JASON HARKEN

Athlete, North Penn High School 1989

4 Varsity Tennis Letters
1986 Bux Mont Singles Championships 2nd Place
1987, 1988, 1989 1st Team All SOL Singles
1987 District One Champion Mixed Doubles
1988 & 1989 SOL Singles Champion
1988 District 1 Singles Champion
First District 1 Tennis Champion in School History
1987, 1988, 1989 NPHS Tennis MVP Award
Overall NPHS record 87-23
1988 Ranked 8th in Middle States Boys 18 yrs.
Rutgers University, 3 years Capt., 4 Varsity Letters
1990 Team MVP & All-Conference Academic Team Honors
Rutgers University, B.S., Business Management, 1993
St. Joseph’s University, MBA, Finance, 2003
Member of Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society
INDUCTED 2014

Jason is honored to be inducted into the North Penn Athletic Hall of Fame.  As a player and student, Jason always took pride in being a well rounded scholar athlete.  During his time at North Penn, Jason was a 4 year letter winner, was a member of the National Honor Society, and served for 2 years on the Student Government Association Cabinet as Sports and Spirit Coordinator.  As a Senior, he graduated in the top 10% of his class, was chosen the Most Outstanding Member of Student Government, and won the Athletic Department’s Outstanding Citizen Award.

On the tennis court, Jason starting playing competitively at the age of 9.  Among many goals he established, one that stands out was that he one day wanted to play #1 Singles for North Penn.  That dream became a reality as a Freshman when he shared #1 singles duties and ultimately won the position outright from his Sophomore through Senior year.

Jason has many tennis highlights from his time at North Penn.  Among those that stand out include being named The Reporter “Athlete of the Week” as a Freshman, winning the District 1 Mixed Doubles Title with Kristina Maxwell as a Sophomore, winning the District 1 Boy’s Singles Title and being named The Philadelphia Inquirer Athlete of the Week as a Junior, and earning a combination Athletic and Academic Scholarship to Rutgers University as a Senior.

While at Rutgers, Jason earned the #1 Men’s Singles and Doubles position as a Freshman and played in the top 3 his entire 4 years.  Jason was a 4 year letter winner, earned All Conference Academic Honors as a Sophomore, was named All Conference as a player his Junior year, and is most proud of being named captain by his peers for 3 years - the only player in school history with that distinction.

After college, Jason spent several years as a Professional Level USPTA Coach – coaching dozens of regionally ranked juniors, many at the highest level, including one PIAA Girl’s State Champion, one PIAA Boy’s State Medalist, and at least 5 Division I college players.

Jason earned his MBA from St. Joseph’s University and currently works as a Certified Financial Planner for Citizens Wealth Management, the financial planning and investment arm of Citizens Bank.  His current passion is traveling with his wife Melissa to soccer tournaments, tennis matches, baseball games, and Odyssey of the Mind competitions to watch his children Gretchen and Erik learn the valuable life lessons that athletic and academic competition has to offer.