Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be holding a Culinary Arts Information Session on Tuesday, August 10th, from 5:30pm – 6:30pm. This session will take place at the Somerset County Technology Center (281 Technology Drive, Somerset, PA 15501).
Attendees will learn about the College’s new Culinary Arts program, tour the Somerset County Technology Center to see where hands-on training takes place, explore financial aid options, and more. Individuals will have the opportunity to complete an admissions application on-site.
The Culinary Arts (A.A.S.) associate degree program prepares students for entry-level and management positions in the food service industry. These courses offer a foundation in general business management with a focus on culinary skills, including baking and pastry.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be holding Discovery Day on Thursday, August 5th, from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
Learn about Penn Highlands and its opportunities, including degree and certificate programs, transfer options, athletics and clubs, financial aid, and more. Campus tours will be provided. Individuals will have the opportunity to complete an admissions application on-site.
Individuals are encouraged to RSVP; however, walk-ins are also welcome. Attendees will have the opportunity to receive college apparel.
I had lived in either Illinois or Virginia for my entire life before I moved to Pennsylvania in early 2020. While I was very excited about starting my new role at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, I was nervous because I was moving to Pennsylvania alone and leaving behind my entire support system of friends and family.
I thought when I got here that it was important mentally and emotionally for me to immediately connect with new people, find new mentors, and develop new friendships. I’ve been blessed to connect with so many good people since the move.
Being a community college president in Pennsylvania is like being a member of a very small social club – there are only 15 of us. But as I have come to know them, I’ve realized that some of the brightest minds in higher education are presidents at our Pennsylvania community colleges.
We are lucky to have such talented educational leaders in Pennsylvania.
I have had more than one of them reach out to me during my first 18 months at Penn Highlands. Nick Neupauer was one of the first. President at Butler County Community College (BC3) for 14 years, Dr. Neupauer has provided and continues to provide me with straightforward, commonsense, and smart advice. He and I have chatted several times, and each time I come away feeling better.
He just has one of those personalities. He’s easy to talk to, open, quick to laugh, and genuinely a nice guy.
I had a chance to talk with him more in-depth recently, using my superpowers to extract, selfishly, as much knowledge from him as I possibly could, and what impressed me the most was his understanding and devotion to the community college mission of providing affordable, accessible, and quality educational opportunities to the communities we serve.
He believes, as do I, that education is one of the best ways to change and improve a person’s life, and he fully embraces the community college “open door” concept with a focus to remain affordable to all constituents.
As we chatted, Nick continuously brought our conversation back to “service” – to his students and communities.
While being president inhibits him from regular, direct interaction with students, he stated that his focus – every single day – is on students and their successes. He’s particularly focused on providing students with an excellent return on their educational investment and keeping student loan debt low.
Nick said that if students can graduate from his college with a meaningful credential and little to no debt, they will be set up for professional success. Community colleges can provide that pathway, just as it did for his own two daughters.
Some predict that, over the next several decades, many higher education institutions will close or merge with other institutions as our population demographics evolve. However, Neupauer believes that community colleges, focused on their mission of providing affordable, accessible, and quality education will become even more important and necessary because of their value and because of their “ROI.”
Regardless, I certainly feel more confident about the future of community colleges when I speak with education leaders such as Neupauer who care so much about students and the communities we live in.
Thanks for your mentorship, Nick.
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.
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Penn Highlands Community College recently received an additional 1.8 million dollars for direct student aid from the Higher Education Relief Fund III. To date, Penn Highlands has already awarded over $880,000 directly to students impacted by the pandemic during the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters.
Penn Highlands Community College will disperse the additional COVID-19 relief funding to enrolled students for the Summer 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022 semesters.
All enrolled for-credit students are eligible for COVID-19 relief payments. No Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to receive the relief funds; however, students that show exceptional need based upon their FAFSA status will be prioritized. Special consideration will be awarded to Pell Grant eligible recipients in the overall funding formula, which will be calculated for each student.
All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA and contact the Penn Highlands Financial Aid Office to discuss how their current financial situation may or may not have changed due to the pandemic. These relief funds are designed for anyone who has put off their education due to a loss of income or insufficient childcare options as a direct result of the pandemic, to name a few.
“Penn Highlands is here to help our student population, whether it is earning an associate degree or certificate, or just taking a few classes to upskill their current job,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands Community College. “These COVID-19 relief funds are beneficial as they help our students overcome barriers caused by the pandemic, such as covering the cost of tuition and books, or other educational needs.”
In addition to COVID-19 relief funds, Penn Highlands also offers over 20 scholarships for each academic year, as well as payment plans designed to assist a student’s individual needs.
Our fall semester starts this August, and enrollment is currently underway. Click here for details.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will continue its commitment to academic excellence this fall with the introduction of an Honors Program.
The Honors Program will allow students to explore cultural and societal issues through new, distinct, and challenging academic programming opportunities. Students in the Honors Program will encounter enhanced experiential learning, seminars, interdisciplinary research, and community-engaged service projects.
Honors students’ classes employ a collaborative and cross-disciplinary research approach. These courses are designed to fulfill core and major requirements across a variety of academic majors. Additionally, these students will be challenged to think creatively and critically both inside and outside of the traditional classroom.
“This Honors Program will provide students with an academic experience enriched by working with faculty on projects that are of interest universally across all settings,” stated Robert Farinelli, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Penn Highlands Community College. “Students will leave with an academic resume that they can take as they transfer or enter the workforce.”
The Honors Program is a testament to the quality and strong educational foundation Penn Highlands offers students throughout the region. This new distinction allows Penn Highlands to recognize and expand opportunities for the highest achieving students. Penn Highlands believes the new designation will add prestige to current degrees, while enhancing current programming to create motivated life-long learners.
The Penn Highlands Community College Honors Program is open to all current and incoming students in any academic program. Academically talented and ambitious students are encouraged to apply to be a part of the inaugural class.
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. 
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will continue its commitment to academic excellence this fall with the introduction of an Honors Program.