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  • Matthew Pudliner Appointed Continuing Education Manager

    Posted March 14, 2022 at 8:44 am

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College announces the appointment of Mr. Matthew Pudliner as the College’s new Continuing Education Manager.

    In his role as Continuing Education Manager, Mr. Pudliner will provide vision, leadership, planning, management, supervision, and evaluation for the Continuing and Community Education areas in service of the College’s mission.

    “I am thrilled to be a part of the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College family,” stated Matthew Pudliner. “Penn Highlands has a strong history and connection with our community and surrounding areas, and I am ready to build a catalog of essential non-credit classes to see our region thrive.”

    Before joining Penn Highlands, Mr. Pudliner was the Community Relationship Manager for the United Way of the Laurel Highlands. Prior to that, he worked for five years at Somerset Trust Company.

    Mr. Pudliner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He is currently working on a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Francis University.

  • A Great Place To Visit: Washington D.C.

    Posted February 28, 2022 at 8:58 am

    The original column appeared in the Tribune-Democrat, written by Dr. Steve Nunez. Click here to see original sourced column.

    Family vacations were a regular thing in the Nunez household when I was growing up in southwest Virginia. One of my most vivid vacation memories is when the five of us (mom, dad, sister, brother, and myself) traveled to Florida (from Virginia) in a Datsun B210 – a mass-produced, small sedan that was known for fuel efficiency but not comfort.

    After driving to Florida and back in that car, I’m sure my parents needed (and deserved) another vacation from their kids.

    I still remember the map my father had of the United States where he put pins in places where he or the family had visited. The map was populated with pins throughout – stuck in cities such as Detroit, Atlanta, New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C., and smaller towns, including Lexington, Wilmington, and Richmond.

    Of course, multiple beach towns were pinned, as that was a common destination for the summer. I think my parents thought it was their duty to expose their children to geographic, historic and cultural diversity when we traveled – which helped shape the way we view the world today.

    However, my secret is that while I enjoy and look forward to a vacation, I really hate the traveling part. The old saying, “it’s the journey and not the destination” has never applied to me.

    In fact, if I could teleport to my destination and avoid the hassles of travel and the hordes of people and cars, I’d do it in a second (unless it is like the movie “The Fly”).

    And while I never let my own anxiousness get in the way of my travel plans, I still anticipate and dread the travel. For those who have traveled with me – I’m sorry – I know I am not always at my best.

    So, you can imagine my reaction when a month ago I was asked to attend a higher education summit hosted by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. in the Hart Senate Building in Washington, D.C.

    While I relished the thought of hearing from some of the best minds in higher education and some terrific speakers from the Department of Education, my attention was focused on the journey and not on the destination.

    At one point, I even thought to myself that I would rather have the flu than deal with D.C. traffic.

    Eventually, I ended up driving toward D.C. the day before the event and staying in a hotel in a suburb. The next morning, I caught the Metro into the city before the afternoon meeting. Everyone I had spoken with told me how convenient and easy the Metro was going to be. I must agree.

    I had avoided the worst of the traffic by taking a 25-minute train ride right to Union Station – the heart of D.C.

    When I walked out of Union Station, I looked upward to see the Capitol building in the near distance. While I had been to D.C. before, I was just a kid and I have no memories of what I had experienced and had a limited historical context of the architecture anyway.

    But on this day, with some additional life experience and a real interest in politics and history, the view of the Capitol put me in a state of awe. I was in Washington, D.C., and while, unfortunately, I didn’t have copious amounts of time to explore the city that day, I walked around peaking at buildings here and there and taking in the sights in the limited amount of time that I had.

    It was humbling to be in the seat of power of the greatest of all democracies.

    And most importantly, the meeting with the senator, some additional dignitaries, and 25 or more Pennsylvania presidents of higher education institutions was interesting and meaningful. I’m glad I didn’t get the flu after all. It was an honor to be invited by the senator.

    Later that evening on my way back home – after I exited the Metro, returned to my car, and entered the heavy traffic flowing north – I reflected on my day (as I white-knuckled the steering wheel). I promised myself to return to that historic town and spend some quality time getting to know Washington a little better.

    And until then, I can hope that someone will invent a teleportation device to allow me to avoid that D.C. traffic.

    Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college.

  • In-Person Open House Coming Monday, February 21

    Posted February 3, 2022 at 8:25 am

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be holding an in-person Open House at its facilities on Monday, February 21st. Attendees and their guests may choose to attend one of two sessions at either 2:30pm or 5:30pm.

    Individuals will learn about Penn Highlands and its opportunities, including degree programs and coursework, transfer options, and financial assistance opportunities. Information on student life, including clubs, activities, and athletics, will also be presented. Faculty and alumni will be on-hand to discuss their personal experiences.

    As an added incentive, prospective students will be eligible to win a 2022-2023 tuition voucher, good for a $250 discount, if they complete a survey while in attendance.

    To attend, individuals must RSVP online here. No walk-ins are permitted due to COVID-19. Additionally, as a precaution to keep everyone safe, masks are required, and social distancing protocols will be followed.

    Open House locations include:

    • Blair Center
      Logan Valley Mall (Next to Macy’s)
      5580 Goods Lane, Altoona, PA 16602
      814.201.2700 | blair@pennhighlands.edu
    • Somerset Center
      Somerset County Education Center
      6024 Glades Pike, Suite 210, Somerset, PA 15501
      814.443.2500 | somerset@pennhighlands.edu

    Penn Highlands has been serving the community with quality and affordable academic options in an inclusive atmosphere since 1994.

    For additional information, contact any of the college locations directly, or call us at 1.888.385.PEAK.

  • Somerset Trust Company Donates $10,000 To The College’s Foundation

    Posted February 1, 2022 at 8:37 am

    Dr. Steve Nunez, College President, and Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, recently accepted a generous donation of $10,000 from Somerset Trust Company. The donation was presented by Mr. John Kubinsky, Vice President/Commercial Credit Officer at Somerset Trust Company.

    Mr. Kubinsky is a valued board member of the Penn Highlands Community College Foundation and actively serves on its Governance Committee. The $10,000 donation was given to support the College Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign, which funds student scholarships and student emergencies, as well as individual program and classroom needs.

    The Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign kicked off in December 2021 with a goal of raising over $30,000 to support scholarships, the student emergency fund, and faculty development. This campaign also helps to offset the College’s overall budget, in turn assisting with keeping tuition affordable for Penn Highlands Community College students.

    “We are incredibly lucky to have such a valued partner in Somerset Trust Company,” stated Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. “We share the same value and commitment to our community through education, which accelerates economic growth. Their annual commitment to all our fundraising events is unwavering, and we are extremely appreciative of their continued support of the Penn Highlands Community College Foundation.”

    The Penn Highlands Annual Giving Campaign will be raising funds through June of 2022. For more information or to donate, please click here.

    (From left to right) Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at Penn Highlands Community College; Dr. Steve Nunez, President at Penn Highlands Community College; Mr. John Kubinsky, Vice President/Commercial Credit Officer at Somerset Trust Company. Check was delivered to the College’s Foundation for the Annual Giving Campaign and was presented at Somerset Trust Company.

  • College Unveils Police Simulator & Discusses Transfer of Police Academy

    Posted January 28, 2022 at 9:00 am

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College unveiled its new police simulator to local police chiefs and personnel and local legislative officials at a luncheon that included a tour and demonstration.

    The new, state-of-the-art police simulator resides on the lower level of the College’s Richland Campus (101 Community College Way, Johnstown, PA 15904). This new technology recreates over 750 real world scenarios in a safe and controlled environment with varying responses to resistance. Its main purpose is to put officers in real-life, on the job scenarios for an optimal training experience.

    The simulator is available to rent on an hourly basis to qualified individuals and organizations. Please contact Julie Davis, Workforce Education Manager, at 814.262.3813 or jdavis@pennhighlands.edu. The cost to rent is only $85 per hour.

    In addition to showcasing the new police simulator, Penn Highlands also discussed the transfer of the Regional Police Academy from the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center to the College. The transfer of the Police Academy is slated for completion in the spring of 2022, with the first set of classes being held in the fall of 2022.

    “Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is thrilled to be operating the Johnstown Regional Police Academy,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, College President. “The College is focused on providing the residents of Cambria, Blair, Somerset, Huntingdon, and surrounding counties with high-quality opportunities to earn an Act 120 Certification to become a municipal police officer; while providing additional training opportunities for current police officers with our state-of-the-art police training simulator.”

    Robert Farinelli, Vice President of Academic Affairs, also expressed excitement for these 2022 additions.

    “Having the Johnstown Regional Police Academy housed at Penn Highlands allows the College to meet the needs of the local community by allowing students to become municipal police officers, to pursue an associate degree in criminal justice, and to provide continuing education opportunities to our local law enforcement officers,” Farinelli stated. “The police training simulator is great and will enhance the experiences of all these interested groups.”

    The Regional Police Academy is a certified unit of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (Act 120). Graduates who successfully complete the approved curriculum will be permitted to test for a Commonwealth Municipal Police Training (MPT) number, which is required of all municipal police officers in Pennsylvania. An MPT number is essential for employment in almost all basic and many related law enforcement occupations.

    For more details on all areas of training within the Police Academy, and additional contact information, visit the Police Academy online here.