Newsroom

Diversity Committee To Host Interfaith Roundtable

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Diversity Committee will be hosting an Interfaith Roundtable on Wednesday, April 17, from 5 to 6:30 PM inside the Auditorium at the College’s Richland Campus.

This event aims to be a discussion-filled evening with guests and featured speakers sharing their views on a variety of world religions, exploring what makes faith practices meaningful, and what those have in common in terms of worship. There will be five featured speakers, including:

• V. Rev. Elijah Bremer – OCA priest, rector of Holy Assumption Orthodox Church, educator at Penn Highlands, historian, author, husband, and father.
• Catherine S. Cox – Professor of Humanities at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, and ba’alat korei (scroll reader) at Temple Beth Israel in Altoona, a member of the Union for Reform Judaism.
• Samaah Izmirli-Sbeitan – Treasurer for the Islamic Center of Johnstown in Windber. She has raised five children and is dedicated to promoting inclusion, diversity, and acceptance via workshops, international dinners, and safe places for like-minded people.
• Brandon C. King – Minister of Music and Ordained Elder at Christ Centered Community Church, Johnstown, and a Child Welfare Ongoing Caseworker for Cambria County Children and Youth Agency.
• The Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D. – President of Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA.

Those who cannot attend can view the event via Zoom. The Meeting ID is 843 7678 8238 and the Passcode is 441852.

Basketball Athletes Receive Honors; Wyatt-Taylor Named All-Region, Wilson Given Honorable Mention

The National Junior College Athletic Association announced that Pennsylvania Highlands Community College sophomores Joziah Wyatt-Taylor and Jamar Wilson were awarded Men’s Basketball Division III All-Region 20 honors for the 2023-24 season.

Wyatt-Taylor (Johnstown, PA) was named to the First Team for his second All-Region selection after earning Honorable Mention in 2022-23. Wilson (Baltimore, MD) was given Honorable Mention.

“These young men have represented our college so well over the last two years,” stated Sue Brugh, Director of Student Activities and Athletics. “They excelled both on and off the court, while showing what it means to be a Black Bear athlete. We are very proud of them.”

Wyatt-Taylor led the Black Bears with 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He ranked second in Region 20 in points per game, total points (582), field goals made (222) and blocks (20).

His rebounding average and total rebounds (247) were both third in the region. Wyatt-Taylor was also named the NJCAA Division III Player of the Week for January 17-23, 2024, where he set a new school record for points in a game after tallying 46 against Westmoreland County Community College.

Wilson tallied 15 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. He was second in Region 20 in assists (121), fourth in steals (52), and fifth in rebounds per game. Penn Highlands now has 52 total athletes who have received All-Region honors in its 14 years of athletics.

Joziah Wyatt-Taylor, All-Region

Jamar Wilson, Honorable Mention

Penn Highlands Awarded Gold Military Friendly® Designation

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is proud to announce that it has earned the 2024-2025 Gold Military Friendly® School designation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® Schools Awards designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey, with 537 schools earning awards level designations in Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Penn Highlands was one of 243 schools selected for “Gold” award status for their leading practices, outcomes, and effective programs. The 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in G.I. Jobs magazine’s May issue and found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer), and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our process,” stated Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships for Military Friendly ®. “This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to consistently evolve their programs. Award level schools have gone beyond that standard, Showing true commitment and dedication in their efforts. The Military Friendly® benchmark promotes positive educational outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community.”

About Military Friendly® Schools (www.militaryfriendly.com)
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria, and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate.

About Viqtory (www.viqtory.com)
Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity.

About Pennsylvania Highlands Community College 
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has served over 60,000 community members throughout western Pennsylvania, including the Laurel Highlands and Southern Alleghenies regions. Offering over 40 degree and certificate programs in seven unique pathways, Penn Highlands has the highest graduation rate of all Pennsylvania community colleges.

Center For Culinary Excellence Unveiled With Ribbon-Cutting

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College unveiled its Center for Culinary Excellence at a ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday, March 27, in its new downtown Johnstown location.

The initial class using the Center for Culinary Excellence consists of students from the Greater Johnstown School District participating in an early college program through dual enrollment. The Center will be open to the public for those seeking an associate degree or certificate in culinary arts beginning with the Fall 2024 semester, which starts in August.

“What a great moment for Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Johnstown High School, and most importantly, those interested in making a career in the field of culinary arts,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, Penn Highlands Community College President. “This initiative would not have been possible without collaboration from the 1889 Foundation, the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, the Greater Johnstown School District, and Intrignia, Inc. Great things can happen in Johnstown when we work together.”

A grant from the 1889 Foundation helped purchase some of the modern equipment needed for the Center for Culinary Excellence while the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies donated $30,000 to provide scholarships for second-year students in the culinary arts program.

The Greater Johnstown School District plans to send a new class of dual enrollment students annually.

“This program provides a new career pathway for Penn Highlands students,” stated Erica Reighard, Penn Highlands Dean of Faculty. “It prepares them for jobs that are in demand within the local community. Students will be prepared for entry-level and management positions within the food service industry. They will receive a general business management foundation, as well as advanced culinary skills, including baking and pastry.”

Students who complete the full two-year program will receive an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts. The curriculum will consist of multiple culinary, business, and general education courses, along with an internship during the final semester.

For the internship, the students will work at multiple restaurants in the Johnstown area, rotating two weeks at each location until the hourly requirement is fulfilled. Around a dozen local restaurants have shown interest in hosting students.

Students who began their program at a career and technical center can transfer up to four classes into Culinary Arts at Penn Highlands Community College.

Pictured left to right: Cambria County Commissioner Scott Hunt, 1889 Foundation President Susan Mann, Community Foundation of the Alleghenies President and Executive Director Mike Kane, Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Arcurio, Pennsylvania Highlands President Dr. Steve Nunez, Cambria County Commissioner Keith Rager, City of Johnstown Mayor Frank Janakovic, Cambria County Commissioner Tom Chernisky, and Pennsylvania Highlands Board of Trustees Chairperson Greg Winger.

Pictured left to right: Cambria County Commissioner Scott Hunt, 1889 Foundation President Susan Mann, Community Foundation of the Alleghenies President and Executive Director Mike Kane, Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Arcurio, Pennsylvania Highlands President Dr. Steve Nunez, Cambria County Commissioner Keith Rager, City of Johnstown Mayor Frank Janakovic, Cambria County Commissioner Tom Chernisky, and Pennsylvania Highlands Board of Trustees Chairperson Greg Winger.

College Signs Articulation Agreement With Point Park University

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced the signing of an articulation agreement with Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA.

The agreement gives Penn Highlands students 15 different options to transfer to Point Park to complete their bachelor’s degree, including Business Administration/Management, Psychology, Social Work, Marketing, and Paralegal Studies, among other majors.

Upon acceptance into Point Park, all full-time, on-campus students will be awarded a Merit Scholarship ranging from $14,000 to $20,000 per year. Students will also receive a one-time Community College Transfer Scholarship for $2,000. Also, if the student is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, they will receive an additional $1,500 per year.

Students are eligible to transfer credits of a C- or higher in final letter grade.

“This agreement provides an excellent opportunity for our graduates to continue their studies at the uniquely urban setting of Point Park University,” stated Michelle Stumpf, Dean of Enrollment Services and Registrar. “The discount offered to on-campus students makes this agreement even more attractive to Penn Highlands graduates.”

Point Park is the 33rd different college or university to sign an articulation agreement with Penn Highlands. The College now holds a total of 166 articulation agreements.