Newsroom

Somerset Trust Company Donates $10,000 To The College’s Foundation

Dr. Steve Nunez, College President, and Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, recently accepted a generous donation of $10,000 from Somerset Trust Company. The donation was presented by Mr. John Kubinsky, Vice President/Commercial Credit Officer at Somerset Trust Company.

Mr. Kubinsky is a valued board member of the Penn Highlands Community College Foundation and actively serves on its Governance Committee. The $10,000 donation was given to support the College Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign, which funds student scholarships and student emergencies, as well as individual program and classroom needs.

The Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign kicked off in December 2021 with a goal of raising over $30,000 to support scholarships, the student emergency fund, and faculty development. This campaign also helps to offset the College’s overall budget, in turn assisting with keeping tuition affordable for Penn Highlands Community College students.

“We are incredibly lucky to have such a valued partner in Somerset Trust Company,” stated Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. “We share the same value and commitment to our community through education, which accelerates economic growth. Their annual commitment to all our fundraising events is unwavering, and we are extremely appreciative of their continued support of the Penn Highlands Community College Foundation.”

The Penn Highlands Annual Giving Campaign will be raising funds through June of 2022. For more information or to donate, please click here.

(From left to right) Kathy Morrell, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at Penn Highlands Community College; Dr. Steve Nunez, President at Penn Highlands Community College; Mr. John Kubinsky, Vice President/Commercial Credit Officer at Somerset Trust Company. Check was delivered to the College’s Foundation for the Annual Giving Campaign and was presented at Somerset Trust Company.

College Unveils Police Simulator & Discusses Transfer of Police Academy

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College unveiled its new police simulator to local police chiefs and personnel and local legislative officials at a luncheon that included a tour and demonstration.

The new, state-of-the-art police simulator resides on the lower level of the College’s Richland Campus (101 Community College Way, Johnstown, PA 15904). This new technology recreates over 750 real world scenarios in a safe and controlled environment with varying responses to resistance. Its main purpose is to put officers in real-life, on the job scenarios for an optimal training experience.

The simulator is available to rent on an hourly basis to qualified individuals and organizations. Please contact Julie Davis, Workforce Education Manager, at 814.262.3813 or jdavis@pennh.25comm.com. The cost to rent is only $85 per hour.

In addition to showcasing the new police simulator, Penn Highlands also discussed the transfer of the Regional Police Academy from the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center to the College. The transfer of the Police Academy is slated for completion in the spring of 2022, with the first set of classes being held in the fall of 2022.

“Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is thrilled to be operating the Johnstown Regional Police Academy,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, College President. “The College is focused on providing the residents of Cambria, Blair, Somerset, Huntingdon, and surrounding counties with high-quality opportunities to earn an Act 120 Certification to become a municipal police officer; while providing additional training opportunities for current police officers with our state-of-the-art police training simulator.”

Robert Farinelli, Vice President of Academic Affairs, also expressed excitement for these 2022 additions.

“Having the Johnstown Regional Police Academy housed at Penn Highlands allows the College to meet the needs of the local community by allowing students to become municipal police officers, to pursue an associate degree in criminal justice, and to provide continuing education opportunities to our local law enforcement officers,” Farinelli stated. “The police training simulator is great and will enhance the experiences of all these interested groups.”

The Regional Police Academy is a certified unit of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (Act 120). Graduates who successfully complete the approved curriculum will be permitted to test for a Commonwealth Municipal Police Training (MPT) number, which is required of all municipal police officers in Pennsylvania. An MPT number is essential for employment in almost all basic and many related law enforcement occupations.

For more details on all areas of training within the Police Academy, and additional contact information, visit the Police Academy online here.

Police Academy Finds New Home At Penn Highlands

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

There are some things you take for granted in life. You just assume that your water will flow when you turn on the shower.

You just assume that January will bring snow to the Johnstown area, and that Fox News and CNN are going to have diametrically opposed coverage of every political issue.

And, you just assume that in the case of an emergency, first responders will be there quickly to deal with the chaos of the moment and in some cases to save the lives of your friends and family.

Unfortunately, there is a labor shortage for most first responders in Pennsylvania including paramedics, firefighters, EMTs, and police officers. The underlying reasons for that are complex. In some cases, people are less interested in entering those professional fields.

Ten years ago, when I was at another community college in Illinois, criminal justice was one of the top three majors at the college – behind nursing and radiology. Today, that same program is struggling, with only a small number of students enrolled.

County commissioners, borough council members, and local state legislators within the College’s service area regularly mention the shortage of qualified first responders – and yet, many training programs have more capacity.

While I don’t have all the answers, Penn Highlands will continue to do its part. It was with great pride that we announced that the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) approved the transfer of the Johnstown Regional Police Academy to the management of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

We believe that there will be great synergy between our existing two-year criminal justice degree program, our state-of-the-art police training simulator, and the management and operation of a regional police academy.

The College’s service region is quite broad and extends across Cambria, Blair, Somerset, Huntingdon, and other counties. We already offer a multitude of services and programs across this region.

We believe our regional approach will help attract interested cadets who want to be police officers or attract current police officers who need annual requisite training.

Also, many police departments prefer or even require, that their officers have a minimum of a two-year college degree – which Penn Highlands already offers in criminal justice.

Penn Highlands has become a one-stop shop for training police officers. What an exciting time to be working at the College.

Personnel are working diligently to offer the first police academy class sometime in the fall. If you have any questions about the police academy, please search our website at pennhighlands.edu for the latest updates.

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.

College Appoints New Board of Trustee Member

Image of Leah Spangler.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Leah Spangler to its Board of Trustees.

“I’m very pleased with the appointment of Dr. Spangler to the Pennsylvania Highlands Board of Trustees,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands Community College. “She has a proven track record of supporting and recognizing the positive impact of education on our community. I look forward to working with her to advance the mission of the College.”

Dr. Leah Spangler is the founding President and CEO of The Learning Lamp and Ignite Education Solutions, a Johnstown-based nonprofit that works with schools and community organizations to provide all children with the support they need to succeed. She is also an adjunct professor at Saint Francis University and Mount Aloysius College, where she teaches entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, and strategic management. A graduate of Temple and Northwestern Universities, she completed her doctorate in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University.

The new trustee position fills the vacancy of Dr. Kathy O’Rourke, who retired her position in December of 2021. Dr. O’Rourke was on the Penn Highlands Community College Trustee Board for 12 years as a valued advisor on the Academic Affairs and Student Services Committee.

“The Board is pleased Dr. Spangler has made the commitment to our Pennsylvania Highlands Community College stakeholders,” stated Greg Winger, Board of Trustees Chairperson at Penn Highlands Community College. “Dr. Spangler brings years of educational expertise and community leadership. We look forward to her contributions and talents serving with our fellow Trustees.”

In addition to the announcement of Dr. Leah Spangler as a new Trustee, three existing trustees were approved for six-year term reappointments by the Cambria County Commissioners:

• Mr. Greg Winger
• Dr. Janet Grady
• Mr. Alan Cashaw

About Pennsylvania Highlands Community College (pennh.25comm.com)
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has served over 60,000 community members throughout western Pennsylvania, including the Laurel Highlands and Southern Alleghenies regions. Offering over 35 degree, certificate, and diploma programs in seven unique pathways, Penn Highlands has the highest graduation rate of all Pennsylvania community colleges.

Sheetz Partners With Penn Highlands To Offer Tuition Discounts

A new partnership between Penn Highlands Community College and Sheetz, Inc., a well-established locally owned convenience store chain, will offer education benefits and tuition discounts to its qualified employees. This initiative is designed to help regional Sheetz employees obtain a college credential with significant cost savings.

This new collaboration features a 5% tuition reduction on credit classes from Penn Highlands Community College as well as an annual tuition reimbursement to eligible Sheetz employees.

Credit classes may be taken in-person or online at all Penn Highlands Community College locations including Altoona, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland, and Somerset.

“Every day at Sheetz, we are working to create a place where employees know that they are valued and have a chance to grow,” said Sheetz CEO/President Travis Sheetz. “Creating partnerships with colleges and universities is a big part of that effort and we are so proud to join with Penn Highlands Community College to bring new educational opportunities to our employees.”

“Penn Highlands Community College and Sheetz, Inc. share the belief that education is one of the best ways to change and improve a person’s life,” stated Dr. Steve Nunez, President of Penn Highlands Community College. “Our affordable, flexible, and quality educational options provide an excellent opportunity for regional Sheetz employees to earn a college credential at a reasonable price in the teaching modality that best suits their needs. We hope this is just the beginning of more employer partnerships.”

For more information on this partnership with Sheetz or our Corporate Tuition Discount program, please click here. Sheetz employees may also speak with their Human Resources representative.