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Somerset Trust Donates $20,000 To College Foundation

The Somerset Trust Company generously donated $20,000 to the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation, aimed at strengthening the College’s Educational Income Tax Credit (EITC) fund.

The donation will enable the bank (based in Somerset, PA) and other institutions to support educational causes offered by the College. With Penn Highlands also applying for and maintaining its EITC status, the donation will help allow the College to offer classes at a reduced price for its dual enrollment students through the Accelerated College Education program.

“We are very grateful for Somerset Trust Company’s continued generosity towards our college and our students,” stated Carole VanMeter, Director of the Foundation. “”They are supporting a valuable program that attracted over 1,100 students from 53 school districts last year, and it continues to experience growth.”

The EITC program empowers high school students to enroll in college-level courses, allowing them to earn credits and explore the opportunities that Penn Highlands can provide for their future careers. This is the second contribution Somerset Trust Company has made to the College’s EITC fund, joining a donation made in 2023.

“Somerset Trust Company is pleased to support the community-focused, educational mission of Penn Highlands,” stated John Kubinsky, Somerset Trust Company Vice President and Commercial Credit Officer. “The College is a valued asset to our area. Its degrees and programs support the region’s ongoing economic and workforce needs.”

The EITC Program received $17,000 in funds in 2023. This allowed the College to award more than 7,000 credits at a discounted rate to over 2,000 participating students in the past year.

The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation is grateful to the Somerset Trust Company for its donations and continuous partnership.

Check being given to the College Foundation at the Richland Campus. Left to right: Carole VanMeter, Director of the Foundation; Nancy D’Aniello, Director of Education and Training Solutions at Concurrent Technologies Corporation; Traci Naugle, Attorney at Forr, Stokan, Huff, Kormanski & Naugle; Jeffrey Wood, President of the Pennsylvania Highlands Foundation Board of Directors; Steve Nunez, Pennsylvania Highlands President; John Kubinsky, Somerset Trust Company Vice President/Commercial Credit Officer; Ed Porada, Foundation Board Secretary; David Mordan, Foundation Board Vice President (May 2023).