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Marketing & Communications Team Earns Five Medallion Awards at 2023 NCMPR District 1 Conference

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Marketing & Communications Team was presented with five Medallion Awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) at the group’s annual District 1 Conference on November 3 in Boston, Massachusetts. 

The team took home awards in four distinct categories, including Website (Gold Medallion), Video Shorts (Single, Silver and Bronze Medallions), Video Shorts (Series, Silver Medallion), and Logo Wear (Silver Medallion).  

“It is nice that our commitment to excellence and creativity has been recognized by industry experts and peers. This is not just a testament to creativity, but also a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of all staff and faculty at Penn Highlands for delivering memorable experiences to our students and constituents,” stated Raymond Weible, Jr., Executive Director of Marketing and Communications. “We will continue to push the boundaries of design through compelling and meaningful pieces that connect with the region.” 

Since 2015, the Marketing & Communications team at Penn Highlands has won a total of 36 NCMPR Medallion and Paragon Awards, which recognizes excellence in marketing, design, and public relations at two-year schools. 

Being a part of the NCMPR’s District 1, Penn Highlands was chosen out of schools from 12 states along the East Coast, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, and the United Kingdom. 

Cross Country Team Claims Awards; Brenneman Wins WPCC Title & Kuhar Named Coach Of The Year

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College sophomore Chase Brenneman won the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) Individual Championship and Black Bears coach Adrianne Kuhar was named the conference’s Coach of the Year at the WPCC/Region 20 Cross Country Meet on Saturday at Westmoreland County Community College. 

Brenneman (Somerset, PA) finished eighth overall out of 41 runners to claim the conference crown. He was the first competitor from a Division III school to cross the finish line, posting a time of 30:08.7. 

“In the seven years of my athletics career, I have had many highs and lows,” Brenneman said. “Throughout this, I have learned important life lessons, with the highest being persistence. Regionals was a tough race with many talented competitors, but the result came from good coaching all season. This race will be a stepping stone for my athletic future.” 

Brenneman has finished within the Top 10 in all five meets this year. After posting a fourth-place finish in the season opener, Brenneman was runner-up in three consecutive meets prior to Saturday. 

Teammates Christian Haberkorn and Connor Haberkorn placed 21st and 37th, respectively.  

Afterwards, Kuhar (Mundy’s Corner, PA) was awarded WPCC Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm. 

“It’s truly an honor to be given this award,” Kuhar said. “I would not be in this position if it were not for my student assistant coaches and my team of dedicated runners. They are the ones that deserve the credit for putting in all the hard work during practices and then carrying that strong effort into our races. Thank you to all of them and everyone within the Penn Highlands community for the support we received this season.” 

The Black Bears will compete next at the NJCAA National Meet on November 11 at the John Hunt Cross Country Running Park in Huntsville, Alabama.  

Penn Highlands is looking to build off a 16th place finish at last year’s national meet.

Black Bears Cross Country Coach Adrianne Kuhar is holding her WPCC Coach of the Year award at Westmoreland County Community College after the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference/Region 20 meet (October 2023).

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Black Bears Cross Country Team, including (from left) Connor Haberkorn, student assistant coach Tim Roddy, student assistant coach Andrew Straka, Chase Brenneman, head coach Adrianne Kuhar and Christian Haberkorn, pose for a photo after the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference/Region 20 meet, Saturday, at Westmoreland County Community College (October 2023).

Winter Session Offers Five Class Options

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be offering five different class options for students during the College’s Winter Session, which spans four weeks from December 18 to January 12. 

Classes that will be offered include Academic & Career Planning, Public Speaking, College Algebra, Probability & Statistics, and General Psychology. With Penn Highlands currently holding articulation agreements with more than 40 schools, credits earned through these winter session classes will be easy to transfer to other colleges. All class options will be offered online.  

“The opportunity to take classes during the winter session is great for students because it can help them stay on track, get ahead, or keep momentum going towards completing their major,” stated Michelle Stumpf, Dean of Enrollment & Registrar at Penn Highlands. “All five classes are good for our students, as well as students who are visiting from other colleges that need to pick up an elective.” 

Current Penn Highlands students can register for the winter classes, while new students can enroll on November 1. The registration period closes on Friday, December 15. 

Before registering for the classes, new and guest students must apply. Penn Highlands students can enroll in the classes via the myPEAK portal. All students are limited to one class (or three credits) for the Winter Session. 

Students Excel In Growing Honors Program

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Honors Program graduated its second class of members during the College’s most recent Commencement ceremony in May, and now Penn Highlands and the program’s advisors hope to continue the program’s positive trend as it enters year three. 

The Honors Program’s Class of 2023 included four members, all of whom were the first to complete the full curriculum, which included presenting a Capstone Project to multiple members of the College’s Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board of Directors, and the College’s Cabinet. 

“The Honors Program has been a wonderful opportunity for both the faculty and students to challenge themselves and explore new and different areas of study,” stated Sandy Schrum, Honors Program Director. “It has been exciting to see the enthusiasm, dedication, and confidence of the students in the program when they explore and ultimately complete projects.” 

Brianna Pavkovich (Rockwood, PA) credits much of her success to her completion of the College’s Honors Program. In April, she presented her capstone on the use of medicinal herbs. Subsequently in May, she graduated with an associate degree and then worked as a mechanic for airplanes housed at Pittsburgh International Airport. 

Pavkovich’s educational foundation helped her secure a position with Saint Francis University, where she will now create and direct a curriculum for the Aviation Maintenance Technician Program. 

“The Honors Program at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College was an integral part of my success,” Pavkovich stated. “Presenting my capstone project in front of board members and watching others was stressful, but those two hours were worth a lifetime of experience. I was able to walk into my interview at Saint Francis with absolute confidence. The experience that the Honors Program provides is invaluable, and every student that is offered the chance to become an Honor Student should take it.” 

To become a member of the Honors Program, students must complete an application process, reach the requirements of a 3.5 GPA, be a full-time student within a college program, and complete 10 service hours per semester. 

Upon acceptance, a student will have to add four more credits (two classes) to their schedule and academically enhance three courses already on their schedule.  

Photo of Brianna Pavkovich presenting her capstone project in the College’s Honors Program (Richland Campus, April 2023).

Men’s Basketball Releases Home Schedule For 2023-2024

Athletics at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has released the 2023-2024 schedule for Men’s Basketball. It consists of 24 regular season games spanning November through February.

Penn Highlands will open its season on Wednesday, November 1, at Penn State Greater Allegheny. This will be the first of six consecutive road contests to start the year for the Black Bears before the team returns to Johnstown for its home opener on Tuesday, November 28.

The Black Bears will play at home 12 times in a 14-game stretch from November 28 to January 29. All home games will be played inside the main gymnasium at Penn Highlands’ Richland Campus.

The full home game list is as follows:

After the regular season, the Black Bears will compete in the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) Tournament on February 16 and 17. Home games during tournament play will be awarded to the higher seed in each matchup.

The Region 20 Tournament will then take place on February 24 and 25 in Largo, Maryland. The Region 20 champion will advance to Districts with a chance to move on to the NJCAA Division III National Tournament in Herkimer, New York.

Penn Highlands is coming off another successful season in 2022-2023, where the Black Bears finished runner-up in the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference. Penn Highlands then advanced to the semifinal round of the Region 20 Tournament before dropping a 106-105 double-overtime contest to Butler County Community College, ending the campaign.

All games and dates are subject to change.