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President Dr. Asonevich delivers State of the College Address

Held in the Richland Campus Auditorium, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College President Dr. Walter Asonevich offered his 2017 State of the College Address on Tuesday afternoon to a captivated audience. He highlighted various topics, from accreditation to regionalization to the College’s expansive, and far-reaching, educational offerings that focus on providing an affordable, high quality education to our local communities.

Dr. Asonevich began by addressing the College’s on-going accreditation process and the differences between a regional and national accreditation.

His focus then shifted to Penn Highlands’ regionalization efforts, including expansion of the Blair Center, growth and a new facility in Somerset, and beginning discussions on what could be an already near capacity Huntingdon Center.

The address featured a map designating the numerous counties of Pennsylvania that have been impacted by the College’s presence. These areas include the four counties that currently have a Penn Highlands’ facility, locations that are served through the College’s accredited dual enrollment (Accelerated College Education) program, areas served via online programming, and counties that have inquired about having a Penn Highlands’ presence.

“Our blueprint for providing small rural communities with affordable access to higher education has been met with positive results,” said Asonevich. “We follow a systematic approach when handling regionalization. It is done in a way to ensure that our students and their communities will be rewarded with the benefits that encompass a strong educational institution.”

Asonevich rounded out his address by discussing how funding from the state and county impacts both the College’s budget and tuition fees. And, how the College continues to investigate and expand through more flexible options – including online, evening, and weekend offerings – that can better satisfy and connect with the needs of our region.

“Our mission, as a community college, is to provide learning opportunities that meet the demands of the region,” Asonevich explained. “With online, evening, and weekend options, we are positioned to provide better flexibility in course scheduling for students. As a result, we can deliver more choices that lead to both student and community success.”

To see the State of the College Address in its entirety, please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennhighlands/.

President Dr. Asonevich delivers the State of the College Address.

President Dr. Asonevich delivers the State of the College Address.