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Wolf Administration Visits Penn Highlands; Highlights Job Training & New PAsmart Initiative

Today, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak and Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani toured Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, and participated in a local business roundtable in Johnstown, highlighting Governor Tom Wolf’s PAsmart initiative in job training programs and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education to help job seekers obtain good, middle-class jobs in 21st century careers.

“Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is working to build career pipelines to in-demand jobs in health care and STEM-related industries by providing students with post-secondary education and stackable credentials to meet local employers’ needs,” said Secretary Oleksiak. “Governor Wolf is proposing historic new investments through PAsmart to improve access for Pennsylvania students and workers to education and job training programs to ensure that students and job seekers receive the real-world skills they need to obtain good, middle-class jobs.”

PAsmart, a first-of-its-kind $30 million investment, is a new way of thinking about job training and workforce development by providing targeted funding for apprenticeship programs, STEM education, computer science, and more, so students and workers get the training and skills needed for in-demand, middle-class jobs.

Secretary Oleksiak and Deputy Secretary Cipriani toured the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College health care program and met with students and educators. The college recently approved a new Patient Care Technician certificate program that will be offered to students this fall. Wolf Administration officials also visited the engineering tech and computer science labs.

“Education and training programs like those offered at Pennsylvania Highland Community College that rely on cooperation between local businesses, educators, and local government officials to train and upskill the regional workforce provide positive benefits to employers and job seekers alike,” said Cipriani.

After the tour, the secretary and deputy secretary sat down with Rep. Bryan Barbin, Cambria County President Commissioner Tom Chernisky and representatives from Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce, Convergys, Goodwill Industries, Forest Hills School District, Johnstown Area Regional Industries, Johnstown Welding and Fabrications Inc., PA CareerLink® Cambria County, North American Hoganas, Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board, and Riggs Industries to discuss workforce development initiatives.

“We are most effective in meeting the training needs of our region when both businesses and government support our efforts,” stated Pennsylvania Highlands Community College President Dr. Walter Asonevich. “We depend on the partnerships we have with hospitals, manufacturers, the county commissioners, and so many others to provide the training needed in the most cost-effective way.”

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is located in Johnstown with locations in Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties. Pennsylvania Highlands provides academic programs designed to prepare students for entry into the workplace or to transfer and continue their education at other higher education institutions. Pennsylvania Highlands works closely with businesses and industries to provide workforce training and continuing education opportunities to employees in the region.

Last month, the governor signed an executive order to cut red tape and improve coordination between several state agencies to more effectively deliver workforce development services to Pennsylvanians. Under the executive order, the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board, the governor’s private sector policy advisor, will provide recommendations on the distribution of the $30 million in PAsmart funding, which will be driven out through competitive grants. This collaboration will help to ensure the investments meet employers’ need for skilled workers and that workers are gaining the skills for good, middle-class jobs that will grow Pennsylvania’s economy.

For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.

Article Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Cambria County College Fair Happening in Johnstown

The 16th Annual Cambria County College Fair, sponsored by Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, will be held on Tuesday, September 11th, at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center. This year’s College Fair will take place from 8:30am to 11am, with students coming in from across the region.

The mission of the College Fair is to promote higher education and future opportunities to not only high school students and their families, but to the public as well. The Cambria County College Fair helps local community members find and discover the many educational and career opportunities that are right in their back yard.

Numerous high schools are taking part, including Blacklick Valley, Conemaugh Township, Conemaugh Valley, Ferndale, Forest Hills, Johnstown, Portage, Richland, Westmont, Windber, and more.

Colleges and universities from all over the state of Pennsylvania will be on-hand to meet with and assist guests regarding their educational and career needs. With so many institutions attending, there is something for everyone: technical schools, business colleges, cosmetology schools and universities, branches of the military, banks, local businesses, and more.

The Cambria County College Fair is here to better our community, please take part or stop by. The College Fair is happening on September 11th. Be a part of something special and help us promote this community event to make it a great success.

For more details on the College Fair, contact Pennsylvania Highlands Community College at 1.888.385.PEAK or by emailing Daun Boyle, Assistant to the Vice President of Student Services, at dboyle@pennhighlands.edu.

Carley Denner Of Berlin Named Women’s Volleyball Head Coach

Carley Denner, of Berlin, has been named the Head Coach of Women’s Volleyball at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

Ms. Denner will be responsible for the organization and direction of the College’s NJCAA, Division III Women’s Volleyball program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and Sustainable Studies from La Roche College. Additionally, Ms. Denner was a co-captain for the Lady Red Hawks, a first year letter recipient, and named AMCC’s “Best of the Rest” in September 2009.

“I am excited to have Carley Denner join our community,” stated Sue Brugh, Director of Student Activities and Athletics. “She brings the experience of playing collegiate volleyball and coaching at the high school level to Penn Highlands. We are excited for this new era of Black Bear volleyball to begin.”

Prior to joining Penn Highlands, Ms. Denner served as the Assistant Varsity/Junior Varsity Girls’ Volleyball Coach at Shanksville-Stonycreek High School.

The Lady Black Bears start the 2018 season on the road at the Community College of Beaver County on September 5th. Their home campaign kicks off on September 7th against Garrett College. Click for more information.

5K Run To Support College Initiatives Set For September

The Black Bear 5K Run, sponsored by Wessel & Company, is back and is scheduled for Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Richland Campus.

The race will begin at 9:00 AM, with registration occurring from 8 to 8:45 AM at the College’s main entrance. The course is an asphalt and macadam style course, and consists of three loops around our Campus and Richland High School. This race is sanctioned by the USATF.

The cost to pre-register for this event is $15, and is $20 the day of the race. Registration includes a t-shirt (guaranteed to all pre-registrants received by Monday, September 10th), post-race snacks, and awards for top finishers.

Non-competitive participants (no course timing) can complete any portion of the 5K; strollers are welcome.

Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships, program development, and college initiatives.

Any questions, please contact the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation at 814.262.6499 or by email at foundation@pennhighlands.edu.

Faculty Members Earn Promotion And Tenure

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College recently promoted and granted tenure to select faculty members who have, over time, demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching, advising, professional development, and service to the College and the community. Their work with students is exemplary and serves as an inspiration to students and colleagues alike.

Eligible faculty members go through a rigorous application and review process that assesses their effectiveness in full-time teaching/advising as well as service to Penn Highlands, the community, and professional development.

Faculty Earning Advancement In Rank:

• Dr. Russell Newman from Assistant to Associate Professor, English. Dr. Newman holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in English from James Madison University. He also holds an A.A. from Eastern Shore Community College. He began his career as a full-time faculty member in January 2014. He maintains memberships in The Thoreau Society, Modern Language Association, and the Northwest Language Association. Dr. Newman serves as a mentor for students presenting at The Beacon Conference for Student Scholars at Two-Year Colleges.
• Dr. Matthew Sisak from Assistant to Associate Professor, Biological Sciences. Employed full-time by the College since 2014, Dr. Sisak holds a D.C. from the Palmer College of Chiropractic and B.S. in Natural Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He maintains memberships in the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association and Human Anatomy and Physiology Society. Prior to his full-time appointment, Dr. Sisak served as an adjunct faculty member.

Faculty Earning Tenure:

• Mr. Richard Bukoski, Assistant Professor, Communication and Media Studies. Mr. Bukoski began his career as a full-time faculty member in August 2013. Mr. Bukoski holds a M.A. Adult and Community Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Speech Communication from Edinboro University. He was the founding faculty advisor for the Media Production Club and coordinated the first Black Bear Film Festival. Prior to his full-time appointment, he enjoyed a career in radio and television.
• Dr. Kevin Slonka, Assistant Professor, Computer Science. Dr. Slonka began his career as a full-time faculty member in January 2013. Dr. Slonka holds a Sc.D. in Information Systems & Communication, M.S. in Information Security & Assurance, and M.S. in Information Technology Project Management from Robert Morris University. He also holds a B.S. in Information Technology from Mount Aloysius College. Dr. Slonka holds a membership in the Association for Computing Machinery and has had several articles published for the International Association of Computer and Information Systems. He is certified as an Ethical Hacker and Cybercrime Investigator.

Pennsylvania Highlands has six locations throughout the Southern Alleghenies region, serving residents of western Pennsylvania.

Dr. Russell Newman

Dr. Matthew Sisak

Richard Bukoski

Dr. Kevin Slonka