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Affordable Education & Bright Futures; Students Can Graduate With Little To No Debt

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is dedicated to delivering affordable, high-quality education that empowers students to succeed. At Penn Highlands, students don’t just earn degrees or certificates – they graduate prepared to shape their futures, equipped with financial freedom and unburdened by educational debt. 

Recent graduates are celebrating not just their academic accomplishments, but also the milestone of achieving a debt-free future. In fact, less than 50% of last year’s graduated class borrowed an educational loan. With tuition costs among the lowest in the region, additional scholarship opportunities, and support services, Penn Highlands ensures that higher education remains accessible to all. 

“The financial aid staff at Penn Highlands is committed to educating our students on how to graduate debt-free or with minimal debt,” stated Ashley Krinjeck, Director of Student Financial Services. “With the increasing costs in higher education, Penn Highlands can offer quality academic programming while keeping tuition costs affordable. This allows our students to start their next journey, whether into the workforce or transferring to a four-year institution to continue their education, with little or no debt.” 

During the last academic year, Penn Highlands provided $2.4 million in Pell Grants to support its students, with 75% of those in financial need receiving this crucial assistance. In addition, Penn Highlands awarded over $95,000 in scholarships, including Supporting Scholars Scholarships and Foundation Scholarships, further demonstrating its commitment to making education accessible and affordable. 

Currently, tuition and fees for Cambria County residents equal $7,110 (based on two semesters and 30 total credits). Eligible students may receive a Federal Pell Grant of up to $7,395 and a PA State Grant of up to $3,058, totaling $10,453 in Federal and State aid. This gives the student an estimated refund of $3,343. The student can use these excess funds for other expenses such as books, transportation, and living expenses. 

Students from low-income families can have the cost of college fully covered or face minimal out-of-pocket expenses, thanks to federal and state aid that covers their tuition. 

Penn Highlands also partners with KEYS (Keystone Education Yields Success), which is designed to help TANF and Food Stamp recipients succeed in community college. The KEYS program can provide additional supportive services available through your County Assistance Office for expenses such as childcare, transportation, and books. 

Learn more about the process of paying for college by clicking here. 

Adelyn Dull Receives Gordon Graham Leadership & Ethics In Criminal Justice Scholarship

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College student Adelyn Dull (Hollsopple, PA) has received the Gordon Graham Leadership and Ethics in Criminal Justice Scholarship from the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute (IPSLEI) and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Adelyn Dull

Dull, who currently serves as the College’s Student Senate President, Student Board Trustee, and Phi Theta Kappa Vice President, was given a $1,250 award after being selected through a number of eligibility standards.

“I am deeply grateful to IPSLEI for this incredible opportunity,” Dull stated. “This scholarship not only supports my academic journey, but also reinforces my commitment to criminal justice and public safety. I look forward to using this opportunity to further develop my knowledge and leadership skills to make a meaningful impact in the field.”

The Graham Scholarship program provides scholarships exclusively to Phi Theta Kappa members who demonstrate potential for excellence in the criminal justice field while enrolled in a regionally accredited associate degree public safety program.

To be eligible, the student must have completed 45 or more semester credits by December, have a 3.50 or higher GPA on coursework completed in the last five years, major in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, Criminology, Law, or a closely related field, and be a Phi Theta Kappa member in good standing.

This scholarship was established by IPSLEI and Phi Theta Kappa in honor of Gordon Graham, a retired law enforcement commander, attorney, internationally known speaker, author, and lecturer in criminal justice and risk management.

The Graham Scholarship is one of a growing number of scholarships available to Phi Theta Kappa members in career or technical programs. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.

About IPSLEI
The International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institutebrings the concepts of leadership and ethics to the forefront of an individual’s career, rather than waiting until a person is promoted into a supervisory position. This program is based on the belief that one need not be a supervisor or manager to understand leadership principles and contribute to the leadership process. Learn more about IPSLEI. 
 
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org. 

Student Julius Colabove Awarded Grant To Support Mental Health & Addiction Recovery

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College student Julius Colabove II (Altoona, PA) was awarded a $500 PA Maslow Mental Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which funded his project to promote mental health and drug and alcohol recovery. 

Colabove hosted a tabling event at the College’s Blair Center in mid-March, where he created gift bags that were distributed to students. Each bag included sensory items, along with local resource flyers and brochures to help share information about the availability of help in the Blair community for those managing mental illness or substance use disorders.  

“This was a project that really hit close to home,” Colabove stated. “There are many people in our community struggling with mental health issues and addiction. I wanted to be another resource they have if they need help. I tried to keep it simple, but informative.” 

Along with being a Behavioral Sciences major at Penn Highlands, Colabove is a Certified Recovery Specialist with Blair Drug and Alcohol Partnerships. He is now three years drug-free after spending 26 years in active addiction. 

Colabove was informed he received the grant in late January after being chosen through a selection process over multiple other applications.  

“An ad for the grant was put up on the board at the Blair Center, and I just gave it a shot,” Colabove stated. “I applied for it and was on a list of considerations for a couple of months before they informed me. I’m glad I was able to promote something I’m so passionate about.” 

Police Academy To Hold Two Open Houses In April

The Pennsylvania Highlands Police Academy will be hosting open houses on Thursday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 23 at the College’s Richland Campus.

Both events will begin at 6 PM and will be held in Room A142, directly across the hall from the College’s Large Group Instruction (LGI) classroom.

“This is a great opportunity to meet the Police Academy staff and learn more about qualifying to become a cadet,” stated Cregg Dibert, Director of Police Academy & Campus Security. “There are several steps, and we will guide the applicants through the process.”

During the event, participants will gain insights into the application process, pre-screening tests, and curriculum. A guided tour of the Academy’s facilities will be provided.

Representatives from the College’s Admissions and Financial Aid offices will also be on hand to answer any questions attendees may have.

The Penn Highlands Police Academy is a certified unit of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (Act 120). Successful completion of the program will earn cadets a certificate and permit graduates to test for a Commonwealth Municipal Police Training (MPT) number required of all municipal police officers in Pennsylvania.

The Academy’s third class is slated to graduate in September 2025. Since Penn Highlands took control of the Police Academy, 18 of 19 cadets were employed by police departments upon graduation, good for a 95 percent placement rate.

Click here to learn more about the Police Academy.

Three Basketball Players Earn All-Region Team Selections

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 20 announced that three Pennsylvania Highlands men’s basketball players were named to the All-Region 20 Team for their performances this season.

Freshmen Desmond Handon, Jr. (Baltimore, MD) and Byron Lavender, Jr. (Tampa, FL) were selected for the First Team, while sophomore Christian Harding (Washington, D.C.) was given Honorable Mention.

The trio helped lead the Black Bears to their first Region 20 Championship and the program’s third Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) title. Penn Highlands also made its first appearance in the Mid-Atlantic District Tournament in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

“I am proud of these young men for having a historic team experience, all while earning personal accolades within the WPCC and Region 20,” stated Sue Brugh, Director of Student Activities and Athletics. “Our goal is to claim both the conference and regional titles as we pursue our first district championship, a milestone that would secure our place in the National Tournament and build upon the success we’ve achieved this year.”

Handon topped the Black Bears with 15.9 points per game in 29 games. He averaged 6.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per contest. Handon ranked third in Region 20 in points per game, while being second in total points (460) and field goals made (166).

Lavender, the WPCC/Region 20 Tournament Most Valuable Player, appeared in all 32 games, making 25 starts, and averaged 13.9 points per game. He led Region 20 in three-point field goals made (83), was third in total field goals (149), and fourth in total points (417).

Both Handon and Lavender were awarded WPCC All-Conference honors.

Harding, one of three sophomores on the Black Bears roster and a team captain, averaged 6.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 32 contests. His 49 total steals ranked third in Region 20, while being second in total rebounds (212), and fourth in both rebounds per game and total assists (89).

Click here to learn more about Athletics at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.