It’s fair to say Dennis Barrera, Harcum’s new Director of Admissions, came by a somewhat circuitous route to Harcum’s Bryn Mawr Campus.
He was born in San Francisco and lived in North Jersey and New Hampshire. He held admissions positions at Villanova and Temple Universities and Montgomery County Community College before arriving at Harcum April 15 to take the position previously held by Katy Labbe´.
He says it’s been a good fit for him. “One of Harcum’s strengths is the personal attention and guidance given to students,” he said. “I’m coming to Harcum from institutions with 13,000-30,000 students where the student ID number is the key to success. It’s refreshing to see dedicated educators who are familiar with their students with just a mention of their name.”
One significant difference he noted between Harcum and his work for Villanova is diversity, “not just in terms of racial or cultural background but diversity in life objectives and times in their lives,” he said.
Before joining Harcum, he was Assistant Director of Admissions and Coordinator of International Recruitment for Montgomery County Community College, recruiting new students in Philadelphia and Montgomery County as well as from East Asia. He is active in the National Society for Hispanic MBAs and the Latino Collaborative of Montgomery County.
Dennis also knows Temple University well, having earned his B.B.A. and M.B.A. there and served as a Graduate Admissions Counselor for MBA, MS, and PhD applicants at Temple’s Fox School of Business.
As he learns more about Harcum’s programs and student demographics, he is confident that student interest about Harcum will continue to grow. “The College has so much to offer and many unique programs and experiences not found at other colleges and universities,” he said. “I think this place could be special to many potential students out there and I want show what Harcum can do for them.”
Among his hobbies Dennis enjoys sketching, using freehand pencil and ink with colored pencil along with some digital correction. The emphasis of his sketch work is on people, some fantasy, and incorporating elements of mechanical design as well. He is a fan of Japanese anime, comics and science fiction.
Currently residing in Havertown, where many residents “bleed green” he is a proud fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies.
