Newsroom

Derek Horner Hired As Head Coach For Black Bears Women’s Volleyball

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced the hiring of Derek Horner as the new head coach of the women’s volleyball program.

Horner will take over for Penn Highlands alumna Kylee Doyle, who coached the Black Bears for two seasons from 2021-23.

“I was thrilled when I found out I was being hired for the position,” Horner stated. “I’m willing to put the time in to make this program the best that it can be. I love the idea of recruiting and going out to meet prospective players. I’m very excited to get started.”

Horner has dedicated over three decades to volleyball, beginning his journey at the age of 8. He played on the Conemaugh Valley High School volleyball team and managed an adult volleyball league for 14 years, a league his father initiated at the former Conemaugh Valley Elementary School.

Horner also spent the past three years coaching Conemaugh Valley’s girls junior high volleyball team, where the squad finished above. 500 in all three seasons, including a 19-3 mark last fall.

“My plan is to instill a lot of values I have learned over the years into the players here,” Horner stated. “I want us to have a winning season to start, then try to build on it each year and see how far we can take it. Hopefully, we can bring some championships to Penn Highlands.”

Born and raised in Johnstown, Horner has worked for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport for the past 22 years. He resides in the area with his wife, Brianna, and their children Molly and Henry.

Derek Horner, Women’s Volleyball Head Coach

Over 20 Alumni Recently Completed Bachelor’s Degrees Through 3+1 Agreements

A total of 24 Pennsylvania Highlands Community College graduates have obtained their bachelor’s degrees by utilizing one of the College’s 3+1 articulation partnerships over the past year.

Since the Summer 2023 semester, 21 students have earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Francis University (Loretto, PA), with an additional three graduates completing bachelor’s degrees at Seton Hill University (Greensburg, PA).

These 3+1 (or 3 years + 1 year) articulation agreements enable students to transfer their associate degrees, plus an additional 30+ credits, all earned at Pennsylvania Highlands, toward the requirements of a bachelor’s degree. This leaves students with roughly one year of study remaining at a four-year institution, providing significant financial savings.

Graduates from our region that completed at Saint Francis University include:

Summer 2023

• Crystal Melton (Middletown), Behavioral Sciences

Fall 2023

• Tyler Brown (Windber), Behavioral Sciences
• Nicole Deneen (Central City), Healthcare Management
• Renee Eash (Somerset), Organizational Leadership
• Cheyanne Gregorich (Seward), Organizational Leadership
• Justin Hazlett (Portage), Computer Systems Management
• Samantha Leamer (Patton), Organizational Leadership
• Julie Madonna (Gallitzin), Behavioral Sciences
• Cheyenne Raley (Somerset), Criminal Justice
• Rebecca Velasquez (Ebensburg), Behavioral Sciences

Spring 2024

• Stephanie Cassanese (Johnstown), Behavioral Sciences
• Nicole Cowan (Colver), Healthcare Management
• Noah Drumm (Altoona), Organizational Leadership
• Corey Hammel (Claysburg), Organizational Leadership
• Tiffany Kennedy (Hollidaysburg), Behavioral Sciences
• Makayla Price (Cherry Tree), Behavioral Sciences
• Mckenzie Reilly (Duncansville), Behavioral Sciences
• Kayla Shuster (Windber), Behavioral Sciences
• Victoria Smothers (Monroeville), Organizational Leadership
• Samuel Sottile (Carrolltown), Organizational Leadership
• Julia Taylor (Cresson), Organizational Leadership

Graduates from our region that completed at Seton Hill University include:

Spring 2024

• Teresa Marion (Johnstown), Accounting
• William Roth (Johnstown), Accounting
• Joseph Mattern (Hollidaysburg), Accounting

Penn Highlands partners with other higher educational institutions for the betterment of our students and our region, having 175 articulation agreements with 34 colleges and universities.

Faculty Members Earn Promotion & Tenure

Gregory Paonessa, Assistant Professor, Computer Technology

Sherri Slavick, Professor, Physical Sciences

Laura Gaunt, Assistant Professor, Healthcare Professions

Wayde Simington, Assistant Professor, Mathematics

Summer Open House Planned For July

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be hosting a Summer Admissions & Athletics Open House on Monday, July 22, at the College’s Richland Campus and Blair, Ebensburg, and Somerset Centers.  

The Open House will begin at 2 PM. Those who wish to attend can RSVP by visiting www.pennhighlands.edu/openhouse/. The event is open to the public. 

“Whether you’re considering starting this August or want to get a head start for next year, this is a great time to see how your local Community College can benefit you,” stated Matthew Bodenschatz, Director of Recruiting & Admissions. 

Attendees will go through the admissions and financial aid processes, learn about activities, academics, and athletics, take a tour, and have one-on-one conversations with an admissions counselor to discuss their futures. 

Those who attend will also get the chance to connect with a knowledgeable faculty member who specializes in teaching courses in their specific area of study. The Richland Campus is scheduled to have three-to-four faculty members, while others will have one or two.  

Directions and addresses for all locations can be found on our website at www.pennhighlands.edu/locations/. Those who fill out a survey upon attending will be entered in a drawing to win a $250 scholarship. 

Commission Celebrates Recent Grads Set To Fill Workforce Needs Statewide

The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges (PACCC) celebrated the graduation of 7,530 students from the state’s 15 community colleges last month. Of those, Pennsylvania Highlands celebrated the graduation of 303 students in May, with the top associate degrees being Liberal Arts and Sciences (72), Business Management (31), Medical Coding and Billing (19), Education (19), Accounting (13), and Radiologic Technology (13). 

Pennsylvania’s community colleges annually enroll over 245,000 students at 80 different campus locations, providing real savings to students and families as they pursue additional college credentials.  

“Penn Highlands continues to provide affordable, accessible and quality education to the communities we serve, and our graduates are expertly trained to either transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree at a university or to quickly enter the workforce,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, Pennsylvania Highlands President. 

Based on current census and population data, it is estimated Pennsylvania’s projected skilled worker shortage could reach 820,000 in the coming years. Community colleges already excel in providing skilled graduates to help meet the state and the region’s workforce needs that will support continued economic expansion.  

Around half of Penn Highlands graduates will immediately enter the region’s workforce as highly trained professionals while the remainder will focus on a bachelor’s degree before entering the workforce.  

Community colleges are the state’s largest provider of public postsecondary education and workforce training and offer the lowest public postsecondary cost of attendance in Pennsylvania. About 55 percent of undergraduate students enrolled in a Pennsylvania college or university are enrolled at one of the state’s community colleges.  

Additionally, 75 percent of community colleges’ programs align with High Priority Occupations in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, and public safety. Community colleges award over 4,000 healthcare credentials annually on average, including 75 percent of all associate degrees in nursing in the state.  

“Penn Highlands will remain focused on its mission to provide outstanding educational opportunities to the communities we serve,” Nunez stated.