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Mission, Vision, & Accreditation

Mission Statement

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College provides its students with affordable opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their work, in their day-to-day lives, and in their pursuit of life-long learning in a supportive, student-oriented environment.

Vision

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be a dominant higher education provider in west central Pennsylvania – a catalyst for regional renewal – positioning our graduates to be recognized as highly competent, exceptional members of the community and workforce.

Core Values

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College strives to be a community of learners where every student, employee, and community member is respected and supported. The College is deeply committed to the following values:

Student Success – creating a student-centered environment where individuals are challenged, encouraged and supported to achieve their educational, professional and personal goals as well as develop a spirit of intellectual curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Quality and Accountability – establishing performance standards throughout the institution, developing measures to document effectiveness along with a commitment to continuous improvement in pursuit of excellence.

Integrity and Ethics – holding each member of the organization to high professional and personal standards. These principles are also embodied in the Statement on Professional Ethics adopted by the College’s Faculty.

Collaboration and Collegiality – informing and involving members of the College community in discussion and problem solving at all levels in an atmosphere marked by civility and cordiality conducted with respect for personal and professional differences remembering as well the value of humor and humility.

Responsiveness to Diverse and Changing Community Needs – developing innovative and creative responses to the region’s dynamic economic, workforce and social needs based on interactions with all segments of the community.

Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO)

Associate degree graduates will have demonstrated an appropriate level of academic and professional competence to the college and community. They will have mastered the following general education competencies: the knowledge and skills that they encounter through learning opportunities necessary for success in college, their work, and as lifelong learners.

  • Critical Thinking
  • Scientific/Quantitative Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Effective Communication
  • Awareness of a Diverse World
  • Technological Expertise

Graduates at all award levels (i.e., associate degree, diploma, or certificate) will be able to demonstrate the fundamental knowledge and integration of ideas, methods, and theory and practice as measured by the specific program learning objectives, appropriate for their award-level:

Disciplinary Knowledge — Students must demonstrate success in academic discipline-specific coursework that provides varied and intentional learning experiences to facilitate the attainment of fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes that foster effective citizenship, work, or continued learning.

Accreditation

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.