Newsroom

Men’s Basketball Team Wins First Conference Title in School History

For the first time in school history, the Penn Highlands Community College Men’s Basketball team (16-8, 12-2) won the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference crown. The Black Bears defeated Westmoreland County Community College (11-17, 9-5), 94-65, on Sunday afternoon at the East Hill Recreation Gymnasium to capture the WPCC conference title. The WPCC consists of ten institutions throughout Western Pennsylvania who compete at the NJCAA level.

Facing Westmoreland for the third time this season, Penn Highlands overcame poor shooting in the first half to pull away in the second. They were led by Antonio Carter, Jr. (Toledo, OH) who had 31 points, including six three-pointers.

Westmoreland took an early 18-14 lead with ten minutes left in the first half, but Carter hit five late threes to help the Black Bears go into half time with a 42-35 lead.

“Antonio carried us in the first half while some other guys struggled shooting,” Head Coach Landon Loya said. “In the second half, everyone else caught fire, and we were off and rolling.”

With Westmoreland in foul trouble, Penn Highlands was able to pull away quickly in the second half.

Sophomore standout Tim Biakapia (Germantown, MD) collected his twenty-fourth double-double of the season with 26 points and 17 rebounds. Named the NJCAA DIII Player of the Week in early January, Biakapia came alive in the second half during his last home game for the Black Bears.

“Tim really came alive in the second half,” Loya said. “I always say about him, ‘as you go, we go’, and the rest of the team followed suit. I’m so proud of the player, and the man, that he has become in two years here.”

Rounding out the top scorers for the Black Bears were Jordan Fortson (Hagerstown, MD) with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Bryan Acosta (Miami, FL) with eight assists. Local products Hunter Thomas (Johnstown Christian) had six points, Chandler Enos (Turkeyfoot Valley) had four points, and Peyton Brown (Williamsburg) had eight rebounds.

“Our guys executed the game plan really well,” said Loya, who was named the WPCC Coach of the Year following the game. “It was a huge win in Penn Highlands history, and it was a great game played in a fantastic atmosphere. I’m happy for our fans and our players.”

Joaunn Rivers led the Wolfpack with 17 points. Kyle Carrington, Kaleb Winchester, and Ja’Kory Freeman added 13, 12, and 11 points, respectively.

Penn Highlands will advance to the Region XX Basketball Tournament on February 23^rd-25^th. They will face the Community College of Allegheny County-Boyce on Friday evening.

Richland To Host Presentation On Healthful Eating

Penn Highlands will be hosting a presentation on Healthful Eating by Claire Holzner, Field Educator for the Ethical Choices Program (ECP), on Tuesday, February 13, in the Richland Campus LGI. The ECP is a non-profit organization that offers free educational presentations that primarily address issues related to food choices and the impact of those choices on the world around us.

Attendees will learn about the connections between diet and health, discuss ways that informed dietary choices could help prevent or relieve diseases, and investigate how modern farming and agriculture practices contribute to present-day health concerns.

Claire Holzner will present at three different times, providing attendees an option:

• 10:00 – 11:00am
• 12:00 – 1:00pm
• 1:00 – 2:00pm

For more information, please contact Pennsylvania Highlands Student Activities at 814.262.6463 or studentactivities@pennhighlands.edu.

College Partners With JAHA On Revamped Johnstown Film Festival

Call for entries open now through June 30th, 2018. Johnstown Film Festival to be held on September 8th.

The Johnstown Film Festival is back after a two-year hiatus! Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and the Johnstown Area Heritage Association (JAHA) are collaborating on the revamped event, which is set for September 8, 2018.

“JAHA presented the festival from 2007-2015, and we’re delighted to bring it back in cooperation with Penn Highlands, which is going to add an exciting new student competition and education component to the festival,” said Shelley Johansson of JAHA, who has been involved with the festival since its first year.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the resurgence of the Johnstown Film Festival,” said Rick Bukoski, Assistant Professor, Communication and Media Studies at Penn Highlands. “We want to give middle, high school, and college students throughout the region an opportunity to showcase their films and learn more about filmmaking, and to be working with JAHA to create an exciting daylong event.”

The festival will feature two parts: Scene One, A Day at the Movie Studio; and Scene Two, Opening Night. Penn Highlands will present Scene One at the College’s Richland Campus, and will consist of seminars about filmmaking and student work presentations. JAHA will present Scene Two at the Heritage Discovery Center, and will be a presentation of film shorts submitted for competition as in previous years.

However, there are some changes to JAHA’s competitive portion of the festival. Entries will be limited to films that have some connection to Johnstown or western Pennsylvania – in location, theme, or by personnel involved in the production (actors, directors, producers, etc.). Submissions will be made via Withoutabox, an online platform used by film festivals all over the world, rather than the traditional method of mailing in a DVD.

“Throughout the festival’s history, we have found that films with a local connection resonated the most with our audience – so we think the change in entry guidelines is a good move. Plus, promoting the local filmmaking community is one of the main goals of the event,” Johansson explained. “We’re also excited about using Withoutabox, which will streamline the entry and judging process for us, interested filmmakers, and our judges.”

Short films of 30 minutes or less are eligible for the competitions. There is a non-refundable $15 entry fee per film, or $10 for students (filmmakers who were 18 years of age or younger at the time the film was completed.) Films of any genre will be accepted for JAHA’S Scene Two competition, while Penn Highlands’ student film competition will involve the specific theme of “Cliffhanger.” The call for entries is open now through June 30, 2018.

“Our Scene One: A Day at the Movie Studio will feature short seminars for student filmmakers, but also seminars of general interest to anyone who loves film. It is our hope patrons of the Johnstown Film Fest will kick off the day with us, then complete it with JAHA in the evening. Likewise, we hope our student participants and their families will join us in the evening for Scene Two with JAHA,” Bukoski said. “The winning student film produced by our competition will be shown at the evening event with JAHA.”

More information will be released as the date gets closer. For details on the festival, including a link to the entry portal, please visit https://www.jaha.org/events/johnstown-film-festival/call-for-entries/.

Free Workshops On Career Tips & Success Coming to Central Park

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is starting 2018 by bringing some of its Richland Campus services to residents of downtown Johnstown. The College’s new Central Park Center, located at 425 Main Street, will be hosting a series of free workshops designed to help residents take the next step and build their careers.

Led by the College’s Career Services staff, attendees will learn how to determine the best career for them, and then be equipped with the tools to gain success in their desired field. These workshops will be held throughout February:

• Feb. 6^th, 1:00pm: Major and Career Exploration. Through the power of Career Coach, find out what majors and career options are best based on your interests.

• Feb. 13^th, 11:00am: Essentials of Resume Writing. Learn the basics of resume writing from professionals. By the end, you will be able to create a quality cover letter and resume.

• Feb. 27^th, 1:00pm: Tips to ACE the Job Interview. Learn how to prepare for the interview, become familiar with different styles of interview questions, how to respond to questions, and what to do after the interview.

Each workshop will include information on the College’s Career Closet, a year-round free of charge service available to help individuals assemble professional attire for their next interview.

For more information or to RSVP for any of these workshops, please contact our Central Park Center at 814.254.4888 or centralpark@pennhighlands.edu.

Tim Biakapia Earns NJCAA Player Of The Week Honors For Second Time In His Career

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College men’s basketball forward Tim Biakapia (Northwest High School, Germantown, MD) has been named the NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week for the second time in his career.

During play last week, he averaged 33 points per game, 17.5 rebounds per game, and 3 blocked shots per game. He shot 94.1% from the free throw line. Penn Highlands won both games played (January 4th and January 6th).

“Tim is a leader that deserves all the recognition that comes his way,” stated Landon Loya, Black Bears Head Basketball Coach. “He is resourceful, has a great attitude, and is a respected teammate. Being able to coach a player like Tim is an honor, and Penn Highlands is grateful to have him.”

Tim Biakapia, a sophomore, has recorded a double-double in 13 straight games. He currently ranks in the top ten in numerous NJCAA national statistical categories including:

• 3rd in points per game
• 3rd in field goal percentage
• 4th in rebounds per game
• 4th in defensive rebounds
• 5th in points
• 6th in total rebounds
• 9th in offensive rebounds

In his collegiate career at Penn Highlands, Tim has scored 898 points, has grabbed 471 rebounds, and has a double-double in 31 of 38 games played. He was a 1st Team All-Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and 2nd Team All-Region XX in his freshman year.