User:MichelleHarper

Michelle Harper is an advocate for education at all levels. As the primary contributor to the Academic Enrollment Coach she guides those who want to return to college with a focus on the non-traditional student who may have been away from the college environment for awhile. Michelle acts as a confidant, an advisor, friend, and of course a coach.

Michelle is perfectly suited to this role because she has spent much of her career as an Enrollment Advisor and Student Service Representative. Her primary responsibilities throughout her career have been recruiting prospective students, guiding these students through their financial aid process, helping them select a program of study, evaluating their transcripts, advising them on an academic plan leading to a degree and overall advising students on every aspect of their college careers.

Michelle also knows of what she speaks because she was someone who returned to college after initially starting a degree program. Michelle grew up in a low income home, but like most motivated students she headed off to college as soon as she graduated high school. She was the first person in her immediate family to be able to attend college and she was excited at the prospect of earning her college degree. Unfortunately, like so many others, her parents could not help her afford college and she didn’t receive enough money in government loans and grants to be able to stay. One of the saddest days of her life was when she was forced to leave Bowling Green University.

After 5 years of on-again-off-again attempts to complete her degree and a relocation to a new city Michelle entered the telecommunications industry where she spent 7 years, but after 2 layoffs she finally made the decision to go back to school and finish that degree. She enrolled in Columbus State Community College and then transferred to Franklin University where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Management Information Sciences on 2008. It was a long 18 years from the time Michelle walked off the Bowling Green campus until she walked across the stage at Franklin to receive her hard-earned degree.

Michelle’s desire to seek continued education didn’t stop there. She has taken graduate classes at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and Liberty University and she is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration with a focus on Leadership at the Ken Blanchard College of Business at Grand Canyon University.

While pursuing this latest degree, Michelle continues her contributions to the Academic Enrollment Coach and she will soon release her first eBook titled "Help! I Need a Degree." She also plans to expand her role as an academic coach. Whatever she does, Michelle will never stop learning.

Aside from her work in higher education, Michelle is the sole owner and operator of Harper Global Enterprises, LLC which provides additional opportunities to utilize her abilities and strengths in graphic and web design, marketing, business analytics, and project management. Her mission is to enhance the quality and experience of life for others.