Harper Talks

Harper Talks host Brian Shelton sits down with retiring Harper College English Professor and alumnus Kris Piepenburg to reflect on a remarkable journey that began as a Harper student in 1979. Kris shares memories of a very different campus, his experiences as a WHCM radio DJ, and his role in bringing legendary musical acts like Survivor and Pat Metheny to Harper. He also discusses the professors w...

As the construction manager leading the work on Harper’s new Canning Student Center, alumna Kiara Trejo shares her full circle journey from Harper College to IIT to her current role at Ardmore Roderick. She discusses breaking barriers as a Latina in a male-dominated field, the value of hands-on learning, and how networking opened unexpected doors, including her return to Harper. Kiara offers insig...

John Schippman, a Harper College alumnus and Emmy Award-winning executive producer of sports at WMAQ and Telemundo, shares his journey from being a “Scrappy C” at Harper College, transferring to the University of Illinois, and ultimately finding focus and launching a career in sports media that began with an internship at ESPN. He reflects on the power of patience, persistence, and a career coveri...

Harper alumna and current mass communication professor  Maham Khan  shares her journey from starting at Harper with uncertainty—and during the tumultuous days of 9/11—to discovering her voice through leadership, speech and debate, and ultimately journalism. She reflects on overcoming stigma around community college, transferring to Northwestern, and building a career in Chicago media before return...

Episode 50 is here! Countless stories. One powerful community.  In this milestone episode of the Harper Talks Alumni Podcast, we’re revisiting the powerful advice from alumni over the past five years — the moments that inspired our listeners to say yes, take risks, and create their own paths. Their journeys started at Harper. Their impact reaches far beyond. Tune in and get inspired.

US Army veteran and Harper College alumna Phyllis Higgins joins  Harper Talks  to share her inspiring journey from military service to corporate success. Phyllis reflects on returning to school through Harper’s Fast Track program, balancing work and family, and finding her passion in supporting others. Now an apprenticeship talent navigator at Zurich Insurance, she champions opportunities that hel...

Meet Izabela Pieniadz, 2012 Harper College graduate and a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. From discovering her passion for art and history at Harper to leading the Ellwood House Museum in DeKalb, Illinois, Izabela shares how curiosity, saying “yes” to opportunities, and a love of historic preservation shaped her path. Tune in as she discusses her time at Harper College, getting her star...

Meet Maria and Jose Macias, a Harper College love story that grew into a life of leadership, community impact, and successful careers. On this episode of  Harper Talks , the married alumni duo shares how Harper gave them opportunities to explore their educational curiosity, build connection through Latinos Unidos, and ultimately meet each other. Today, Jose leads in real estate and financial liter...

Dr. Joseph Sagerer, a 2024 Harper College Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, began as an uncertain high school student and flourished into a physics Ph. D. and pioneering researcher. In this episode of  Harper Talks , Dr. Sagerer shares how Harper helped launch his academic career and discusses his current work using cosmic rays to map the ancient Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico —offering his un...

In this episode of  Harper Talks , alumna Ushna Zamir shares how Harper College shaped her journey—from finding lifelong friendships to discovering a passion for communications. She shares how her experience on the speech team and support from mentors helped her shift from a STEM path to a new field of study. Now thriving in HR at Raytheon, she encourages students to be open to new opportunities,...

Harper College alumnus Steven Mastandrea shares his journey from Harper to the University of Illinois, where he studied computer engineering. During his time there in the 1990s, he gained early exposure to the internet boom which helped shape his career.  Mastandrea also discusses his dual career paths — serving as Vice President of Engineering at Vibes while dedicating years to firefighting, EMS,...

Harper Talks host Brian Shelton sits down with alumnus Andrew Payette, a 2018 Harper College graduate and current constituent services liaison for U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. Andrew shares how his involvement with Harper’s speech and debate team led to an internship that evolved into a full-time role in public service. He discusses the apolitical nature of his work, assisting constituent...

Harper College Police Chief John Lawson, a 1987 Harper College graduate, reflects on his journey from Harper's criminal justice program to leading the campus police department. He shares insights into his 40-year law enforcement career including 28 years with the Roselle Police Department, the challenges of campus policing, and his dedication to community engagement and safety. Don't miss...

Harper College alumna Sarah Alhayek reflects on her journey from an undecided high school graduate to an accomplished employee engagement generalist at Aldi. Sarah shares how Harper College helped her discover herself, build lasting friendships, and develop essential skills through involvement in campus activities. She discusses her career in industrial-organizational psychology, her passion for f...

A self-proclaimed “theater kid” from the age of 7, Jeremy Lucas’ passion led him to pursue theater education at Harper College, Illinois State University, and ultimately earning his BFA from Roosevelt University.  Jeremy joins Harper Talks and discusses his education, founding Jaxx Theatricals, a full inclusion theatre company and performing arts education nonprofit in Los Angeles, his internation...

Esmeralda Guerrero Lopez, Harper College Alumna and current coordinator for student diversity initiatives at Harper College, shares her journey as a first-generation college student, the challenges of being undocumented, and how she became involved in campus life. She discusses her role in supporting diverse student populations, particularly through the Glide Peer Mentorship program, which aims to...

Alumna Dana Romero saw Harper College as a new beginning. Dana joins Harper Talks and discusses how getting involved as a student, an impactful study abroad trip, and continued education made a significant difference for her in her goal of becoming a mental health therapist. Dana shares insight into her work in the field of clinical mental health counseling and the surprise of being selected as th...

Alumnus Dr. Hector Martinez joins Harper Talks to discuss the love for science, education close to home, his dual duties as both business owner and principal Chiropractor at Tri-Modern Health, and becoming the team Chiropractor for the Schaumburg Boomers baseball team.

As an immigrant from Italy, Luigi De Matteo found himself in a new country, learning a new language and culture, but with a determination to succeed and find his path by taking advantage of all the educational opportunities available. He joins Harper Talks to discuss Harper’ s role in his journey, his start at Jewel Osco and longevity with the company, and why mentoring students is so important to...

Dr. Ruth Morales’ road to becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy started with a single anatomy class at Harper College. From teen mom to Harper Honors Program to graduating with honors from Northwestern University’s esteemed physical therapy program, Dr. Morales shares her inspiring journey on Harper Talks.

Harper Talks welcomes alumni Carrie Fullerton, Executive Director of the Arlington Heights Park District. Carrie discusses her extensive career in parks and recreation, leading one of the largest park districts in the state of Illinois and what she’s doing to help mentor the next generation of female leaders in the field.

Jenn Mepham, the 2023 Outstanding Recent Alumna, joins Harper Talks and shares insight into her career as the System Simulation Education Specialist for Advocate Health system. Jenn talks about training nurses for all types of medical scenarios through simulation and what it was like pivoting to an unexpected role during the COVID-19 Pandemic. She earned her Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology...

2023 Harper College Distinguished Alumna  Kari-Ann Ryan  joins Harper Talks and discusses the journey to receiving her degrees, her role as Director of Marketing and Development at Mid-West Moving and Storage, building relationships in the community, and her proactive volunteerism that’s transforming lives.

Alumna Nicole Buchanan joins Harper Talks and discusses working her way up during her career which started at 15 years old at a McDonald’s restaurant to ultimately becoming Vice President of Operations with Bear Family Restaurants, which owns and operates 35 McDonald’s restaurants in the suburbs. Nicole talks about the Harper/Bear partnership, shares about her time at Harper, and at the University...

Andy-John Kalkounos is a restaurateur, actor, real estate professional, and currently serving as the Palatine Township Supervisor. Andy-John, a 2010 Distinguished Alumnus of Harper College, joins the podcast and discusses his varied roles, his Greek heritage, his experiences at Harper College as a piano and theater student, and the importance of being present in our lives.