Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has established a new program-to-program articulation agreement with Grand Canyon University, connecting its Behavioral Sciences Associate of Arts (A.A.) program to the university’s offerings.
Through this partnership, students can begin earning credits toward their Grand Canyon University bachelor’s degree while completing their associate degree at Penn Highlands. For added flexibility, students can also pursue their education fully online or through an accelerated format.
A program-to-program agreement enables graduates of a specific degree program to transfer all earned credits directly to the partnering institution. For students in Behavioral Sciences, this means they would receive a clearly defined transfer route to Grand Canyon.
As part of the partnership, Grand Canyon offers a 10% tuition scholarship to qualifying Penn Highlands graduates. The scholarship applies to Grand Canyon’s online or evening campus for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, as well as single courses and non-degree courses.
The Behavioral Sciences degree at Penn Highlands provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation in psychology, sociology, and related fields, and is designed specifically to prepare students for transfer to a four-year institution.
Students in the program study human thought, behavior, and interaction, gaining skills that prepare them for further education and careers focused on supporting individuals and communities. The new Grand Canyon pathway gives those students another strong option to keep building on that foundation.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has been serving the region for over 30 years.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation hosted a successful Chef Auction at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center, raising $36,000 to empower local students in their pursuit of higher education.
Since the College Foundation took over hosting the Chef Auction in 2023, the event has raised a total of more than $185,000.
All proceeds will benefit both the Supporting Scholars Fund and future culinary arts scholarships at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. The Supporting Scholars Fund comprises three distinct scholarships awarded annually to multiple recipients: the Destination Graduation, Emerging Leader, and Presidential Scholarships.
Twelve culinary students, as well as Chef and Culinary instructor John Dusack, Greater Johnstown High School students in the College’s partnership program, and two Culinary Arts alumni prepared food for the opening reception and dinner.
Alongside the Penn Highlands Culinary students, six restaurants provided dinner for more than 180 attendees, while also supplying packages for the live auction. They included Balance Restaurant, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, The Gray Goose, OMNI Bedford Springs Resort, Seven Springs Mountain Resort, and Stone Bridge Brewing Company.
“This is our fourth year hosting the Chef Auction, and the support and generosity shown by our sponsors, donors, and community continues to be incredible,” stated Carole VanMeter, Director of the Foundation. “The event has grown into an evening that brings our community together to invest in student success. As part of that experience, our culinary students participated in this year’s tastings, showcasing the growth of the program while gaining hands-on experience and valuable connections with local restaurant partners. These experiences help students build relationships that can lead to internships and future careers.”
The event consisted of 20 silent auction items and seven live auction packages to bid on. Two luxury vacations were awarded in a separate auction, and a 50/50 drawing was held. The 1889 Foundation served as Master Chef sponsor.
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation actively pursues financial support for Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and its students. It achieves this by cultivating relationships, raising funds, and expertly managing resources.
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation has welcomed four new members to its Board of Directors. Jessica Carpenter, Bettina Fochler, Heather Franci, and Sean McCool have started their respective four-year terms, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to the organization.
“We are pleased to welcome these individuals to the Foundation Board,” stated Carole VanMeter, Director of the Foundation. “Their diverse backgrounds, community involvement, and commitment to education will help strengthen our partnerships and expand opportunities for students, alumni, and the communities we serve.”
Carpenter is a Software Engineer & Data Scientist at Concurrent Technologies Corporation, where she has worked since June 2023 on artificial intelligence and machine learning development, workforce AI initiatives, and technical project leadership. Before transitioning into technology, she spent 19 years as a teacher at Somerset Area School District from 2004 to 2023, focusing on STEM curriculum development, lesson planning, and community engagement. This unique blend of education and engineering experience allows her to bridge technical innovation with a strong understanding of learning and workforce needs. Jessica holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from West Virginia University (2004), an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Penn West (2010), and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Colorado Boulder (2023).
Fochler serves as Chief Credit Officer and Chief Risk Officer of AmeriServ Financial, Inc., holding more than 25 years of experience in credit risk management. Since January 2017, she has led the credit risk function, guiding underwriting standards and loan portfolio performance, and she was recently appointed Chief Risk Officer to oversee enterprise-wide risk and regulatory alignment. Earlier in her tenure, she served as Credit Manager, where she handled commercial loan underwriting and helped manage asset quality across the institution. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from the University of Pittsburgh (2000) and has long led AmeriServ’s fundraising efforts for St. Vincent DePaul’s Food for Families project.
Franci is currently the Chief Nursing Officer at Penn Highlands Healthcare, where she oversees nursing services and operations across eight hospitals and three long-term care facilities. Her career with Penn Highlands began in 1997 as a Staff RN and advanced steadily through roles including Nursing Supervisor, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Director, Service Line Director for the Heart, Lung, and Brain & Spine Centers, and Assistant Chief Nursing Officer before her appointment to the top nursing role in 2022. She brings deep expertise in cardiovascular critical care along with proven strength in service line strategy, operations, and financial management. Franci earned her Bachelor of Science from Carlow University in 1997 and a Master’s in Business and Health Care Administration from Point Park University in 2021.
McCool serves as Assistant Vice President & Business Relationship Manager at 1ST SUMMIT BANK, where he grows business client relationships and delivers customized lending and banking solutions. He joined the bank in 2021 as Public Relations & Communications Manager, leading strategic communications and brand positioning, after nearly a decade at Penn Highlands Community College as a Creative Services & Marketing Specialist guiding branding, marketing, and social media efforts across multiple campuses. Deeply committed to his community, Sean serves as Vice President of the Cambria County Backpack Project, chairs the Hoops4Hunger fundraising event, and contributes to the American Heart Association’s Laurel Highlands Heart Ball. He holds a B.S. in Communication & Media Studies from Slippery Rock University and a Certificate in Business & Commercial Lending from the American Banking Association.
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation is a non-profit educational trust under Section 501(c)(3) and actively pursues financial support for Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and its students. It achieves this by cultivating relationships, raising funds, and expertly managing resources.
Dr. Barbara Zaborowski, Dean of Library Services & Special Projects at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, has been named a 2026 Window Keeper by PA Humanities as part of The Window Keeper: Civic Honors.
Dr. Barbara Zaborowski
The Window Keeper: Civic Honors is a statewide initiative recognizing Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for the work on The Cambria Memory Project and the 20 years of the One Book Middle School program,” Zaborowski stated.
Zaborowski is one of 125 new honorees. PA Humanities has recognized a total of 180 Window Keepers representing 64 counties across Pennsylvania, all of whom were nominated by members of their respective communities.
Together, they reflect the many ways people use storytelling, history, culture, education, civic engagement and other tools of the humanities to bring people together and strengthen the places they call home.
Created as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, The Window Keeper: Civic Honors was inspired by poet Yolanda Wisher’s “The Window Keeper.” Through the initiative, PA Humanities is identifying community leadership, making it more visible, and connecting people across regions and sectors.
On Nov. 10, Window Keepers from across Pennsylvania will gather in Harrisburg for a statewide celebration hosted by PA Humanities. The event will include recognition at the Pennsylvania House and a gathering at the Civic Club of Harrisburg. The full group of Window Keepers can be explored through an interactive map and searchable list at www.pahumanities.org/thewindowkeeper/.
PA Humanities is an independent nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities and part of a network of 56 state humanities councils across the country. Its mission is to champion the humanities as a means to spark civic engagement, build community, educate and inspire.
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.
