Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will hold a Commencement Ceremony for its Thirty-first Graduating Class on Friday, May 15th, at 6 PM in the Richland Campus Auditorium (101 Community College Way, Johnstown, PA).
Student Senate President and Student Trustee Brian Lanham, of Johnstown, PA, will give this year’s Commencement Address. He will obtain an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management during the ceremony.
Lanham will share his message with the over 225 graduates planning to attend. Also addressing the graduates will be Penn Highlands Community College President Dr. Steve Nunez, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dr. Janet Grady, Cambria County President Commissioner Scott Hunt, and Faculty Senate President Dr. Robert M. Clark.
In addition to awarding associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates at the ceremony, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will also present the Distinguished Graduate Award. This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to Pennsylvania Highlands and the surrounding community, while achieving outstanding academic performance.
For those unable to attend, a Commencement live stream is available on the College’s YouTube channel.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced the signing of an articulation agreement with Alfred State College, giving Business Administration graduates a new option to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the field.
Alfred State, located in Alfred, New York, is the first college in the state of New York to establish an academic partnership with Penn Highlands Community College.
“We are truly excited to work with Alfred State,” stated Michelle Stumpf, Dean of Student Engagement & Success. “Students will appreciate the opportunity to expand their education at such a beautiful campus just across the Pennsylvania/New York border.”
Penn Highlands students who have graduated with a Business Administration (A.S.) degree, fulfilled at least five of the ten State University of New York (SUNY) general education categories, and achieved a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 are guaranteed the opportunity to apply for admission into the Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program at Alfred State with full junior status.
Students who do not meet all the above criteria will be evaluated for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.
For fall semester admits, students who graduate from Penn Highlands and have met all specified acceptance criteria are guaranteed the opportunity to earn the B.B.A. in Business Administration within five additional semesters of normal coursework through Alfred State.
Courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better for the credits to transfer.
The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges recently honored the 32nd annual All-Pennsylvania Academic Team, consisting of select students representing 15 community colleges from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
This honor recognizes high-achieving college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society. The students are selected for the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team based on a nomination and application process.
The 2026 scholars include Transfer Pathway students and Workforce Pathway students, with four of those honored hailing from Pennsylvania Highlands. The following students were selected and are members of the All-Pennsylvania Academic Transfer Pathway Team:
Caitlyn Carnahan (Patton, PA) – Transfer Scholar
Emmie Johns (South Fork, PA) – Transfer Scholar
Gina Pettenati (Ashville, PA) – Transfer Scholar
Makayla Stephens (Northern Cambria, PA) – Transfer Scholar
Transfer Pathway honorees plan to transfer to a four-year college after graduation. They must have completed at least 36 credits at a community college with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Pennsylvania’s community colleges partner with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to provide scholarships to Transfer Pathway students, providing two years of tuition at any PASSHE school.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College congratulates these four students on their selection to the 2026 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced the launch of the Smart Start Promise Program (Smart Start), a transformative pilot initiative that enables recent Cambria County high school graduates to begin their college education with minimal to no personal expenses.
This program covers all tuition and comprehensive fees for up to 30 college credits during a student’s first year, ensuring that higher education remains accessible and affordable for local communities. Students may apply their funding toward any approved degree or certificate program, with the flexibility to take classes in-person or online.
Comprehensive fees are mandatory charges that colleges require from all students. These fees cover a wide range of non-academic services, student activities, and campus infrastructure. Smart Start now covers these costs for participants.
Students are still responsible for purchasing their own textbooks, classroom supplies, and any applicable course fees. The total cost for these items will vary depending on the student’s class load.
Smart Start acts as a last-dollar scholarship, reducing the need for students to take out loans for their initial year of study. By removing financial barriers, Penn Highlands aims to reduce student debt, improve local labor force participation, and encourage young talent to remain in the region.
“Since Cambria County sponsors Penn Highlands, local residents already benefit from the most affordable college tuition in the region,” said Dr. Steve Nunez, College President. “We are grateful to the Cambria County Commissioners for that longstanding commitment to affordability and access. Smart Start takes that commitment even further, ensuring that recent Cambria County high school graduates willing to do the work can complete their first year of college nearly free, without crippling student debt. Smart Start is a shared promise to our community that cost should never stand in the way of opportunity and hope.”
To qualify, applicants must be recent high school graduates who meet Cambria County residency requirements and enroll in at least six credits during the immediate fall or spring semester after their high school graduation. Other requirements include completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying for state grants, and seeking at least one external scholarship.
Once accepted, Smart Start participants receive academic and financial aid advising to better prepare for classes.
Smart Start is the result of strong collaboration between community partners and public leaders committed to expanding educational access and opportunity. The program is supported in part by a philanthropic investment from the 1889 Foundation, by the leadership of Representative Jim Rigby, who helped secure funding for Smart Start, and by Senator Wayne Langerholc, whose longstanding support and advocacy continue to benefit the College and its students.
Prospective students and their families are encouraged to review the full eligibility requirements and begin the application process to secure their tuition-free first year.
Pennsylvania Highlands President Dr. Steve Nunez (left), Cambria County President Commissioner Scott Hunt, Senator Wayne Langerholc, PA Representative Jim Rigby, and 1889 Foundation Board Member Trevor Anderson pose for a photo following the Smart Start Promise Program press conference on April 16, 2026.
Pennsylvania Highlands President Dr. Steve Nunez speaks during the Smart Start Promise Program press conference on April 16, 2026.
1889 Foundation Board Member Trevor Anderson speaking at the Smart Start press conference.
Attendees watching the Smart Start press conference.
Senator Wayne Langerholc speaking at the Smart Start press conference.
Representative Jim Rigby speaking at the Smart Start press conference.
Attendees of the Smart Start Promise Program press conference are shown on April 16, 2026.
Attendees of the Smart Start Promise Program press conference are shown on April 16, 2026.
Pennsylvania Highlands President Dr. Steve Nunez speaks during the Smart Start Promise Program press conference on April 16, 2026.
Following two successful years at the helm of the Men’s Basketball team, Chris Weakley has been hired as Penn Highlands Community College’s Head Women’s Basketball Coach, making him the head coach of both programs at the College.
Chris Weakley
Weakley will lead the Women’s Basketball program into its first season of competition in over 25 years. The program last competed as an official NJCAA-sanctioned sport from 1998-2000, when the team was known as the Cambria County Area Community College Shawnee Cardinals.
“I’m very excited,” Weakley stated. “For the success we’ve had on the men’s side over the last two years, I believe that we’re going to bring some ladies in that can do the same thing and be successful. I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about waiting to win. We’re going to fit right in.”
Weakley has guided the Men’s Basketball team to back-to-back WPCC/Region 20 championships. In two years, the Black Bears have tallied six All-Conference and six All-Region selections, along with a Region 20 Division III Player of the Month honor and an NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week award.
Penn Highlands’ Region 20 title in 2024-25 was the first in program history. The Black Bears also collected their third and fourth conference championships overall, while compiling a 31-29 record over the past two seasons.
With his extensive basketball experience, which includes playing and coaching overseas in China, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and throughout Europe, as well as in the United States, Weakley said he looks forward to leading two programs.
“It should be a very smooth transition,” Weakley stated. “We’ll come in the summer, get everybody working together, and get stronger. We’ll get both the men and the women accustomed to practicing and playing at different times. That’s all I do is coach basketball, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Both the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams will compete at the Division II level of the NJCAA beginning with the 2026-27 seasons.
