Newsroom

College Finalizes Richland Campus Purchase

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is officially the owner of the Richland Campus facility, located at 101 Community College Way in Johnstown, PA, as of April 29, 2021. This is the college’s first owned property since it was established in 1994.

“We are beyond excited to own our main campus in Richland Township,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands Community College. “This purchase allows us to renovate certain areas and expand our current offerings, ensuring our students receive the quality education they deserve in a state-of-the-art learning environment.”

The Richland facility has been considered the main campus of Penn Highlands Community College since the lease began in 2007. The facility houses 101 employees and an annual average of 1,390 part-time and full-time students.

The finalized sale of the main campus building includes approximately 15 acres of property from the Richland School District for $6,000,000. The additional acreage purchase will allow Penn Highlands to expand the facility and incorporate any future programming, if needed.

“This is an exciting time for Penn Highlands Community College,” stated Lorraine Donahue, Vice President of Finance and Administration. “This marks the first time that the college has owned its own facility, and it shows the commitment we have to this region and its students.”

This purchase allows Pennsylvania Highlands Community College to further its mission, which is to provide students with affordable opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their work and day-to-day lives.

Photo is the front of our Richland Campus facility. Pictured left to right: Greg Winger, College Board of Trustees Chairperson; Dr. Steve Nunez, College President; Lorraine Donahue, College Vice President of Finance and Administration.

Photo includes Dr. Steve Nunez (left) and Lorraine Donahue (right) signing the paperwork in the Richland Campus Board Room to finalize the deal.

Penn Highlands Strengthens Ties With Pitt-Johnstown Through Expanded Transfer Agreement

Students interested in completing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Pitt-Johnstown) will now benefit from an expanded transfer agreement between Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Students at Penn Highlands can easily transfer to Pitt-Johnstown in a number of programs now through this expanded 2+2 agreement. This means that Penn Highlands’ graduates can start as a junior at UPJ within the 29 program pathways listed below. By leveraging this expanded agreement, students in our area can save money without losing their college credits. Enrollment for the fall 2021 semester is currently underway.

There are now 29 program pathways included in this expanded agreement. The original agreement had only 17 program pathways. The complete list is as follows:

• Accounting, A.A.S. to Accounting, B.S. (Financial)
• Accounting, A.A.S. to Accounting, B.S. (Managerial)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Finance, B.S. (Certified Financial Analyst)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Finance, B.S. (General)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Information Systems, B.S. (Business)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Management, B.S. (General)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Management, B.S. (Healthcare)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Management, B.S. (Human Resources)
• Business Administration, A.S. to Marketing, B.S.
• Computer Science, A.S. to Computer Science, B.S. (Applied Track)
• Computer Science, A.S. to Computer Sciences, B.S. (Standard Track)
• Criminal Justice, A.A.S. to Criminal Justice, B.S.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Communication, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Creative Writing, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Early Childhood Education, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Economics, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to English Literature B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Environmental Science, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Geography, B.S.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to History, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Journalism, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Philosophy & Literature, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Political Science, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Professional Writing, B.A.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Sociology, B.S.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, A.A. to Theatre, B.A.
• Psychology, A.A. to Psychology, B.S.
• Social Work, A.A. to Psychology, B.S.
• Social Work, A.A. to Sociology, B.S.

“Penn Highlands couldn’t be more excited to strengthen our already excellent partnership with Pitt-Johnstown by offering these additional program pathways,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. “Our two institutions work tirelessly to give local students more access to a post-secondary education and to improve the transferability of Penn Highlands courses to Pitt-Johnstown.”

“These programs represent a range of majors across Pitt-Johnstown, and they were developed to improve access and transferability for community college students wishing to complete a baccalaureate degree at Pitt-Johnstown,” said Dr. Janet Grady, Pitt-Johnstown’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We are very excited to work with our neighbors at Penn Highlands and fellow educators to increase the range and quality of options for baccalaureate degree completion within our region.”

Dr. Grady continued, “We look forward to welcoming even more Penn Highlands Community College students to Pitt-Johnstown.”

Click here to learn more about this agreement on Transfer Central.

College To Host The Science of Food Event, Part Of Remake Learning Days

After a most challenging year for education, Remake Learning Days of Central PA (RLDAA) launches this spring, joining over 17 national regions with family-friendly learning events designed to engage caregivers, parents, and kids around the country. RLDAA is an interactive national festival that will take place in Pennsylvania between May 6-16, 2021 and will host over 40+ programs in a partnership with ENGINE of Central PA STEM Learning Ecosystem. The events are designed for kids of all ages to help develop their sense of creativity, perseverance, and curiosity.

In doing its part for the community, Penn Highlands Community College and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown have partnered and will be at Central Park hosting The Science of Food event on Saturday, May 8th, from 10 AM to 2 PM. The Penn Highlands Central Park Center is located at 425 Main Street in downtown Johnstown. This event is free and for all ages.

This local event, The Science of Food, is designed for parents and caregivers to learn alongside their kids and offer relevant and engaging educational experiences for youth of all ages (pre-K through high school).

Take a bite out of science during this event, where it will encourage you to play with your food! Through many rich STEM activities, participants will explore the following:

• Chemical reactions of food in culinary concoctions
• Fermentation experiments
• Discovering the biology of tastebuds
• Extraction of DNA in foods
• Growing your own food
• Making ice cream
• Candy chromatography

Each station will include hands-on activities for participants and may include takeaways, perfect for the budding chef, scientist, chemist, or anyone who likes to eat!

“Remake Learning Days is such a great opportunity to elevate all the great things that are happening throughout Central Pennsylvania across many amazing organizations, especially as we end a very hard year on us all,” says Amanda Smith, Director of K-12 Engagement and Assistant Professor of Education at Penn State University, and Executive Director of ENGINE of Central Pa. “This is a great way to end this academic year on a high note and celebrate and support innovative learning with our youth and families.”

Click here for a complete list of events and registration information. 

About Remake Learning Days Across America
It is led by Remake Learning (RL), a network that ignites engaging, relevant, and equitable learning practices in support of young people navigating rapid social and technological change. National partners of RLDAA include PBS Kids, Digital Promise, Common Sense Media, Learning Heroes, and Noggin. RLDAA is generously supported by The Grable Foundation, The Hewlett Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Ford Foundation. Visit remakelearning.org for more information or follow RL on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For more information specifically on Remake Learning Days Across America, visit remakelearningdays.org or follow RLDAA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the hashtag #RemakeDays.

About ENGINE of Central PA, a STEM Learning Ecosystem
A project of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, fiscal agent, ENGINE of Central PA is one of the few university-led ecosystems to bring meaningful STEM research and innovations to K-12 education. Led by Penn State University, with an executive team of Intermediate Units, business/industry, and science centers/museums, and collaborations with community partners and organizations, our network builds a community of lifelong learners that promotes equitable access to meaningful transdisciplinary experiences. We strive to empower youth living and working in our region to be innovative problem-solvers, ready to succeed in the careers of tomorrow. ENGINE of Central PA is comprised of the following counties in Pennsylvania impacting over 160,000 students and 11,000 educators: Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, and Schuylkill. For more information, visit https://www.enginecentralpa.org/.

Penn Highlands & SNHU Expand Transfer Agreement To Now Include 8 Pathways

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College (Penn Highlands) and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) recently expanded their articulation agreement to now include eight transfer pathway options. The most recent addition includes the transfer of credits from an associate degree in Social Work to a bachelor’s degree in Human Services.

Graduates of Penn Highlands will receive a 10% tuition discount for Southern New Hampshire University programs and courses included in the agreement. In addition, there is no application fee.

The updated agreement expands on options already in place. It allows graduates from Penn Highlands Community College to transfer up to 90 credits into a corresponding bachelor’s degree program at Southern New Hampshire University.

Current articulation agreements in place between the two institutions include:

• Criminal Justice (A.A.S.) to Criminal Justices (B.S.)
• Business Administration (A.S.) to Business Administration (B.S.)
• Business Administration (A.S.) to Business Administration/Organizational Leadership Concentration (B.S.)
• Information Technology (A.A.S.) to Information Technology (B.S.)
• Pre-Health Professions (A.S.) to General Studies (B.A.)
• Pre-Health Professions (A.S) to Health Care Administration (B.S.)
• Psychology (A.A.) to Psychology (B.A.)
• Social Work (A.A.) to Human Services (B.A.)

“Our responsibility as a community college is to identify and secure quality transfer agreements for our students, which will allow them to earn a bachelor’s degree more easily once they transfer from Penn Highlands,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands Community College. “Transfer agreements like this one with SNHU do just that. They help provide more options for students in our region.”

To learn more about this agreement, visit our Transfer Central page.

About Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution with an 88-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 170,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as the “Most Innovative” regional university by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high-quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner. Learn more at www.snhu.edu.

New Culinary Arts Degree Coming This Fall

Beginning with the Fall 2021 semester, the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Somerset Center will be adding a Culinary Arts program to its diverse list of academic offerings.

Culinary Arts (A.A.S.) is an associate degree program that prepares students for entry-level and management positions in the food service industry. The curriculum offers a foundation in general business management with a focus on culinary skills, including baking and pastry.

“Culinary Arts was offered in response to local needs in hospitality,” stated Robert Farinelli, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “It is built to appeal to both students new to culinary, as well as to those who may have some previous experience. Classes will be offered in the late afternoon/early evening hours during the week.”

In addition to classroom and food laboratory experience, students are required to complete a supervised internship with cooperating local resorts, restaurants, and food service facilities. Course work is supplemented by practical experience arranged through these internships. Each student is expected to complete an internship of 405 hours.

“The Culinary Arts degree program was developed with the assistance of the staff at the Somerset County Career and Technology Center,” added Farinelli. “We are very excited to work with them on this new opportunity for the region. This is a strong partnership that will only grow.”

Culinary Arts and fall classes in Somerset start August 23rd. Registration is now open.