity due to my low blood counts. Throughout the school year, I experienced many flare-ups and trial/error with different medications. Some hospitalizations were longer than others and overtime I became stricter with my diet to prevent excessive flare-ups. My high school graduation wasnât the best time for me because I was experiencing a severe flare-up that interfered with my ability to keep food down. After graduating from high school, I switched gastroenterologists since I was considered an adult. Dr. Rosen had been my momâs gastroenterologist for years so the transition was smooth. I was stabilized on Humira and Prednisone throughout my community college career. By then, my mother and I had moved to Atlanta where the weather was nicer. I think the weather, being around family/friends and less stress I experienced helped my flare-ups calm down living in Atlanta. Lacee recently graduated with a masterâs degree from the S.I. Once I completed my first two years of college and received my associateâs degree, I transferred to Syracuse University (SU) to achieve my bachelorâs degree. This was one of the hardest transitions of my life moving from the South to the cold North. My third year of college and first-year being away at a university led to my body experiencing an extreme transition which resulted in three severe flare-ups. My mother left Atlanta and moved back to Maryland to be closer to me because she was terrified of how sick I was getting. Each time I flared up, I flew home to get the treatment from Dr. Rosen. During senior year, my 3-week hospitalization interfered with my academics and involvement in extracurricular activities. At this time, I was advised to try Entyvio and I was tired of trying new medications. The only way I could have some quality of life was to remove my colon. In November of 2017, I set an appointment with Dr. Colvin in Northern Virginia to discuss my surgery. I had the surgery during my college winter break, spent Christmas in the hospital, recovered and returned back to school. At the time, I didnât know how I was going to apply to graduate school at the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at SU but I did that during my recovery period. It took a lot of exercise, mental motivation, empathy and support from family, my best friends, mentors and peers at school. With amazing grace and good spirits, I got accepted into the public relations program at the S.I. From this specific point on, learning how to function in everyday life with my ostomy took a lot of patience, time, emotional breakdowns, motivation and positive mental strength. I donât regret any of it at all. I do not have to worry about missing out or not fully enjoying any more important events of my life. It wasnât until a couple of months ago, I discovered United Ostomy Association of America (UOAA) and chose to reach out to Advocacy Manager Jeanine Gleba about getting more involved. Since reaching out, I have gained the opportunity to advocate for patientâs access to treatment during the Digestive Disease National Coalition Day on the Hill and spoke on the behalf of UOAA. I couldnât be more grateful for my ostomy and must say that it changed my life for the good. Life is full of obstacles but how you choose to overcome them will make your life. I chose to take full control of my life in order to have a better quality of life. It doesnât matter who you are, you can truly do whatever you put your mind to. Believing in yourself and staying grounded in positivity, motivation and dedication is key.

Key Takeaways from Lacee's Story

Resilience: Lacee's ability to persevere through significant health challenges demonstrates the power of resilience in achieving academic and personal goals.
Support System: The importance of a strong support system, including family, friends, mentors, and peers, cannot be overstated.
Self-Advocacy: Lacee's proactive approach to managing her health and advocating for her needs highlights the importance of self-advocacy in navigating college and life.
Positive Mindset: Maintaining a positive mindset, even in the face of adversity, is crucial for overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

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