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  • Jeff Dick Named Cross Country Head Coach

    Posted November 2, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    Jeff Dick, of Mineral Point, has been named the Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Cross Country at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

    Mr. Dick will be responsible for the organization and direction of the College’s NJCAA, Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country program. For the past six years, Jeff has been the Assistant Cross Country Coach at Central Cambria High School where he specialized in new runner development and training schedules. During his time at Central Cambria, his boys team won six LHAC Titles and six District 6 AA titles. His girls team won five LHAC Titles, five District 6 AA titles, and a state championship in 2018.

    “We are thrilled to have Jeff lead our young program,” stated Sue Brugh, Director of Student Activities and Athletics. “We are eager for him to recruit runners who will be able to thrive as a Black Bear and beyond while building our program supporting the mission of the NJCAA.”

    Penn Highlands is a chartered National Junior College Athletic Association member college, competing in Region XX, and a part of the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference.

    Individual runners from Pennsylvania Highlands have qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament each of the past three years: Maddie Sprankle (Johnstown), Erica Kovalik (Forest Hills), and Landon Ridgeway (Paw Paw, WV).

  • The American Way

    Posted at 9:29 am

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

    Last weekend, while I was visiting my mother in beautiful southwest Virginia, she showed me a newspaper clipping of my very first newspaper editorial. At the time, I was a graduate student at Virginia Tech, and my editorial was written as a rebuttal to an author who I considered to be close-minded and bigoted. My mother beamed with pride even though that letter was published more than 30 years ago. However, I was a little embarrassed by the brashness of that young fellow with little life experience but seemingly all the answers.

    On my drive back to Pennsylvania, I found myself thinking about that letter and this upcoming election – which seems to be even more divisive and combative than normal.

    I’m not a poet, nor a philosopher, but I’ve read enough and lived enough to know that our country has had turbulent moments. Examples include, just in the past 100 years or so, the Spanish flu of 1918, World War II, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It is estimated that the Spanish flu may have killed more than 600,000 Americans. Armies and air forces of the allied nations, including members of the U.S. armed forces, overcame the aggression of the German and Japanese empires in the 1940s. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s improved but did not solve racial tensions and inequities in our country. And, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 made us feel truly vulnerable for the first time since the threat of nuclear catastrophe during the Cold War.

    What traits of our people bound us together to see the country through the worst of times? We, as Americans, are optimistic almost to a fault. We are creative and inventive. We have the courage to do what is right, fair, and equitable. And we can do the hard work to meet any challenge.

    However, the wisdom of that former 22-year-old graduate student at Virginia Tech still echoes in my mind; we must also avoid the trap of bigotry and close-mindedness.

    To me, that is a crucial trait that has made America “America” – our ability to listen and respect the viewpoints of others – to not judge the motives and patriotism of those that see the world differently.

    Neither Republicans nor Democrats (nor any other political party) have a monopoly on patriotism, and while we may disagree on many issues, ultimately, we are all Americans.

    Please, do your patriotic duty and vote for the candidates of your choice on Tuesday or before. And then afterward, remember that we are all Americans who love our country – the “United” States of America.

    See you at Penn Highlands.

    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. 

  • Delivering Free Grant Workshops Through Partnership With JARI

    Posted October 28, 2020 at 11:47 am

    Career Services and Workforce Development at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, with support from JARI through the Supporting Learning Communities grant program, recently completed two workshops in September and October on communications and diversity that successfully assisted 38 total participants.

    The first workshop discussed communication skills, helping to improve the level of professionalism amongst co-workers. The second workshop discussed diversity in the workplace, allowing employees to let their guards down and build healthy business relationships.

    The overall objective of the Supporting Learning Communities grant is to provide individuals with resources to access education programs, leading to careers that pay family sustaining wages and offer opportunities for career advancement.

    “This grant program will help make a long-term impact on local individuals, families, and the region’s economy,” stated Debi Balog, Director of Workforce Development at JARI. “Building up our current and future workforce, that’s the vision for this program.”

    The grant provides both pre-employment and workforce training. Pre-employment training provides soft skills and digital literacy training courses for job seekers and those seeking career advancement. Workforce training provides relevant group training for incumbent workers in need of “middle skills” upgrades.

    Additional free workshops are coming in November and December. These cover Time Management and Zoom Basics, and are currently registering participants. More workshops are in the works for early 2021 and beyond.

    “We are excited to be the provider of these ongoing, timely, and essential career readiness workshops for Cambria and Somerset County residents,” stated Larry Brugh, Dean of Career Services and Workforce Development at Penn Highlands Community College. “The generosity of an anonymous donation made it possible for this grant program to offer this training at no cost to the participants.”

    “In addition to serving our residents with pre-employment training topics, we are able to implement career advancement education for our middle-skilled incumbent employees from regional businesses. We look forward to working in collaboration with our JARI colleagues and regional industry partners.”

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has been serving the area with inclusive workforce training needs since 1994.

  • Ribbon Cutting Held For Re-Opening of Ebensburg Center

    Posted October 26, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    College officials and members of the Board of Trustees were joined by Senator Wayne Langerholc, Jr. and Amy Bradley, President of the Cambria Regional Chamber, to celebrate the recent renovations and re-opening of the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Ebensburg Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, October 26th. This event was held along at 881 Hills Plaza Drive, along Route 22 in Ebensburg, PA.

    Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands, and Senator Wayne Langerholc, Jr. spoke to those in attendance. Bradley then presented the College with a plaque to mark the occasion.

    Renovations at the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Ebensburg Center include changes that “right-sized” the facility to create a more useable, inclusive workspace better equipped to ensure future success for students. These changes include a new student lounge, a work room for Education students to create their projects, and a new crime scene lab for Criminal Justice students.

    This major update also included new outdoor signage, providing a visible and vibrant display to those traveling on Route 22. And, in early 2021, new furnishings are set to be delivered and placed in the facility.

    In addition to the ribbon cutting, tours of the updated facility were provided to those in attendance.

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has been at its current location in Ebensburg on Route 22 since 2004. In total, Penn Highlands has been serving the region since 1994.

  • In-Person Open House Scheduled For November 11th & 12th

    Posted October 15, 2020 at 9:45 am

    Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be holding an in-person Open House at its facilities on Wednesday, November 11th, and Thursday, November 12th. Prospective students and their guest may choose from one of five sessions to attend:

    • November 11th: 2pm or 4pm
    • November 12th: 2pm, 4pm, or 6pm

    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 2021-2022 tuition voucher, good for a $250 discount, if they complete a survey while in attendance.

    To attend, individuals must RSVP by clicking here.

    No walk-ins are permitted due to COVID-19. Additionally, as pre-cautions 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 proudly 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.