by: Lindsay Cox
Parkland student and National Guard member, Matthew Harper, was called to help provide medical assistance to inmates at Stateville, a high-security prison located in Crest Hill, IL. With the type of prison that he is working at, there are a lot of geriatric inmates who are susceptible to the virus.
“My mission is to help treat people. No matter what they’ve done, at the end of the day, they are still a person,” Harper said. Harper has been in the National Guard for a little over a year. He initially became interested in joining when he heard about the benefits offered to students however, he joined for a different reason. “I joined because I’ve always wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. I am so thankful to have been given this rare opportunity to help others and to practice my skills as a medic,” Harper said.
The student has recently received his mask certification and began working with inmates on Sunday, April 5. Soldiers have already set up tents to begin treating patients. “We call it Tent City,” laughed Harper. As the National Guard tests inmates, they will move the symptomatic patients to the treatment area that is set up.
Harper continued by explaining his routine while working with the inmates and trying to stop the spread of the virus. “Since the virus is an airborne illness, it spreads easily and can live outside the body for several hours. It’s mostly spread through surfaces. We make sure we keep the surface areas wiped down and wash our hands after we touch anything. Once I get back to my room, I strip my clothes immediately and take a shower. We do our laundry daily to cut down on germs,” Harper said.
“I joined because I’ve always wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. I am so thankful to have been given this rare opportunity to help others and to practice my skills as a medic.”
When it comes to self-quarantining, Harper revealed that it is has been a struggle for him. “It’s hard, because I love being around others. During this time, I have been doing a lot of self-reflection. I feel anxiety from being alone, because then I have to work on myself,” he said. “Meditation works. You just have to get rid of your distractions.” Harper also video chats and has a weekly virtual game night to stay in touch with friends and family.
Harper currently works as a mental health tech. He has experience on how to communicate therapeutically, which he sees as a benefit as he works with the inmates. “I hope to be able to help the prisoners to self-reflect and reconcile with themselves. I hope to also get to know more about myself and get to know life and how I am a part of it,” he said.
This is the first time that Harper has been called away for a long period of time besides basic training and advanced individual training, or AIT. “Basic is training to become a soldier. AIT is job training. I specialized in becoming a medic,” Harper said. “Being gone from home for such a long period of time was psychologically challenging, but it teaches me to be selfless.”
The National Guard member already has his Associate’s in Arts. He only has two more semesters at Parkland to complete before transferring to a nursing school. “My passion is healthcare. I wanted to be a clinical psychologist but being a medic has helped me to realize that I enjoy helping people physically as well as mentally. I believe in the power of medicine,” he said.
He plans to transfer Illinois State University or the University of Illinois at Chicago next spring. “I plan on finishing at Parkland in the fall. I have been here for 3.5 years,” Harper said.
Harper is also involved in a multitude of clubs on campus such as Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, International Students Association, English Conversations Club, Club Latino, and Parkland Pride Club. “The iConnect program is another way that I love helping others. I have a lot of knowledge and I just want to share that with others. I want to share my love of Parkland with others,” Harper said. “I really want people to make Parkland their home. I know it’s just a community college but connecting with others and getting involved is very important.”
The Prospectus would like to thank Harper and all other individuals working in healthcare and related science fields for working diligently to fight the virus and keep our communities healthy.
