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By Kelsey Kendall 

The day Erica Harper becomes Dr. Harper — the first in her family to earn that title — is going to be a big day. A mother of three, a wife and a first-generation college student, Erica said her loved ones will be at her graduation ceremony in December to celebrate this major milestone.  

“It feels scary and daunting and satisfying all at the same time,” Erica said.  

Erica is in the nationally-recognized community college leadership program, which prepares students for executive-level careers. She came to 91��Ƭ�� already having completed some of the necessary coursework for her program and found the supportive learning environment she needed to complete her doctorate and reach the final stage of her academic journey.  

“I found a home. I found peace. I found people who fully supported me in every way,” Erica said about her experience at 91��Ƭ��. 

When she needed a plan to get “across the finish line,” she found people who helped her figure out her next steps both academically and professionally. In particular, James and Michelle Bartlett, professors in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, helped her transfer from her previous institution to 91��Ƭ�� and get back on track with her research and studies.  

“Her work reflects both intellectual rigor and a deep dedication to advancing empowerment within higher education,” said Michelle Bartlett, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies and Erica’s dissertation chair. “91��Ƭ�� is proud to have her among our graduates, and I can’t wait to see the extraordinary impact her degree, combined with her heart, will have on students and communities she serves.” 

For nearly two decades, Erica has worked in the North Carolina Community College System, about 17 years of that time at Wilkes Community College (WCC) in Wilkesboro, North Carolina After initially studying to be a medical assistant at WCC, she was inspired to serve her community through higher education, having gained firsthand insight into how community colleges can be vital resource. They support workforce development and social mobility in the regions they serve. 

“The community college is the biggest secret weapon we have in higher education,” Erica said. 

Erica serves as the director of medical assisting and social and human services programs at WCC. When she first attended the college in the late 1990s, she thought she was going to be a medical assistant. She became certified and thought that was the end of school for her.  

About 25 years later, she is also a licensed clinical mental health therapist and licensed clinical addiction specialist. She currently teaches courses in healthcare, and with a doctorate in hand, she is interested in leading professional development to ensure students get the skills needed to enter the workforce prepared and motivated?  

“Every day that I get to go to work and engage with my students and help them reach their goals around social mobility, around improving the lives of their families and communities, is a good day,” Erica said.  

She added that the faculty and staff she has worked with — whether in the financial office or in the classroom — have impressed her. These people helped her develop as a community college leader, a job through which she hopes to transform lives through education.