Harper Talks

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 him. Luigi is the District Manager for Jewel Osco, overseeing stores in the northwest suburbs.

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.

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 of South Carolina.

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.

Harper alumnus Dr. Justin Harty, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Arizona State University, shares how Harper College was a pivotal starting point for his journey to PhD, his connection with the Harper professors that inspired his path, and his significant work and research in the field of social work focusing on fathers in the foster care system. Dr. Harty is a 2008 Harper College graduate.

Elk Grove Village Mayor and Harper Alumnus Craig Johnson joins Harper Talks to discuss Harper’s generational impact on this family, the calling for public service, the life of a village mayor, and more. Mayor Johnson is a 1980 graduate of Harper College. He has served as the mayor of Elk Grove Village since 1997.

Harper alumnus Jalen Little joins Harper Talks and discusses finding community, developing leadership skills, taking the least expected path, and helping prospective students discover what they have in their backyard in his role as Admissions Specialist at Harper College.