Mark Harben (MA), Director of Pathways Advising, Career Center and Testing Center at Front Range Community College’s Boulder County Campus, is the college’s administrator of the year.
He was honored at a meeting of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education this month.
Harben helps students figure out what they want to do in life—and he gets excited when they define their academic goals and find their own pathway to success. Having had his own “adventurous journey through college,” he graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from New Mexico State University.
Harben says the best part of his job is exploring students’ options and figuring out what they’re passionate about. He truly embraces the idea of being “student ready,” and loves taking big new ideas and using them to improve and innovate.
He keeps busy overseeing 14 dedicated students affairs professionals, and enjoys the collaboration—not only with his team, but with teams college wide. “We don’t get better by making ourselves better individually,” he points out. “We improve by working jointly to all get better together.”
“Mark has been a collaborative leader in working to implement FRCC’s case management advising model,” said Elena Sandoval-Lucero, vice president of the Boulder County campus. “His positive and caring attitude has helped his department—and the college— to move forward with our student success initiatives.”
Colleagues say Harben uses both his heart and his head, which brings great breadth and depth in his decision making. Harben is creative in how he works, and always thinks well beyond the field of advising. His commitment to the community, and to FRCC’s students, is exceptional.
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online. FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System.
About the Colorado Community College System
The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is the state’s largest system of higher education, serving 137,000 students annually at 13 colleges and 39 locations across Colorado. Our open access mission ensures all Coloradans who aspire to enrich their lives have access to quality higher education opportunities. The System Office provides leadership, advocacy and support to the colleges under the direction of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE).
