Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be celebrating the fall season by hosting its annual Community Trick or Treat event on Monday, October 26, from 5:30 to 7 PM at the College’s Richland Campus.
The event, located at 101 Community College Way in Johnstown, will feature trick-or-treating on the C-level of the building, a craft station, and a special Halloween presentation for kids featuring talking ghosts and pumpkins.
Star Wars characters from Vader’s First, the local chapter of the 501st Legion, will also be on hand in movie-quality costumes. Kids are invited to stop by and take photos with their favorite heroes and villains from a galaxy far, far away.
Intended for families with children aged 12 years old and under, this event is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween in a safe and welcoming environment. Faculty, staff, and students will attend to give free treats (while supplies last) and provide a unique Halloween experience to visitors.
We kindly ask visitors to park and enter through the main gymnasium entrance. Lastly, we are asking you to leave your pets at home, as pets are not permitted on site, with the exception of service animals.
Women’s Basketball at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has unveiled its 2026-27 season schedule, consisting of 21 games set to take place between November and February.
Women’s Basketball will make its return to Penn Highlands as an official NJCAA-sanctioned sport for the first time since the program competed for two seasons from 1998-2000. Penn Highlands facilitated Women’s Basketball as an NJCAA club team from 2016-18.
Of the team’s 21 games, 19 will coincide as doubleheaders with the Men’s Basketball team. Penn Highlands will open its season at Garrett College on Tuesday, November 3. After four road games, the Black Bears will host Prince George’s Community College on Sunday, November 22, for their home opener.
All home games will be played inside the Richland Campus gymnasium. Dates and times are subject to change. The full home schedule is as follows:
November 22 vs. Prince George’s Community College
November 24 vs. Community College of Beaver County
December 4 vs. Virginia Peninsula Community College
December 12 vs. Garrett College
December 16 vs. Butler County Community College
January 10 vs. Chesapeake College
January 13 vs. Montgomery College
January 16 vs. Community College of Baltimore County – Catonsville
February 6 vs. College of Southern Maryland
Following completion of the regular season, qualified teams will compete in the Region 20 Tournament beginning March 3. The higher-seeded team will host first-round matchups.
The tournament semifinals and championship game will then be held March 5 and March 6, respectively, at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland. The Region 20 champion will advance to the Mid-Atlantic District Tournament for an opportunity to earn a berth in the NJCAA Championships.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College freshman Addison Manges was named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Women’s Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week for September 28 to October 4.
Addison Manges
Manges, a native of Johnstown, PA, is the first player in women’s volleyball program history to earn a national Player of the Week honor and seventh overall for Penn Highlands.
In three matches, Manges compiled 53 kills, 32 digs, and nine service aces. She also tallied a .321 hitting percentage and averaged 4.42 kills per set.
In the Black Bears’ 3-2 victory over Anne Arundel Community College on September 30, Manges set a new program record with 27 kills, a career-high, while also tying her career-best mark with six aces.
She also set a then-personal best with 18 digs in a match against Garrett College on October 1, which she has since broken with a 21-dig performance against Carroll Community College on Tuesday, to go along with 25 kills.
In 15 matches this season, Manges has totaled 198 kills, 163 digs, and 28 aces, leading the Black Bears in kills while ranking second in the latter two categories.
The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies has awarded Pennsylvania Highlands Community College two Community Initiative Grants, helping fund projects that spur community and economic development in the Greater Johnstown region.
The College’s Cambria County Smart Start Promise Program was given a $100,000 grant, while its Nonprofit Partnership Training and Initiatives Project has been allocated a $10,000 grant.
“The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies understands that workforce development begins with educational opportunity,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Pennsylvania Highlands. “By investing in Smart Start, CFA is helping local students earn workforce-aligned credentials, reducing barriers to college participation, and strengthening the talent pipeline that is essential to Cambria County’s long-term economic success. We are grateful for their partnership and commitment to our region’s future.
Launched in April, the Cambria County Smart Start Promise Program covers all tuition and comprehensive fees for up to 30 college credits during a student’s first year at Penn Highlands, ensuring that higher education remains accessible and affordable for local communities.
Smart Start was established as a transformative pilot initiative that enables recent Cambria County high school graduates to begin their college education with minimal to no personal expenses.
The Nonprofit Partnership Training and Initiatives Project began in 2025, after the College received the initial funding to develop the Nonprofit Learning Industry Partnership.
The Project assists agency partners with workforce recruitment and training opportunities. Partners will appreciate the advantages of a centralized training center for sharing and accessing resources for new hires and current employees, while offering relevant, cost-effective training programs for non-profit employees who deliver essential services to residents of the communities in Cambria and Somerset Counties.
“The continued support of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is instrumental to the success of the Non-Profit Learning Industry Partnership,” stated Julie Davis, Dean of Workforce Development. “This funding allows us to provide affordable, relevant training that helps non-profit professionals enhance their skills, strengthen their organizations, and better serve our communities. We look forward to another successful year of delivering impactful professional development opportunities, and cannot thank the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies enough for their ongoing partnership and commitment to this important initiative.”
To date, the partnership has more than 100 members.
“Strong workforce development programs are essential to the long-term success of our region,” stated Mike Kane, President of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. “We are happy to support both of these projects that ensure accessible and quality education and training for local students and non-profit leaders.”
The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies has been assisting citizens in the community for more than 35 years. The Foundation supports donors’ generosity to work through strategic grant-making and connect individuals with opportunities to make an impact, while also supporting grassroots efforts, collaborating with community partners, and facilitating philanthropy across the region.
Penn Highlands contributes a strong foundation of academic excellence, innovative curricula, and a steadfast commitment to student success. With experienced educators and modern infrastructure, the College cultivates an environment that encourages critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and lifelong learning.
(Left to Right) Dr. Steve Nunez, President of the College, Carole Van Meter, Director of the College Foundation, and Mike Kane, President of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, pose for a photo outside of the College’s Richland Campus, showcasing a large check representing the combined total of both grant awards.
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Men’s Basketball team has released its 2026-27 season schedule, consisting of 27 games spanning from November to February.
Penn Highlands, the back-to-back Region 20 champions in Division III from 2024-26, will take the court as a member of NJCAA Division II this season for the first time. The Black Bears spent the past 16 years in Division III after the reinstatement of athletics at the College in 2010.
Of the team’s 27 games, 19 will coincide as doubleheaders with the Black Bears Women’s Basketball team. Penn Highlands will open its season at Garrett College on Tuesday, November 3. After five road games, the Black Bears will host Prince George’s Community College on Sunday, November 22, for their home opener.
All home games will be played inside the Richland Campus gymnasium. Dates and times are subject to change. The full home schedule is as follows:
November 22 vs. Prince George’s Community College
November 24 vs. Community College of Beaver County
December 4 vs. Virginia Peninsula Community College
December 5 vs. Community College of Allegheny County
December 12 vs. Garrett College
December 16 vs. Butler County Community College
January 10 vs. Chesapeake College
January 13 vs. Montgomery College
January 16 vs. Community College of Baltimore County – Catonsville
February 6 vs. College of Southern Maryland
February 20 vs. Allegany College of Maryland (Sophomore Day)
Following completion of the regular season, qualified teams will compete in the Region 20 Tournament beginning March 3. The higher-seeded team will host first-round matchups.
The tournament semifinals and championship game will then be held March 5 and March 6, respectively, at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland. The Region 20 champion will advance to the Mid-Atlantic District Tournament for an opportunity to earn a berth in the NJCAA Championships.
