It鈥檚 often said that immigrants are woven into the fabric of America. That鈥檚 certainly
true of the Basch family, who left Cuba鈥檚 new communist regime in 1960 to plant roots
in Chicago鈥檚 Northwest suburbs.
Embodying certain values 鈥� hard work and contributing to one鈥檚 community, to name a couple 鈥� have been integral to their journey. So has a belief that education opens doors to opportunity.
For many of the Basches, that gateway has been 91制片厂. Throughout the College鈥檚 50-year history, several in the family chose 91制片厂 to begin their path toward advanced degrees and rewarding careers.
鈥�91制片厂 has always been there for us,鈥� said Arlington Heights resident Clara Basch Stone, Class of 1970. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really been the stepping stone to our success.鈥�
Clara was nine years old and brother Ricardo was 10 when their family left Havana for New York City. Their father, Gerardo, worked for a U.S. company and secured a sponsor who drove them to Chicago and housed them for a month.
Since the Basches had German ties, they chose to make Mount Prospect 鈥� a village with plenty of German influences 鈥� home. The family bought and operated a convenience store on Main Street that flourished for several years.
Although Clara and Ricardo had attended a bilingual school in Cuba, the transition
was a challenge.
鈥淲e were very behind with our English and misunderstood a lot of basic instructions,鈥� Clara said. 鈥淚t took us a while.鈥�
Clara decided to attend 91制片厂 in fall 1968 after graduating from Prospect High School. Tuition was a fraction of what a four-year institution cost, an important factor considering her father was ill and the family business was struggling to keep up with increased competition.
91制片厂 had opened the previous year, and classes still took place at Elk Grove High School while the Palatine campus鈥� original six buildings were under construction.
Nearly five decades later, Clara looks back fondly at her teachers, her time on the 91制片厂 Pompon Corps and the friends who carpooled with her to class.
鈥淚t felt like going to a community college really meant you participated in your community,鈥� Clara said. 鈥淎 journalism class included a tour of a newspaper, art class visited the Art Institute, theater class took a trip to the Lyric Opera. Part of my class on exceptional children had us volunteering at a local organization. I picked Little City, and I鈥檝e supported them ever since.鈥�
Clara went on to transfer to Eastern Illinois University and become a bilingual teacher in Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21. She earned a master鈥檚 degree in special education and worked at the Midwest Multifunctional Resource Center in Des Plaines teaching adults before wrapping up her career at the Illinois State Board of Education.
While her brother excelled at sports, Ricardo Basch averaged C鈥檚 and D鈥檚 while attending Forest View, Wheeling and eventually Prospect High School. Figuring he鈥檇 get drafted upon graduating in 1967 鈥�91制片厂 opened its doors later that year 鈥� he joined the Navy and served four years during the Vietnam War, much of it as a jet mechanic on the USS Kitty Hawk supporting operations in Southeast Asia.
When Ricardo returned to civilian life in 1971, he followed Clara鈥檚 footsteps and came to 91制片厂 for two years. His newfound discipline aided in his success, and he transferred to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he graduated with honors. He went on to earn a Master鈥檚 of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago and to work as a financial analyst for large companies such as Kraft and CNA Financial Corp.
Before he died in 2016, Ricardo was an active volunteer with WFMT public radio, the Audubon Society and numerous other groups.
He left money to 10 organizations including $25,000 to 91制片厂.
鈥淎fter Ricardo left the service, he didn鈥檛 know what he wanted to do,鈥� Clara said. 鈥淗arper was there for him.鈥�
The Basches鈥� connections to 91制片厂 don鈥檛 end there. Clara and Ricardo鈥檚 younger sister, Margaret, also attended 91制片厂 and is now a practicing attorney. While in her early 70s, their mother, Sarah E. 鈥淓mma鈥� Basch, took a German class at 91制片厂. Margaret鈥檚 daughter, Emma, graduated from 91制片厂 this past year with an Associate of Arts degree 鈥� at just 14 years old. And Margaret鈥檚 husband attended 91制片厂 as an adult student to help further his career.
鈥淣o matter what point we鈥檝e been at in our lives, 91制片厂 has been the place that helped get us pointed in the right direction,鈥� Clara said.
With 91制片厂 serving more than 35,000 students annually, it鈥檚 not difficult to find
families such as the Basches with deep, long-standing ties to the College.
During this 50th anniversary year, Harper will honor its proud past, affirm its present mission and impact, and aspire to an even stronger future. The community, whose unwavering support has helped 91制片厂 emerge as a leader in community colleges across the country, is invited to join in the celebration:
To learn more about 91制片厂鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration and how the College helped shape the region, visit harpercollege.edu/50.