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Instructor Matthew Stumpf Aims To Guide Students & Region Through Poetry, English

Though he is in just his second year as a full-time English Instructor at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Matthew Stumpf has already made a significant impact on his students while helping them gain expression both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Stumpf, a Punxsutawney native and a resident of Indiana, has used his love of poetry to develop multiple writing-based incentives that started solely in his home area but have now spread to Johnstown and the Penn Highlands population.

He is the co-organizer and host of “Poeming through the Dark”, an open-mic poetry night held once a month at local outlets. The idea started at a single coffee shop in Indiana before expanding to be held in different venues across the region, including The Indiana Theater and the Write Cup Coffee Shop near Johnstown’s Central Park.

“Our first-ever event at Write Cup had about 20 attendees,” Stumpf said. “We were excited when we saw the number of people that wanted to read theirs or others’ works of poetry. It felt like there was a latent need for it in Johnstown. At the two events we’ve held in Johnstown, the coffee shop was filled. We’ve had upwards of 75 people show up at events in the past, but usually average around 25, which is still a substantial number.”

Stumpf also serves as an editor for Red Flag Poetry, a publication that delivers a postcard once a month to subscribers’ mailboxes containing poetry with a related artwork.  

The publication also has a bi-monthly digital arm called the Poetry Express, aimed at promoting longer samples of work, as well as a press releasing full-length books of poetry two-to-three times per year which Stumpf helps edit, layout, and distribute through orders on the Red Flag Poetry website.

“It definitely is a lot to do alongside teaching, but it doesn’t feel like extra work being it’s something that I am very passionate about,” Stumpf said. “I discovered this love during my undergraduate days just by going to the same type of events that we host now. It really shows how much something can impact you after just stumbling across it.”

At Penn Highlands, Stumpf has taught six different English-based courses, with two more in American Literature coming in 2024, while also working with the ACE Program, which he supervises high school instructors, and serving on the Middle States Steering Committee to help the College with accreditation.

He is also collaborating with Penn Highlands students to develop the Tea Club, where members will read literature from the diverse cultures of tea they drink and converse with friends.

Also, Stumpf said he feels he can relate well to his students due to him being a first-generation college student like many of the Penn Highlands community.

“I’ve really been able to connect with my students and get a lot of positive responses,” Stumpf said. “My goal as an instructor is to better the future of this generation. That’s why I’m in this profession. I see teaching as the most direct way I can change and inspire students to create a better world tomorrow than we have today.” 

Penn Highlands & CPI Establish Landmark Partnership Through Articulation Agreement

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced the signing of three articulation agreements with the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science & Technology (CPI) located in Pleasant Gap, PA. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in fostering academic partnerships and expanding educational opportunities for students in the region.

In mid-November, the College made official agreements that align with their future expansion plans. These agreements are aimed at opening a new location in Bellefonte, PA, and enhancing the educational experience for students in Centre County.

“Penn Highlands is a mission-focused institution where we connect and partner with like-minded and community-focused organizations like CPI,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, Penn Highlands President. “This partnership is not just good for Penn Highlands and CPI, but most importantly for the communities and students we both serve. I hope this is just the first of many fruitful agreements between our great institutions.”

The associate degrees covered by the articulation agreement include Early Childhood Education (A.A.), IT Network Administration (A.A.S.), and Entrepreneurship (A.A.S.).

CPI Students will be able to transfer up to six courses for a total of 16 credits in Early Childhood Education, three courses for nine credits in Network Administration, and up to 15 credits of technical electives for Entrepreneurship. Moreover, by successfully completing the CISCO Academy Certification exam, they can obtain additional credit in Network Administration.

All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or above to transfer and be applied towards finishing an associate degree.

“We are very excited to work with the leadership of CPI to create these articulation agreements,” stated Dr. Cynthia Doherty, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Penn Highlands. “CPI does an excellent job of training high school students and adults to go into the workforce. These articulation agreements will allow their students to continue to Penn Highlands to earn college credit toward a certificate or degree program and continue to build their path to a new career.”

CPI is a vocational technical training school offering over 18 secondary programs, over 60 in-house adult and continuing education programs, and over 350 online courses to its students.

This represents Penn Highlands’ first-ever collaboration with a vocational school in Centre County, expanding their current affiliations with institutions in Blair and Cambria counties.

“Partnering with Penn Highlands is a wonderful opportunity for CPI, our students, and the community,” stated MaryAnn Volders, CPI President. “We strive to provide as many post-secondary options as we can for our career and technical high school students. I appreciate what Penn Highlands has to offer our community and our students. We look forward to working with Penn Highlands in any way that we can to provide new experiences for our students.”

Caring For Cubs Club Makes Regional Impact Through Volunteerism

Morgan Dugan, an Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, started the Caring for Cubs Education Club in 2018 with the hopes of showing how much helping those in need and volunteering can impact others. 

Though it did not dive into volunteer work right from the start, Dugan has developed the Club into one of the biggest outside interest groups at the College, while gaining major support from her Early Childhood Education students, faculty, administration, and the public. 

“When I was a child, the people in my community helped me and my family greatly,” Dugan stated. “I learned at an early age that we as humans are made to connect and help one another. The Caring for Cubs Club helps our students see beyond the four classroom walls that they will be teaching in. They get to experience the impact that people have on one another. It also helps our college students understand how we are all connected in this world, while giving them job opportunities, especially when they discover an authentic interest in one of our volunteer events.” 

The Club is active for the entire College’s academic year – August to May. Students enrolled in either an Early Childhood Education or Education major are automatically added as members of the Club but are free to help as much or as little as they want. 

While teaching at both the Richland Campus and Ebensburg Center, Dugan has gained interest from students at both locations. Club members have even made and sold bracelets to raise money for Suicide Prevention at the Ebensburg Center. 

There are currently 77 active students in the Club. 

“The Club has had many impacts on my life already,” stated Olivia Cavallo, a freshman Education student based in Ebensburg. “It grew me closer to my classmates who have the same passion for teaching that I do while doing the volunteer work that we do. I also love how we get involved with helping kids around our community. Some of the things we do bring the biggest smiles to kids’ faces. That is awesome to see.” 

Members of the Club are involved in many events throughout the year, ranging from literacy events to food drives to helping plant flowers in Downtown Johnstown. 

This past March, the Club traveled to local elementary schools to read children’s books to kindergarten students and complete a literacy activity as a part of Read Across America Week. Students also took part in a Thanksgiving Food Drive, sponsored a Christmas event at the Women’s Help Center, and did regular partnerships with the Cambria County Backpack Project over the last year. 

These activities also assist the students when completing their degree, as they must have accumulated 50 volunteer hours while working with children before transferring to a four-year school. 

“Participating in the club allowed me to meet new people, give back to the community, develop leadership skills, and make memories,” stated Olivia Grant, a 2023 graduate of the Early Childhood Education program. “I am glad I was part of this club. It was so much fun.” 

Dugan uses a bulletin board near her offices at the Richland Campus and Ebensburg Center, and posts online, to communicate volunteer opportunities for her students, with the events list spanning a month. 

She also posts job opportunities for students to obtain while earning their associate degree. 

“This is a great way to get our students out into the field to gain experience working with children before they even complete their degree,” Dugan stated. “While doing this type of volunteer work, they can see how the community is connected and build social skills necessary for leadership. Volunteering truly is a skillset, and we learn something new every time we do it.” 

Caring For Cubs Club participating in a Trunk or Treat in downtown Johnstown (October 2023).

Cross Country Runners End 2023 Season On High Note At National Meet

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Cross Country Team closed its 2023 campaign with all three runners setting personal record race times during the NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama, in early November. 

The Black Bears were led by Chase Brenneman, the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) individual champion, who placed 23rd out of 126 total runners in the 8K race (4.97 miles).  

Brenneman (Somerset, PA) posted a time of 28:24.50, breaking the school record previously held by Andrew Straka (28:41.01) for the lowest time at the NJCAA meet. Brenneman also recorded the highest individual finish for a Penn Highlands athlete at a national event. 

“Nationals was an amazing experience that brought together the best athletes,” Brenneman said. “The competitiveness of this race really showcases the work the team has put in. Seeing the whole team achieve new personal records in our last race of the season is always a positive, while reaching my personal goal of top 30 in the nation made it an even better close to the season. I could not have achieved this without the support from my coaches and parents.” 

Fellow Penn Highlands runner Christian Haberkorn placed 61st with a time of 31:06.90, while Connor Haberkorn came in 106th at 36:28.40. 

Christian Haberkorn (Johnstown, PA) now holds the sixth-best time at the NJCAA meet in school history. 

“I am very proud of all three runners for their performances in the meet,” Penn Highlands Head Coach Adrianne Kuhar said. “Their determination has been there all season, and they proved that hard work does pay off. It was an amazing experience for them and for the coaches. Now, it is time to get back to work for next season.” 

Cross Country Team at National Meet in Alabama.

Three Volleyball Players Earn All-Region Honors

Taylor Rapsky, Leonela Nichols, and Olivia Weyandt of the Pennsylvania Highlands Women’s Volleyball Team were each given Division III All-Region 20 honors on Tuesday afternoon. 

Rapsky, a sophomore from Central City, PA, was named to the First Team, while Nichols (Hollsopple, PA) and Weyandt (Jerome, PA) were given Honorable Mention.  

“Receiving this honor is an amazing feeling knowing all of the great athletes we competed against this season,” Rapsky said. “I could not have done it without my teammates and coaches pushing me to be better on the court. They deserve as much credit as I do for all of the successes we achieved over the year.” 

The All-Region award adds to the multiple accolades that Rapsky and Nichols have already received this season, as both were named to the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) All-Conference Team and the Region 20 Division III All-Tournament Team. 

“This is a great achievement for three of our players to make All-Region,” stated Sue Brugh, Director of Student Activities and Athletics. “Taylor is probably one of the best players in the Region, while Olivia and Leonela really showcased their skills this season.” 

Rapsky was among the statistical leaders in Region 20 for most categories, compiling 138 kills (4th), 155 digs (7th), and 35 blocks (3rd). She was ranked first in the region in kills per set (3.14) and points per set (4.3) and was second with a .279 hitting percentage. Rapsky’s hitting percentage also ranked 26th in the nation for Division III. 

Weyandt, a fellow sophomore, tallied 150 assists and 73 digs. She was second in Region 20 in assists and assists per set (3.41). Nichols, a freshman, finished with 144 digs and ranked second in digs per set (4.24). 

Olivia Weyandt, Division III All-Region 20 Honorable Mention

Taylor Rapsky, Division III All-Region 20 First Team

Leonela Nichols, Division III All-Region 20 Honorable Mention