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Faculty Members earn Promotion & Tenure

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College recently promoted and granted tenure to select faculty members who have, over time, demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching, advising, professional development, and service to the College and the community. Their work with students is exemplary and serves as an inspiration to students and colleagues alike.

Eligible faculty members go through a rigorous application and review process that assesses their effectiveness in full-time teaching/advising as well as service to the College, the community, and professional development.

Advancement in Rank was determined during the Board of Trustees April meeting. Tenure was determined during the Board of Trustees June meeting.

Faculty Earning Advancement In Rank:

• Dr. Robert Clark from Assistant to Associate Professor, Criminal Justice and Social Sciences. Dr. Clark holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Leadership Studies, an M.A. in the Sociology of Human Services, and a B.A. in Applied Sociology all from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Clark is active in a number of local and national criminal justice and sociological organizations and holds leadership positions in several. He has presented sessions on victim precipitation and offender responsibility at international and national conferences. Prior to his full-time appointment at the College, Dr. Clark worked in child welfare and victim services as well as the juvenile and criminal court systems in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia.
• Ms. Jeannine McDevitt from Associate Professor to Professor, English. Employed by the College since 2002, Ms. McDevitt holds the M.A. in English Literature from Purdue University and a B.A. in English from Seton Hill University. As Department Chair for English, Ms. McDevitt conducts departmental meetings, coordinates assessment, provides departmental professional development, conducts peer observations, and otherwise provides a full range of support to adjunct instructors. Ms. McDevitt also provided leadership in online teaching that advanced the College’s capacity in this important delivery mode. She has presented sessions on assessment, adjunct faculty collaboration, and connecting effectively with students at national conferences as well as locally.
• Ms. Jill Mitchell from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, Biological Sciences. Ms. Mitchell began her employment as a full-time faculty member in 2010. She holds a B.A. in Biology from IUP, a B.S. in Biology Education from IUP, and an M.A. in Science Education from Western Governor’s University. Ms. Mitchell served as Lab Manager and Program Coordinator of Biological Science. Her work in course development includes Genetics, Forensic Biology, a fully on-line Biology lecture/lab, and a new Academic and Career Planning course for first-year students. Ms. Mitchell participated in several national conferences, presented locally at an American Association of University Women’s STEM event, conducted a CSI workshop for Girl Scouts. Ms. Mitchell is active with St. David’s Lutheran Church and Conemaugh Twp. School activities.
• Ms. Tammy Calpin from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Medical Assisting Technology. Ms. Calpin began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in August 2014. She holds an M.S. in Nursing Education from IUP, a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, and Nursing and Paramedic Diplomas from Conemaugh School of Nursing. Ms. Calpin was instrumental in preparing the College’s Medical Assisting Technology program for a highly successful national accreditation visit by MAERB/CAAHEP in 2016. She contributed to the text, “Introduction to Health Professions 7th Edition” and reviewed chapters in a forthcoming Anatomy and Physiology text (Goodheart-Wilcox). Locally, Ms. Calpin assisted in the preparation of three successful Lee Initiatives grants to advance the MAT program, volunteers with the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic and the East Taylor Township Fire Department (EMS) and Scuba and Water Rescue.
• Ms. Michelle Myers-Claypole from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences. Ms. Myers-Claypole began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in August 2014. She co-published “Seasonal Activity, Density, and Collection Efficiency of the Blacklegged Tick in Mid-Western PA” in the Journal of Medical Entomology. She and students have participated in an on-going study with the United States Department of Agriculture. She is the founding faculty advisor for the Rotaract Club and served as a judge for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Regional Competition. Prior to her full-time employment with the College, she was a Veterinary Technician Instructor at the Indiana County Technology Center and held several other biology/veterinary related positions. She holds a B.S. in Pre-Veterinary Biology from Juniata and an M.S. in Biology from IUP.
• Ms. Robin Hughes from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Mathematics. Ms. Hughes began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in January 2014. Ms. Hughes holds a B.S. in Mathematics from UPJ, an MBA from St. Francis, and a M.Ed. in Math Education from Kent State. Her service to the community includes participation in the “MATHCOUNTS” program and the Technology Student Association Leadership Conference. She maintains memberships in the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC), the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (PCTM), and the Pennsylvania State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges (PSMATYC).

Faculty Earning Tenure:

• Ms. Sherri Slavick, Assistant Professor, Physical Sciences. Ms. Slavick began her career as a full-time faculty member in January 2012. Ms. Slavick holds a B.S. in Secondary Education from University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and a M.S. in Education from Lebanon Valley College. She served as a Pennsylvania Department of Education Major Program Reviewer for graduate and undergraduate programs. She also holds a Certificate of Completion from Quality Matters in “Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR)”. She maintains memberships in the Pennsylvania Science Teacher Association, American Association of University Women, and Cambria/Somerset County Safety Consortium, and Pennsylvania State Math Association of Two Year Colleges.
• Mr. Dennis Miller, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice. Mr. Miller began her career as a full-time faculty member in August 2012. Mr. Miller holds a B.A. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a M.A. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds memberships in the Community Relations Board at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Loretto, PA., the Academy of Criminal Justice Science, and the American Correction Association. Prior to his employment at the College, his professional experience included serving as a police officer, correctional treatment specialist, and hostage negotiator.

Jeanine McDevitt

Dr. Robert Clark

Sherri Slavick

Michele Myers-Claypole

Dennis Miller

Jill Mitchell

Tammy Calpin

EUT Grads hired by Penelec

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is proud to announce that Penelec (Pennsylvania Electric Company), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has hired five Penn Highlands’ graduates from the company’s utility worker training program.

The new employees were hired after graduating from the existing PSI program at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, which was reinstituted by FirstEnergy in 2014.

The new Penelec substation employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

• Clearfield – Colton Cunningham(Rouseville); Heath Wirfel (Ebensburg)
• Lewistown – Noah Kolar (South Fork); Zackary Mauk (Northern Cambria)
• Towanda – Wyatt Shuman (Rome)

PSI is an award-winning, two-year educational program originally developed by FirstEnergy in 2000 to help prepare the company’s next generation of utility line and substation workers.

The PSI students split time between courses at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College completing academic coursework, and the Penelec training facility in Richland. These graduates earned an Associate of Applied Science in Electric Utility Technology.

Since the program’s inception, FirstEnergy has hired nearly 1,500 line and substation personnel who completed PSI programs in Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

For information about how to enroll in the PSI program, call 1.800.829.6801, or visit www.firstenergycorp.com/psi. For full press release from FirstEnergy, click here.

Tuition reduced for Somerset County Residents

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has announced it will be reducing tuition costs for Somerset County students by nearly 3% to $198 per credit. This reduction lowers the full-time tuition per semester for Somerset County students to just under $3,000, at $2,970.

Pennsylvania Highlands was able to make this adjustment based on its new lease for expansion within Partner’s Hall. Working with the County Commissioners, the College agreed that the cost of the rental space was below actual market value and offered to pass those savings along to all Somerset County students.

“We want our students to earn a degree without incurring debt, and by passing our savings onto the students we are providing them with every opportunity to do just that,” said Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

The tuition and fees schedule is available on the College’s website, under the Pay for College section. Fees for 2017/2018 have not changed from the prior year.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The College’s Accelerated College Education program, which provides opportunities for high school students to earn college credits while still in high school at a low rate of $58/credit, is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partners (NACEP). Penn Highlands is one of only two colleges in the state to hold national accreditation for the program.

Fall classes begin on Monday, August 28, at each of the College’s five locations: Blair, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland, and Somerset.

HS Students from Region earn Full-Tuition Scholarship

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College would like to congratulate the outstanding work of the area high school students that were awarded the College’s Board of Trustees Academic Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to high school seniors in the region that demonstrate excellence in academics and extracurricular activities. Eligible students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 in their high school career, participate in various activities, and demonstrate leadership throughout their community.

Scholarship recipients receive a full-tuition scholarship to attend Pennsylvania Highlands Community College to complete an associate’s degree. Pennsylvania Highlands would like to honor those who will receive the 2017 Board Academic Scholarship:

• Robert Antesberger, III of Central City, PA (Johnstown Christian School)
• Hannah Bodes of Meyersdale, PA (Salisbury-Elk Lick Junior/Senior HS)
• Anthony Cornetti of Nanty Glo, PA (Blacklick Valley Junior/Senior HS)
• Alexis Day of Meyersdale, PA (Meyersdale Area HS)
• Amber McBreen of Ebensburg, PA (Cambria Heights HS)
• Matthew Milanesi of Patton, PA (Cambria Heights HS)
• Kendall Page of Windber, PA (Windber HS)
• Carly Smith of Windber, PA (Windber HS)
• Tiffaney Smith of Vintondale, PA (Blacklick Valley Junior/Senior HS)

Cambria Residents see 2017 decrease

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has set and released its tuition and fees schedule for the 2017-2018 academic year. While students outside of Cambria will see a less than 1% increase in tuition, residents of Cambria County will see a 3% decrease in tuition for the upcoming academic year.

The reduction in tuition for Cambria County Students was the result of both Penn Highlands and County Commissioners working together. “What we really want to see is students obtaining a college credential and remaining in the area to live and work,” stated President of Penn Highlands, Dr. Walter Asonevich. “Working side by side with the Cambria County Commissioners to access additional funding gives students that opportunity at the lowest possible cost which reduces student loan debt.”

Four of out of every five students that transfer from Penn Highlands attend another college or university within our region to continue their education. The savings these students realize by attending Penn Highlands first helps make this type of transition possible. Additional scholarship funding is also available to qualified graduates of Penn Highlands for students wishing to attend one of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Schools. These schools include Indiana University of Pennsylvania, California University, Slippery Rock, and Shippensburg.

“Fully funding Penn Highlands Community College is an investment in our community,” stated Commissioner Thomas Chernisky. “After graduating from Penn Highlands, 86% of Cambria County students remain in our county to further their education or enter the workforce.”

The tuition and fees schedule is available on the College’s website at www.pennhighlands.edu, under the Pay for College section. Fees for 2017/2018 have not changed from the prior year.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The College has five locations: Blair, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland, and Somerset.