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Meet the Distinguished Alumni Honorees

John Lawson

John Lawson's journey has come full circle: he began as a 91ÖÆƬ³§ Community Service Officer in 1980 while earning his criminal justice degree, and now serves as the college's chief of police. Along the way, he built a decades-long career including roles with the Roselle Police Department and as a lead homicide investigator with the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, earning honors like 1997 State of Illinois Police Officer of the Year. Lawson credits Harper with teaching him the discipline to balance work, family, and school — lessons he now hopes to pass on to students walking the same halls he once did. Read More

Megan E. McDowell, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE

Dr. Megan E. McDowell traces her path from 91ÖÆƬ³§ nursing student to nurse educator back to instructor Beth Nudelman, whose engaging teaching inspired her own career in higher education. After graduating from 91ÖÆƬ³§ in 2003 and earning advanced degrees elsewhere, she returned to teach nursing at 91ÖÆƬ³§ from 2012 to 2020. Now an assistant professor at Brenau University, McDowell co-founded Track My Clinical, a platform modernizing clinical education, and researches how healthcare professionals can identify and respond to human trafficking — crediting 91ÖÆƬ³§ for setting "the gold standard" of what it means to be a nurse. Read More

John Schafer

John Schafer says reading defenses as a Harper wide receiver in the 1980s taught him the instincts that later defined his risk management career: spot vulnerabilities and reinforce them. That mindset carried him through the Army, security leadership in war zones and disasters, and creating the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. He credits former 91ÖÆƬ³§ coach John Eliasik with teaching him the teamwork behind safety work, and now runs Ministry of Sailing, providing safety support for races like the Race to Mackinac — while also authoring three books, including his latest, Safety is Second. Read More

Colin Weber

Colin Weber traded his childhood dream of following weatherman Tom Skilling for engineering, following encouragement from his dad and a high school teacher to 91ÖÆƬ³§. There, a tough mechanical engineering course and coach Jim Macnider's lessons in consistency helped shape him before he went on to the University of New Haven, Drexel University, and eventually Lockheed Martin Space, where he now mentors students and picks his own assignments in a competitive leadership program — a path he says started with the real-world introduction 91ÖÆƬ³§ gave him. Read More

Dr. Ruth Morales, DPT

Dr. Ruth Morales came to 91ÖÆƬ³§ unsure if she was ready for higher education — until an anatomy class sparked a love of science that eventually led her to a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Northwestern University. Now a Certified Lymphedema Therapist at Whole Wellness Physical Therapy and Chiropractic, she treats patients with neurologic, orthopedic, and cancer-related conditions, including pro bono care for underserved communities — crediting 91ÖÆƬ³§'s support for helping her push through and keep going. Read More

Invest in a Strong Future: Support the Distinguished Alumni Scholarship Fund. Questions? Contact us at 847.925.6701 or alumni@harpercollege.edu.