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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.