Harper College will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Michelle Mabry likes the variety of tasks her job at Harper College provides. A member
of the Operations Services department, she has been doing whatever is needed for more
than a decade: handling shipping, receiving purchase orders, delivering items with
a forklift, making sure employees have their necessary work wear, salting and shoveling
pathways, and much more.
“There are so many different things to do,” Michelle said. “I like to take a jumbled mess and make order out of chaos. The challenge is trying to keep it that way.”
Because she has helped Harper meet that challenge for the past 11 years, with her work touching every area of the college, Michelle is the 2025 recipient of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Service Award. The award recognizes an employee who excels at service with a personal touch. Darlett Bernard, catering supervisor for Sodexo Campus Services, was the award’s first recipient last year.
Michelle said she was surprised to learn about receiving the honor – although it should be no surprise to anyone who knows her that she instantly thought of equally deserving Harper employees.
“There are a lot of unseen people who do a lot of work who should be valued,” Michelle said. “I thought of all of the other people who should be getting this award with me. Women in the workforce – we support each other, especially now.”
Harper’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will honor Michelle with this award at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, in the Wojcik Conference Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. The annual event will include songs, dance and keynote speaker Dr. Mary Pattillo from Northwestern University, followed by a soul food reception. Everyone is welcome.
A California native who was also raised in Curaçao, Michelle first came to Harper after her youngest child began kindergarten. She was attracted to the college partly because of the educational opportunities and tuition waivers it offers to employees. Two degrees and multiple certificates later, she wears her identity as a student as proudly as her tan overalls.
“I love how working on campus means being around students.” she said. “I love helping students because I am a student. We help each other. If they’re confused or frustrated, I always tell them, ‘Come over here and I’ll show you. We can do this.’ It’s not always easy, working and fitting in classes and homework, but I like learning.”
Michelle knows that so many of her colleagues do the same. She encourages them to continue extending friendly greetings and helping hands – to students and each other.
“We’re lucky to work together,” she said. “People sometimes don’t want to reach out, but that’s the beginning of so many good things. It’s all about connection – that’s why I’m still here.”