Harper College offices will be closed Monday, September 2 in observance of Labor Day.
Pete Almeida comes to Harper College with more than 20 years of experience in community engagement. With a strong emphasis on supporting Latine communities and underserved populations in higher education, his role as project director of Harper’s Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Program is sure to make a mark on the lives of the college’s diverse student population and community. But when he’s not out serving his community, you can find Pete singing along to “Sweet Caroline” and hiking with his kids.
It’s an early fall morning, crisp but not too cold. I’m having coffee and hiking with my kids in a big forest that leads to a lake. We spend the afternoon skipping stones across the calm lake surface.
My grandfather. He was a hard-working and talented person who, being the oldest of 12 kids, always took care of his family. He lived his whole life that way and it was really inspiring.
Tony Stark. He’s always looking for fun ways to help others and reinvent the wheel.
“Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. It’s a fun song that gets a lot of people singing and plays well in most crowds.
Don’t surround yourself with negative people, look at failures as learning opportunities and keep playing sports but join a jiu-jitsu school!
Growing up, I did not feel like I belonged in college. I only wanted a two-year degree but, over time, I was drawn to teaching, which kept me in school. Sure enough, I went on to complete my master’s degree, and now I am in a doctoral program at Northern Illinois University. (I can’t even believe it.)
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” – Theodore Roosevelt
I wonder whether or not the technology we’re creating is hurting or helping humanity. In other words, are we regressing physically and mentally as technology has developed in such a way as to make things less complicated both physically and mentally?
The opportunity to be part of the Hispanic-Serving Institution Program. It has been part of my life’s work to provide tailored support for underserved students and those in the community. I have been doing work to advocate for a program like this, but now, I get to be part of the team that does the work!
The people. It is great to come to a place where there are many who genuinely want to help students succeed.
