Newsroom

Blair Center To Offer Substance Abuse & Addiction Technician Certificate

Beginning with the Spring 2020 semester, the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Blair Center is adding the Substance Abuse and Addiction Technician program to its already diverse list of academic offerings.

Substance Abuse and Addiction Technician is an 18-credit certificate that enables graduates to work in an entry-level position in the varied field of addiction treatment. Students will be introduced to the effects that substance abuse and chemical dependency have on society; and gain an understanding of what addiction is, the different drugs that are used, how to work with those who have physical and psychological addictions, the various types of treatment, and counseling approaches.

“We are excited to launch the Substance Abuse and Addiction Technician program in Blair County,” stated Chris Farrell, Director of the Penn Highlands Blair Center. “In speaking with industry professionals, we are finding that not only is it a great way to start your career in having an impact on addiction and substance abuse, it is also a great way for established social workers to sharpen their skills in this specific area.”

This program may be completed at Penn Highlands Blair, located in the Logan Valley Mall. For additional information on the Substance Abuse and Addiction Technician program or other opportunities in Blair, please contact Penn Highlands Blair at 814.201.2700 or blair@pennhighlands.edu.

Family Day To Include Free Activities, Games, And More

Homecoming 2019 at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will take place the week of September 16^th through 21^st. Throughout the week, there will be various activities for students and employees.

Student clubs and organizations will host “Spirit Week” on Monday through Friday at each of the College’s five locations in Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties.

Homecoming 2019 will culminate with Family Day on Saturday, September 21, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Family Day, which is open to the community, will include free family-friendly activities:

• interactive inflatables
• games
• temporary tattoos
• build-a-bear (while supplies last)
• wax hands
• picnic lunch
• and more!

This year marks the College’s 25^th Anniversary. We will be holding celebratory events throughout the year at our locations and in the community. All students, parents, alumni, and other supporters will be invited to engage and commemorate this milestone. The anniversary will culminate with Commencement, celebrating our 25^th Graduating Class in May 2020.

Downtown Services To Be Showcased At Open House

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be holding an Open House to showcase its downtown services on Wednesday, September 25, from 1pm to 3pm. It will be held at the Penn Highlands Central Park Center, located at 425 Main Street in downtown Johnstown, PA.

Representatives from three areas of Penn Highlands will be on-hand to help you discover the benefits of attending college and Penn Highlands, the region’s premier two-year collegiate experience.

College representatives will be available to help community members become aware of the academic programs that meet the needs of our diverse community, and understand what the Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program entails. KEYS is a collaborative program between the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) and all PA Community Colleges, and is designed to assist recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) attend community college and ensure the successful completion of the students’ courses.

Additionally, the College will have a walk-in Career Closet available for those in need of professional attire for interviews or job fairs. A limited supply of gently used professional wear will be on-hand at no cost. Options include dress shirts, blazers, jackets, pants, shoes, and more.

For more information, please contact one of these three offices:

• Admissions: 814.262.6446 or admissions@pennhighlands.edu
• Career Services: 814.262.3850 or careerservices@pennhighlands.edu
• KEYS: 814.262.6420 or keys@pennhighlands.edu

New Alma Mater Unveiled; Competition Winner Announced

Written in the key of G with accompanying guitar chords, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College now has an updated alma mater:

Gary Boast, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research and Assessment

Nestled in the Allegheny Highlands is our home.
Integrity and excellence, these values here are grown.
Education, our foundation, answering the call.
Service to communities, opportunity for all!
Fellow scholars, new found friends, we Black Bears roar and sing.
Gathered here in harmony and echoed from the peak –
Penn Highlands, hail to thee!

Gary Boast, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research and Assessment, has been named the winner of the Penn Highlands Alma Mater Competition as a part of the College’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Boast, along with his son Matthew (York, PA) and family friend David Burns (Philadelphia, PA), wanted to pen a piece that reflected the passion and focus of the students and staff at Penn Highlands.

“I originally compiled a list of words that were basically what I would experience in meetings or in reading about the Penn Highlands experience,” Boast said. “We arranged them into lyrics as a group, hoping that they would be an updated take on the original Alma Mater.”

The group spent one weekend laying out the first iteration of the piece, and they reworked it over a period of a few weeks before submitting a finalized version.

“I just happened to be with my son and his friend,” Boast said. “We were near recording equipment, so we spent the weekend working on it. That happened shortly after the competition was announced, and we liked what came out of it.”

An Alma Mater serves as the anthem or official song of a school or university. They tend to be serious; however, Boast wanted the new piece to have a more modern musical score – one that can be played on a myriad of instruments.

“We were going for more happy and positive rather than formal,” stated Boast.

Members of the College community voted among two finalists’ submissions last spring through the College’s governance structure. Students, faculty, staff, and administration unanimously voted for Boast’s submission to be adopted as the new Alma Mater.

Asked about how he felt after winning the contest, Boast was not only ecstatic that their hard work had paid off, but he was very happy that the song was adopted as a group rather than simply forced on others.

“We were aiming for something that would reflect the pride that we have in Penn Highlands, and we were looking for something that could be easily remembered and catchy,” Boast said.

“Hopefully, it can become a part of the tradition at Penn Highlands. We are very happy that the students, faculty, and staff all voted for it.”

The new Alma Mater has already been officially approved by the College’s Board of Trustees. Boast will be recognized at the College’s 2019 Convocation Ceremony, as the College celebrates their 25th anniversary year.

Cambria County College Fair Happening In September

The 17th Annual Cambria County College Fair, sponsored by Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, will be held on Tuesday, September 10th, at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center. This year’s College Fair will take place from 8:30am to 11am, with students attending from across the region.

The mission of the College Fair is to promote higher education and future opportunities to not only high school students and their families, but to the public as well. The Cambria County College Fair helps local community members find and discover the many educational and career opportunities that are right in their back yard.

Numerous high schools are taking part, including Blacklick Valley, Conemaugh Township, Conemaugh Valley, Ferndale, Forest Hills, Johnstown, Portage, Richland, Westmont, Windber, and more.

Colleges and universities from all over the state of Pennsylvania will be on-hand to meet with and assist guests regarding their educational and career needs. With so many institutions attending, there is something for everyone: technical schools, business colleges, cosmetology schools and universities, branches of the military, banks, local businesses, and more.

The Cambria County College Fair is here to inform our community of educational opportunities; please take part or stop by. The College Fair is happening on Tuesday, September 10th. Be a part of something special and help us promote this community event to make it a great success.

For more details, contact Penn Highlands Community College at 1.888.385.PEAK or by emailing Daun Boyle, Assistant to the Vice President of Student Services, at dboyle@pennhighlands.edu. Penn Highlands Community College is always available online at www.pennhighlands.edu.