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Acting Deputy Secretary visits Penn Highlands; discusses nationally recognized ACE program

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College’s national reputation for its Accelerated College Education (ACE) Program has led the Pennsylvania Department of Education to take notice. Wil Del Pilar, Acting Deputy Secretary of Postsecondary and Higher Education for Pennsylvania Department of Education visited the Pennsylvania Highlands Richland Campus earlier this week to speak with College officials and representatives from local school districts currently being served by the nationally recognized ACE program.

Administrators from Berlin, Clearfield, Forest Hills, and Greater Johnstown school districts discussed the value of the program, directly identifying the improved overall academic rigor within their schools, the low cost, and the improved access to higher education. All agreed that these opportunities provide students with experiences that enhance their confidence and greatly improve the likelihood that they will pursue further post-secondary options.

The Penn Highlands’ ACE Program is one of only two dual enrollment programs in Pennsylvania to be accredited by the National Association of Concurrent Enrollment Programs (NACEP). NACEP Executive Director Adam Lowe joined the meeting to discuss the standards required for accreditation and the steps taken by Penn Highlands to meet and exceed those standards.

The College’s Accelerated College Education program currently operates in over 50 high schools across 12 counties, teaching over 1,200 students through more than 250 instructors. For more information on the program, contact the Office of School Partnerships at (814) 262-3847.

Individuals (from left to right) include: Brian Thompson, Principal at Berlin Brothersvalley; Tim Janocko, Principal at Clearfield; Dr. Susan Spaid, School Counselor at Clearfield; Terry Struble, Superintendent at Clearfield; Mike Vuckovich, Director of Education at Greater Johnstown; Amy Arcurio, Assistant Superintendent at Greater Johnstown; Wil Del Pilar, Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Education; Rob Heinrich Principal at Greater Johnstown; Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands; Dr. Melissa Murray, Dean of School Partnerships at Pennsylvania Highlands; Joe Slifko, Accelerated College Education Faculty Coordinator at Pennsylvania Highlands.

College partners with Community Foundation for the Alleghenies on the Bosler Academy

The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College announce the creation of the Bosler Academy, a series of capacity-building workshops available at a reduced cost to local non-profit and governmental agencies to aid them in becoming more effective, sustainable, and strategic organizations.

“We think this is a really important tool for our community. The work non-profits do is critical to the well-being of a community and to the kind of community development being focused on in the Vision 2025 framework,” said Foundation president Mike Kane. “Creating these courses with Penn Highlands is a great collaboration.”

The workshops will cover leadership development, grant writing, board development and governance, fundraising, strategic planning, marketing, and ethics and social responsibility. Courses are just $50 each; organizations can register for all seven workshops for $300, a $50 savings.

“These partnerships call to mind the collaborative spirit that is such an integral part of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College,” stated Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. “Working with the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies on this project provides the College with an opportunity to reach additional learners and impact the overall capacity of local non-profit organizations.”

The Bosler Academy is funded, in part, by the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ Benjamin Bosler Fund. Mr. Bosler started his career with Cambria Iron Works in 1898 and later became a founder and president of Moxham National Bank, where he served until his death in 1956. He strongly believed in supporting the Greater Johnstown community and served a number of local nonprofits. Mr. Bosler and his wife Anna had one daughter, Charlotte Ellis, who was generous throughout her lifetime, but preferred to give quietly. She created the Benjamin Bosler Fund with a gift of about $1.5 million to honor her father’s memory and provide ongoing support to local charitable organizations.

For more details on the Bosler Academy and to register, contact Pennsylvania Highlands at 814.262.3813. And, to learn more about the Community Foundation’s efforts to support the region, visit cfalleghenies.org.

Three Students named to All-PA Academic Team

The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges honored the 22nd Annual All-Pennsylvania (All-PA) Academic Team at an awards banquet held on Monday, April 4th, in Harrisburg. The awards recognize an exceptional group of community college students who have achieved excellence and demonstrated a commitment to their colleges and communities.

The 2016 All-PA Team consists of 45 outstanding community college scholars from across the Commonwealth. The All-PA Team is administered by Phi Theta Kappa, the national two-year college honors society. Those honored from Pennsylvania Highlands Community College included Miriam Kaye Fink, Kylie Garrett, and Kate Goldian.

Miriam Kaye Fink, of Hollsopple, is attending Pennsylvania Highlands Community College to earn a degree in Business Management. Miriam is very active within Penn Highlands as a Student Trustee, Student Senate President, Treasurer/Historian for Phi Theta Kappa, and Networking Team Coordinator for the National Society of Leadership and Success. When Miriam isn’t participating at the College is she wearing many hats as a wife, mother, volunteer, and more. She participates as a College Choice Helper assisting parents and students research and organize their college choices; she is a genealogist helping families discover and research their ancestry; and she helps out at the Cambria County Humane Society. After graduating from Pennsylvania Highlands, Miriam plans to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she will look to earn a master’s degree and eventually hopes to work at a college or university.

Kylie Garrett, of Lilly, is a Pennsylvania Highlands’ Board Scholar pursing a degree in Business Administration. She is very active within Penn Highlands as a Phi Theta Kappa Officer and President of the Ebensburg Center Student Activities Club. As Club President, she has volunteered over 60 hours of service through being a College tour guide and representative during college fairs and high school visits. Kylie is also active in the community as she helps out with social media for the Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority, and volunteers for various activities at her church, the Cresson Volunteer Fire Company, and at Penn State Health Fairs. After graduating from Pennsylvania Highlands, Kylie plans to attend Lock Haven University to earn her bachelor’s degree.

Kate Goldian, of Nanty Glo, is a Pennsylvania Highlands’ Board Scholar working her way to earning two degrees: Histotechnology and General Studies. She often volunteers at the College’s Ebensburg Center during open houses as she likes to encourage others to attend Penn Highlands and realize its benefits. Kate is very excited about starting her new life after college, where she plans to become a certified Histotechnologist. In addition to attending Penn Highlands, Kate also works as a grocery store cashier, pizza shop employee, and a babysitter. “I’m the first of my family to attend college and I’m extremely proud of it. I couldn’t be happier,” stated Ms. Goldian.

Miriam Kaye Fink

Kylie Garrett

Kate Goldian

Holocaust Survivor Eva Olsson to speak with community at Richland Campus

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is honored to provide community members with the opportunity to hear the moving and visceral story of Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson. On Tuesday, April 5th, Eva Olsson will return to Pennsylvania Highlands to give two free presentations to the general public: 9:30am and 6:30pm. All presentations will be held at the College’s Richland Campus, in the Auditorium. The Richland Campus is located at 101 Community College Way in Johnstown.

Eva Olsson was born in Szatsmar, Hungary in October of 1924 into a poor family of Hasidic Jews. This was the beginning of her lifelong struggle against other people’s attempts to control her.

She is a survivor… of a repressive religious upbringing, World War II, the deaths of many of her loved ones, bigotry and racism, and being ostracized because of her determination to live life on her own terms. Eva’s innate curiosity and need to develop along a different spiritual path would not be stifled and she struggled against this restrictive life.

The outbreak of World War II plunged Eva into the heart of the Holocaust concentration camps, slave labor factories, disease, and the deaths of millions, including most of her family. Eva’s strong faith in God and in herself has enabled her to maintain a positive focus throughout the rest of her life.

For 50 years she remained silent about her experiences during the Holocaust, partly out of denial and partly out of fear it might happen again. Since 1996, Eva has been speaking about her life in over 3,000 schools, churches, meeting halls, conference rooms, colleges and universities, and to over one-and-a-half million individuals throughout Canada, in the hope that people who hear her story will know that it is possible to survive the worst life has to throw at them.

For additional information on this inspirational presentation, please contact Trish Corle, Diversity Committee Chair, at 814.262.3841 or tcorle@pennhighlands.edu.

Eva Olsson, Holocaust Survivor.

Dual Enrollment program excels; other Colleges take notice

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has been receiving recognition for its nationally accredited dual enrollment program known as Accelerated College Education (ACE). This has prompted both two and four-year institutions to seek the assistance of Pennsylvania Highlands in improving their own dual enrollment programs. Jennifer Parizo, Community Education Specialist at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, recently visited Penn Highlands and Dr. Melissa Murray, Dean of School Partnerships, to learn more about how the College’s ACE program operates in the hopes of emulating that success.

“Having the chance to talk with Dr. Murray, her team, and related professionals at Penn Highlands provided us with validation that we’re on the right track,” said Parizo. “We’re excited for the chance to establish the next phase of our program and build it around the exemplary program that Penn Highlands has developed.”

The Accelerated College Education (ACE) dual enrollment program is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment, which makes it one of only two such accredited programs in Pennsylvania. Through ACE, Pennsylvania Highlands partners with high schools throughout the state, providing students with the opportunity to earn college credits during their regular school day. The program benefits high school students in a variety of ways according to Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

“The opportunity to participate in a class that has been developed to include college-level coursework and rigor provides a great overall learning experience for these students,” stated Dr. Walter Asonevich. “They are studying the subject matter and also developing skills that they can take with them to the next educational level, while earning transferable credits at a dramatically reduced tuition rate.”

The College’s ACE program began in 2004 with only seven high schools and just over 250 students participating. Today, ACE operates in over 50 high schools across 12 counties, teaching over 1,200 students through more than 250 instructors. The growth of Pennsylvania Highlands’ ACE program highlights the strength and benefits that ACE provides high school students not only in our region and across the state.

Group Photo (from left to right): Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College; Dr. Ted Nichols, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College; Jennifer Parizo, Community Education Specialist at the University of Maine at Fort Kent; Dr. Melissa Murray, Dean of School Partnerships at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College; and Joe Slifko, Accelerated College Education Faculty Coordinator.