Harrison College (Indiana)
Encyclopedia
Harrison College, formerly known as Indiana Business College, is a private sector college based in Indianapolis
, Indiana
, with locations across Indiana, online and in Ohio
. The college was founded as Marion Business College in 1902 in Marion, Indiana
.
in 1902. A former educator, Charles Cring, started Marion Business College because he saw that a diversifying Indiana economy needed trained workers. The needed skills in 1902 were shorthand, typing, penmanship, English, bookkeeping and accounting. He built his school based on educating his students in those areas. By 1913, the college extended from Elkhart, Indiana
in the north to Columbus, Indiana
in the south. This school was the model for the multiple campuses which became known as Indiana Business College, and more recently, Harrison College.
Cring built Harrison College by adhering to some fundamental rules, which Harrison still maintains today
Just as Harrison uses the power of the Internet and other high-tech methods today, it was also on the “cutting edge” in the early days of the school. At the time, the most advanced technology was central Indiana’s electric street railway system, the interurban. Ora E. Butz, the general manager from 1916 to 1926, worked out of Marion but traveled to all 10 campuses on the interurban. People from all the campuses could also converge for meetings without overnight stays.
Harrison was also a pioneer in educating women. While much of the office work from 1900 to 1920 was performed by men, women were making strong inroads and female enrollment was fast approaching 50% by 1915 and grew even higher as young men reported for military duty in World War I.
Harrison even thrived during the Great Depression and during World War II because employers knew they could look to Harrison graduates for well-trained people to hire. When the Baby Boomers became college age in the 1960s and the percentage of students continuing their education past high school increased, Harrison continued to grow.
Ken Konesco took the helm in 1986 as Harrison's president. In the 1990s Harrison College dramatically expanded its program offerings because there was such a need for skilled, trained workers. Thanks to his insight, Harrison moved beyond offering just the basic office skills so that the curriculum could expand into the many areas of study. One example is the start of medical programs in 1994.
Today, Harrison teaches on 13 campuses plus a culinary school, and also offers online studies.
and an affiliate of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
.
.
The Harrison College Surgical Technology programs at the Fort Wayne, Indianapolis-Northwest and Indianapolis-East campuses are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs on the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST).
Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, with locations across Indiana, online and in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The college was founded as Marion Business College in 1902 in Marion, Indiana
Marion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
.
Mission statement
"Building on a legacy of service since 1902, we are advocates of education dedicated to excellence in higher learning. We collaborate with students, staff, faculty, and our community to deliver student-centered education and prepare students for careers that positively impact society, both locally and globally."History
Harrison College has been a family-owned educational institution since it opened in Marion, IndianaMarion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
in 1902. A former educator, Charles Cring, started Marion Business College because he saw that a diversifying Indiana economy needed trained workers. The needed skills in 1902 were shorthand, typing, penmanship, English, bookkeeping and accounting. He built his school based on educating his students in those areas. By 1913, the college extended from Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
in the north to Columbus, Indiana
Columbus, Indiana
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 44,061 at the 2010 census, and the current mayor is Fred Armstrong. Located approximately 40 miles south of Indianapolis, on the east fork of the White River, it is the state's 20th largest...
in the south. This school was the model for the multiple campuses which became known as Indiana Business College, and more recently, Harrison College.
Cring built Harrison College by adhering to some fundamental rules, which Harrison still maintains today
- Offer students real value for their investment
- Prepare students to compete for good-paying jobs
- Hire talented teachers and managers
- Offer free lifetime employment assistance to alumni
- Reward employees to ensure a quality business education
Just as Harrison uses the power of the Internet and other high-tech methods today, it was also on the “cutting edge” in the early days of the school. At the time, the most advanced technology was central Indiana’s electric street railway system, the interurban. Ora E. Butz, the general manager from 1916 to 1926, worked out of Marion but traveled to all 10 campuses on the interurban. People from all the campuses could also converge for meetings without overnight stays.
Harrison was also a pioneer in educating women. While much of the office work from 1900 to 1920 was performed by men, women were making strong inroads and female enrollment was fast approaching 50% by 1915 and grew even higher as young men reported for military duty in World War I.
Harrison even thrived during the Great Depression and during World War II because employers knew they could look to Harrison graduates for well-trained people to hire. When the Baby Boomers became college age in the 1960s and the percentage of students continuing their education past high school increased, Harrison continued to grow.
Ken Konesco took the helm in 1986 as Harrison's president. In the 1990s Harrison College dramatically expanded its program offerings because there was such a need for skilled, trained workers. Thanks to his insight, Harrison moved beyond offering just the basic office skills so that the curriculum could expand into the many areas of study. One example is the start of medical programs in 1994.
Today, Harrison teaches on 13 campuses plus a culinary school, and also offers online studies.
Quick Facts
- Year Established: 1902
- Locations: 12 campuses across Indiana and Ohio, plus Online Studies and The Chef’s Academy - the culinary division of Harrison College
- Academic Degrees: Bachelor, Associate, Diploma, Certificate
- Schools of Study: Harrison’s programs fall within Schools of Health Science, Veterinary Technology, Information Technology, Criminal Justice and Business
- Programs and Courses: More than 30
- Class Schedules: Day, evening and online flexibility
- Average Class Size: 16 students per instructor
- Enrollment:Approximately 6,000 + students
- Financial Aid: 93% of students receive some form of financial aid
- Graduates: More than 75,000 students have graduated from Harrison College
- Graduate Employment Rates: Based on 2010 data, nearly 89% of graduates looking for employment, obtain employment within a year of completing their Harrison education.
- Accreditation / Regulation: Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and regulated by The Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education (COPE)
Accreditation
Harrison College is a candidate with the The Higher Learning CommissionThe Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Higher Learning Commission oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in nineteen Midwestern and South-Central states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa,...
and an affiliate of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
.
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
Harrison College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award Certificates, Diplomas, Associate and Bachelor Degrees. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education. Its accreditation of degree-granting institutions is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education AccreditationCouncil for Higher Education Accreditation
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a United States organization of degree-granting colleges and universities. It identifies its purpose as providing national advocacy for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation in order to certify the quality of higher education...
.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
The Harrison College Medical Assisting programs at the Anderson, Columbus, Elkhart, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis-Downtown, Indianapolis-East, Indianapolis-Northwest, Lafayette, Muncie and Terre Haute campuses are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) on the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERD).The Harrison College Surgical Technology programs at the Fort Wayne, Indianapolis-Northwest and Indianapolis-East campuses are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs on the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST).
American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities
The Harrison College Veterinary Technology program at the Indianapolis-Northwest campus is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical AssociationAmerican Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
The Harrison College Medical Laboratory Technology program at the Indianapolis-East campus is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) on the recommendation of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Programs Review Committee (CLSPRC).Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education
Harrison College's Indiana campuses are regulated by The Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education.Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
Harrison College's Ohio campus is regulated by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.Approvals
Harrison is approved by the following:- Indiana Approval Agency for G.I. Training, War Orphans and Disabled Veterans
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development
- Indiana Department of Public Instruction, Vocational and Rehabilitation Division
- U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare for Social Security Benefits
- U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization for Teaching Services for Foreign Students
- U.S. Department of Labor, Comprehensive Employment Training for Employed or Under-Employed Persons
Memberships
Harrison is a member of the following:- Adult Education Council
- Career College Association
- Council on Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
- Council for Higher Education AccreditationCouncil for Higher Education AccreditationThe Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a United States organization of degree-granting colleges and universities. It identifies its purpose as providing national advocacy for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation in order to certify the quality of higher education...
(CHEA) - Indiana Association of Private Career Schools
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce
- National Association of Colleges and EmployersNational Association of Colleges and EmployersThe National Association of Colleges and Employers is a nonprofit professional association established in 1956 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for college career services and recruiting practitioners and others interested in the employment of the college educated.Currently, more than 5,200 college...
(NACE) - National Business Education Association