Newsroom

Fall Open House Happening October 21st

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will be hosting an open house on Monday, October 21, from 6pm to 7:30pm at each of our locations in Blair, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland, and Somerset.

Individuals will learn about Penn Highlands and its opportunities, including degree programs and coursework, transfer options, and more. Information on student life, including clubs and activities, and financial assistance will also be presented by representatives. Faculty and alumni will be on-hand to discuss their experiences.

As an added bonus, prospective students will be eligible to win a 2020/2021 tuition voucher, good for a $250 discount, if they complete a survey while in attendance.

Penn Highlands has been proudly serving the community with quality and affordable academic options for 25 years. To learn more, stop by our open house at one of our facilities:

Blair Center
Logan Valley Mall (Next to Macy’s)
5580 Goods Lane, Altoona, PA 16602
814.201.2700 | blair@pennh.25comm.com

Ebensburg Center
881 Hills Plaza Drive, Suite 450, Ebensburg, PA 15931
814.471.0010 | ebensburg@pennh.25comm.com

Huntingdon Center
6311 Margy Drive, Huntingdon, PA 16652
814.643.6200 | huntingdon@pennh.25comm.com

Richland Campus
101 Community College Way, Johnstown, PA 15904
814.262.6446 | admissions@pennh.25comm.com

Somerset Center
Somerset County Education Center
6024 Glades Pike, Suite 210, Somerset, PA 15501
814.443.2500 | somerset@pennh.25comm.com

For additional information, contact any of the college’s locations directly or call us toll-free at 1.888.385.PEAK. You can also find Pennsylvania Highlands online at https://pennh.25comm.com.

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@pennh.25comm.com.

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@pennh.25comm.com
• Career Services: 814.262.3850 or careerservices@pennh.25comm.com
• KEYS: 814.262.6420 or keys@pennh.25comm.com

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.