Harper College to honor five distinguished alumni

A pair of local school leaders, a Hollywood cinematographer and the founder of an organization supporting people with spinal injuries will be among the Harper College graduates honored Thursday at the college's 2016 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, in the Wojcik Conference Center on the college's main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine. It will begin with a reception followed by the awards ceremony.

The honorees are Matthew J. Barbini, deputy superintendent of schools for Palatine Township Elementary School District 15; Paolo Cascio, cinematographer and photographer; Genevieve Frey, director, cardiac care unit, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Alva J. Kreutzer, president, board of education, Northwest Suburban High School District 214; and Reveca Torres, founder and executive director of Backbones.

New Distinguished Alumni later will return to campus to be a guest speaker or participate in an activity designed to engage students.

"Harper has been a springboard for so many alumni who go on to accomplish great things in their professions and their communities," said Fredia Martin, director of Alumni and Affinity Groups. "This is an opportunity to recognize the alumni who are now inspiring others."