College to Host Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation Summer Program with Support from PECO

by Alana J. Mauger

Montgomery County Community College and the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering (JHU-WSE) have entered into an agreement to bring the JHU-WSE Engineering Innovation (EI) Summer Program to the College. EI is an intensive summer course designed to introduce high school students to the field of engineering.

Developed by JHU faculty, the program is designed to help high school students develop the skills to think and problem solve like engineers through lab activities in computer engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, civil engineering, robotics and mechanical engineering. Students who successfully complete the program with a grade of A or B will receive three transferable college credits from JHU.

“Engineering Innovation builds on the College’s commitment to re-energize our STEM programs by building entrepreneurial pathways that introduce students to careers in STEM and help them navigate their way to a baccalaureate degree,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president.

MCCC received a $15,000 grant from PECO that will provide scholarships to offset the cost of tuition, which is $2,200, for eligible students.

“We are proud to partner with MCCC to help increase interest in the engineering field and are pleased that our support helps underserved youth participate in this program,” said Craig L. Adams, president and CEO, PECO.  “MCCC consistently adapts their programs to help fit the needs of the changing community.  We are thrilled that they are working with JHU to develop our future workforce in such a critical field.”

“We deeply appreciate PECO’s continued support of the College’s programs that support the educational attainment of youth and young adults in Montgomery County,” Dr. Stout said.  “The impact of STEM programs, like Engineering Innovation, will make a significant difference in our community workforce for years to come.”

Engineering Innovation at MCCC’s Central Campus in Blue Bell will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday from July 1-26. The program will culminate on July 26 with activity that tests the strength of bridges students will build as part of their final project. Space is limited to 24 students.

To participate in the program, students should have completed algebra II, have knowledge of trigonometry, and taken one of the lab science courses (chemistry, physics, and/or biology). Students wishing to apply need to complete an online application and 250-word essay, and must submit most recent standardized test scores, a letter of recommendation and official high school transcripts. Full details are available online at engineering-innovation.jhu.edu.

Representatives from PECO present Montgomery County Community College with a $15,000 grant for student scholarships to Johns Hopkins University’s Engineering Innovations Summer Program. From left: Dr. David Brookstein, dean, STEM, MCCC; Dr. Karen Borgsmiller, director of Engineering Innovation, Center for Educational Outreach, JHU; Frank Wellman, senior account manager, PECO; Dr. Karen A. Stout, president, MCCC; Craig L. Adams, Exelon, president and CEO, PECO; Frank J. Jiruska, director, Energy and Marketing Services, PECO; Suzanne Ryan, regional external affairs manager, PECO; and Dr. Vidya Nandikolla, Engineering Innovation instructor, JHU. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

New JobTrakPA Programs Offer Fast-Track Training

by Diane VanDyke

Montgomery County Community College’s JobTrakPA programs provide the knowledge and skills needed for today’s cutting-edge manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology-based jobs.  Enroll today in any of the JobTrakPA programs, and within six months, you will be ready for a new career. Classes start as early as March 18.

The College’s upcoming JobTrakPA programs include:

• Medical Billing & Coding: This program is designed for those who want to begin medical billing and coding careers and/or prepare for certification examinations. Students will learn principles of medical coding using the health industry coding manuals of CPT, ICD-9 and HCPCS. Tuition is $2,800. The course is offered at the Central Campus in Blue Bell on Saturdays from 9-3 p.m., March 30-Sept. 14, and at West Campus in Pottstown on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m., March 25-Aug. 7.

• Health Information Technologist: This program consists of a sequence of three courses that will prepare students for general and health-related information technology. Students will be trained to repair, maintain, secure PCs and mobile devices and install and troubleshoot operating systems. Tuition is $2,085. The program is offered in Blue Bell from March 18- Aug. 16, Mon. and Fri., 6-10 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon. In Pottstown, the program is offered March 19-Aug. 14, 6-10 p.m., Tues., Wed. and Thurs.

• Industrial Electrical Technician: Students will gain fundamental knowledge and skills to maintain, troubleshoot and repair electrical systems used in advanced manufacturing. The program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, where students will be provided with hands-on practical experience. Tuition is $950.The program will be held March 25-May 22; Mon., Tues., Wed., 3:30-7:30 p.m.

• Industrial Mechanical Technician: Students will gain fundamental knowledge and skills to maintain, troubleshoot and repair mechanical systems used in advanced manufacturing. Program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, from March 25-June 11; Mon., Tues., Wed., 3:30-7:30; Sat., 8-5 p.m. Tuition is $1,150.

• Industrial Electrical and Programmable Logic Controllers Technician: This program provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills of electrical systems and programmable logic control (PLC) systems for students to maintain, troubleshoot and repair PLC systems used in advanced manufacturing. The program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, from March 25-June 19; Mon., Tues., Wed., 3:30-7:30; Saturdays, 8-5 p.m. Tuition is $1,450.  

• Warehouse and Logistics Technician: This program prepares students to be frontline material handling workers in supply chain logistics. Participants will learn about the warehouse and logistics environment, safety and quality control principles and more. The program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, from March 18-June 29; Mon. and Thurs., 6-9:30 p.m.; Sat., 8-5 p.m. Tuition is $950.

• CNC Machine Operator:  This program will provide students with the knowledge and hands-on skills to operate a Computerized Numeric Control (CNC) program for a CNC machine in a manufacturing environment. The program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, from March 26-June 15; Tues. & Fri., 6-10 p.m.; Sat., 9-4 p.m. Tuition is $1,780.

• Welding Technician: This program will teach and prepare participants to operate as an entry-level production welder in manufacturing and maintenance environments. The program will be held at North Montco Technical Career Center, Lansdale, from March 18-June 26; Mon, Thurs, Fri, 6-9:30 p.m.; Sat., 8-5 p.m. Tuition is $950.

For more specific details about the College’s JobTrakPA programs, visit www.mc3.edu/workforceDevelopment/jobtrak, email jobtrak@mc3.edu or call the JobTrakPA hotline at 215-461-1468. Job placement assistance is provided upon completion. Many of the programs prepare for and/or provide certifications upon completion.

Community Health Foundations Support Children’s Sealant Clinics

by Alana J. Mauger

photo by Matt Carlin

Through generous support from the North Penn Community Health Foundation and the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Montgomery County Community College’s Dental Hygiene program will hold two upcoming children’s sealant clinics.

The programs are part of a community outreach effort to provide children ages 6-14 with free oral examinations and sealant placement.

The first sealant clinic is on Thursday, March 14 from 5-8:30 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic, Science Center room 221, 340 DeKalb Pike Blue Bell. Seating is limited and examinations are by appointment only on a first come, first served basis. For information and appointments, call 215-641-6483.

The second sealant clinic is on Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Community Health and Dental Care, 11 Robinson St., Pottstown. Space is limited, and examinations are by appointment only on a first-come, first-served basis. For information and appointments, call 610-326-7405.

A dental sealant is a clear, preventive coating placed on permanent back teeth in order to prevent dental decay. During the program, preventive services will be performed by licensed dental hygienists in consultation with licensed dentists. Auxiliary support services will be provided by the College’s dental hygiene students.

‘Gateway to College National Network’ Helps At-Risk Young Adults Earn Diplomas, College Credit

by Alana J. Mauger

Montgomery County Community College has received a $325,000 four-year contract from Gateway to College National Network to implement Gateway to College, a nationally-recognized dropout prevention and recovery program.

The College is one of 43 institutions in the country selected to participate in the Gateway to College National Network, which is supported in part by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, The Corporation for National and Community Service’s Social Innovation Fund, and other funders.

Gateway to College is designed for young adults ages 16 to 21 who have dropped out of high school or who are significantly behind in credits and are unlikely to graduate. The program enables qualifying students to complete their high school diploma requirements while simultaneously earning college credit toward an associate degree or certificate.

Montgomery County Community College will initially partner with eight to 10 local school districts during the first year of the Gateway to College Program and will add additional partners as the program progresses. At full capacity, the program will serve up to 150 students per year.

“Our hope is that by placing at-risk high school students into adult learning environments with curriculum that is relevant to their lives and futures, they become more engaged in their education,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, Montgomery County Community College president.

During their first semester, Gateway to College students will be placed into small learning communities, and together they will take classes in reading, writing, math, and college skills. After completing this Foundation term, the students will transition to the comprehensive college programs, where they will be integrated in MCCC’s general student population.

Throughout their enrollment in the program, Gateway to College students will receive one-on-one advising and support from resource specialists who act as coaches, mentors and advisors. The wrap-around support of a resource specialist will help to keep students on the right track for success.

Students graduate from their local school districts once they have completed their high school diploma requirements. Nationally, Gateway to College students accrue an average of 33 college credits by the time they graduate from high school, putting them well on their way to earning a college credential. Survey results show that nearly three-quarters of Gateway students continue in college after completing the program.

The first cohort of Gateway to College students at MCCC will begin in fall 2013.

To learn more about the Gateway to College Network, visit www.gatewaytocollege.org.

College Selected to Participate in National AACC Initiative Focused on Adult Learners

by Alana J. Mauger

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), with campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, Pa., is pleased to join the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Plus 50 Encore Completion Program, which looks to train 10,000 baby boomers over the next three years for high-demand jobs.

The College is one of 17 new community colleges to be selected for the program, and is one of 28 institutions nationally chosen to participate. Several community partners, including the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board, the Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, and The Reserve at Gwynedd, endorsed the College’s participation in the initiative and have agreed to serve in an advisory capacity.

According to AACC, plus 50 adults comprise a growing population interested in returning to school. Community colleges are in a unique position to serve plus 50 learners because of proximity, flexible hours and diverse programs tailored to local demand.

By participating in the Plus 50 Encore Program, the College will provide a dedicated academic advisor who specializes in working with older adults and identify programs that help these learners launch a second career. The College will also further strengthen its Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process model to improve adult student enrollment and persistence rates.

PLA is the process by which colleges evaluate a student’s life experience to determine if prior learning can be translated into college credits. Assessments may include evaluation of corporate or military training as established by the American Council on Education (ACE); review of student portfolios; customized tests to prove prior learning meets specific exit standards for courses; and examination of non-credit courses to document content for transferability to for-credit courses.

Results from a report from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning show that students with PLA credits had better academic outcomes, better degree completion, better persistence, and shorter time to completion than non-PLA students.

The Plus 50 Encore Completion Program is funded with a $3.2 million grant to AACC provided by Deerbrook Charitable Trust. The Plus 50 Encore Completion program supports AACC’s work to increase the number of students who finish degrees, certificates, and other credentials.

In April 2010, AACC committed alongside other higher education organizations, to promote the development and implementation of policies, practices and institutional cultures that will produce 50 percent more students with high quality degrees and certificates by 2020. Montgomery County Community College also committed to this pledge.

For more information about the Plus 50 Initiative at AACC, visit http://plus50.aacc.nche.edu.

‘Scholars in Service’ Grants Promote Community, College Engagement

by Neree Aron-Sando

The college experience is supposed to do more than give students the knowledge they need to begin their careers – it should prepare them for life.

Montgomery County Community College’s Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania program helps deserving students continue their students by providing financial support for their educational expenses, but it also reinforces the idea of community service.

Montgomery County Community College’s 2012 Scholars in Service – Joanne Esteve, Khrystal Lennon and Lorena “Gaby” Parientes — will earn Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania grants, which will enable them to enroll as part-time AmeriCorps members and help them to fund their College expenses.

The award can be used to pay for any legitimate educational expense at the College, to pay for future educational expenses or to repay student loans. The students’ service work includes projects on campus as well as weekly hours spent at an external site in the community.

Esteve, 28, of Pottstown, works for the Olivet Boys & Girls Club in Pottstown, where she fosters partnerships between College students and members of the club to complete volunteer projects.

“I chose the service office assistant position because it goes hand-in-hand with my major in Human Service, and it gives me an opportunity to get involved in the community,” Esteve said.

Lennon, 32, of Norristown, is assigned to work with a faculty member and  class on a volunteer project. “I chose this assignment to gain better hands-on experience toward my career path,” she said. Lennon is also a Human Services major at Montgomery County Community College.

Parientes, a Norristown student in the Nursing program, works with the Hispanic community in her hometown. ‘The reason that I chose this job is because I really want to help members of the Hispanic community that live in the Norristown Area,” she said. “I want my community to get more involved with the school, and I also want the parents to get involved with the education of their kids.”

The College began its participation in the AmeriCorps Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania with a single scholar in 2010, but it has a long history of civic engagement and community service. Alternative Spring Break, for example, encourages students to forgo the usual weeklong party in favor of hard work on Habitat for Humanity service projects.

“The Scholars program is in its third year at the College and supports our commitment to engagement within the local community,” said Jenna Klaus, Assistant Director of Civic & Community Engagement at Montgomery County Community College.

“Our scholars are each working on volunteer projects that will assist in building our partnerships with nonprofits in the Norristown and Pottstown areas. The student scholars will gain leadership skills through developing ongoing service projects for our campus to participate in throughout the academic year,” she said.

Civic engagement and community service won the College a place on the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The Corporation for National and Community Service’s honor roll is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement.

From left: Joanne Esteve, Khrystal Lennon and Lorena “Gaby” Parientes

Diane Haar Earns National Recognition for POWER Program Leadership

by Diane VanDyke

Montgomery County Community College Associate Professor of Human Services and Psychology Diane Haar has a passion for helping people in mental health recovery succeed. In turn, their accomplishments inspire her to extend her skills and expertise beyond the classroom and to take a leading role in resource development to provide the vital programs they need.

The National Council for Resource Development recently honored Haar for her leadership and ongoing dedication in securing resources for the development of the College’s Partnership on Work Enrichment and Readiness (POWER) Program—a personalized education, career and life skills program developed to empower individuals in mental health recovery to pursue the next stages in their lives.

“Our students should not be defined by their diagnoses,” Haar said. “Each individual has his or her own special skills to be nurtured. As a society, we have made much progress with accepting people with physical challenges and alternative sexual orientation, but people with mental health issues still bear a stigma that needs to be erased.”

The POWER Program started in 2006 as a result of Haar’s concept and collaboration with the Montgomery County Department of Behavioral Health/Developmental Disabilities Department, which provided a $20,000 seed grant.

“The focus of recovery at that time changed from being a daily or weekly treatment plan to a life plan, that includes education, employment and independent living,” Haar said, noting that the POWER Program provides these tools in a supportive classroom environment.

After securing this initial grant, Haar worked with the College’s Grant Development Office to identify other sources of support for the program and became involved in the grant application process.

Over the years, due to Haar’s persistent efforts, the POWER program has received multiple grants, including grants from the Patricia Kind Foundation and the van Ameringen Foundation. Additionally, Haar secured donations from the Odd Fellows of Pennsylvania and the National Alliance on Mental Illness—Pennsylvania to support the program. As the County’s Department of Behavioral Health witnessed the success of the program and opportunities for growth, it increased its support to $60,000 by 2010.

Since its inception, more than 270 students graduated from POWER and the transformation of their lives has been remarkable.

“I see students enter the program with little going on their lives,” Haar says. “But, as they develop skills and confidence, they are able to create resumes, interview for jobs and become employed for the first time.

“There is one student who was on disability services for 20 years when she enrolled in the POWER Program,” she continued. “After graduating from this two-credit course, she continued her education and eventually earned her bachelor’s degree and is now employed full time and no longer needs disability services at all.”

The program impacts the lives of approximately 50 students each year from the five-county Philadelphia region. Seventy percent of last year’s POWER graduates enrolled in higher education.

In addition to the POWER Program, the College provides a POWER Plus course—a weekly class that provides support and problem-solving techniques for students who are enrolled in credit courses at the College. This semester the POWER Program initiated a basic computer skills course.

Most recently in 2011, the College received a $100,000 grant from the van Ameringen Foundation to start a POWER TAY (Transitional Age Youth) program. This career and education program is specifically designed for students between the ages of 16 and 28 years, who have a diagnosable mental illness that has led to functional impairments in one or more life domains, such as education and work.

“This program focuses on providing skills earlier in life so that those students will have a higher probability of life success without bearing the stigma of a diagnosis,” Haar said.

With the growth of programs and government budget cuts, resource development becomes more challenging and more necessary.

“We need to continue these programs—they are life-changing for these individuals. With education and skills, they become independent, contributing members of the community,” Haar said.

The POWER team includes Director/Faculty Diane Haar, Program Coordinator/Advisor Lisa Barbiero Community Liaison/Advisor Lori Schreiber,  Peer Mentor Kelly Davis, Administrative Coordinator B. Dianne Johnson and Dean of Social Sciences Dr. Aaron Shatzman.

Individuals interested in the POWER TAY or POWER programs may obtain a referral from their mental health or school provider or may self-refer.  For more information, contact Community Liaison Lori Schreiber at 215-461-1151 or lschreib@mc3.edu or Program Advisor Lisa Barbiero at 215-641-6425 or lbarbier@mc3.edu.

Diane Haar receives award from CRD. Photo by Eddie Arrossi

$2.7 Million NSF Grant Supports Next Phase of NBC2 Initiative

by Rebecca Rhodin 

Montgomery County Community College has won an unprecedented third grant from the National Science Foundation to spur new educational programs for students entering the biomanufacturing field.

“You usually don’t get three in a row. We’re thrilled,” says Dr. Sonia Wallman, Principal Investigator for the project. “It allows us to complete what we started.”

The $2.7 million grant was received through the Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative (NBC2), which develops classroom materials and virtual training programs for students who plan to work in the biomanufacturing industry.

Biomanufacturing is the use of living organisms to manufacture products such as biopharmaceuticals and biofuels.

Graduates from the College’s biotechnology program have gotten jobs as quality control microbiology and biochemistry technicians and as upstream and downstream processing technicians at local biomanufacturing companies, according to Dr. Margaret Bryans, who is Co-Principal Investigator for NBC2.

With associated community colleges, called “hubs,” in several states, NBC2 also coordinates professional training for community college faculty and high school teachers.

The collaborative also maintains a website as a resource for information on biomanufacturing education and companies across the nation, and for promoting partnerships between these companies and local community colleges.

The grant, from NSF’s Advanced Technological Program, is entitled “NBC2: Growing a Regional and National Bioeconomy, One Locale at a Time.”

Wallman noted that the grant will allow NBC2 to attain nonprofit status and also decrease the organization’s need to apply for more grants.

Biomanufacturing is one of the few growing areas in the U.S. manufacturing sector “with many more new products in the pipeline,” according to Bryans.

As far as employment in the industry, she notes, “the future looks bright with a growing demand for graduates with biomanufacturing skills and knowledge.

The NBC2′s materials give students relevant, hands-on skills required by the workplace. For training on a large industrial scale, it has come up with web-based training modules in which students can master bioreactor computer control systems.

“Our industry partners are excited about this since it cuts down on the training time for new hires,” Wallman says.

Locally, NBC2 works with Merck, the Janssen unit of Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer as well as Lonza Biologics and Human Genome Sciences, well-known manufacturers of biopharmaceuticals.

Its partner schools are Bucks County Community College, Mount Wachusetts Community College in Massachusetts; Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana; Alamance Community College, North Carolina; Finger Lakes Community College, New York State; and MiraCosta College, California.

Since 2005, NBC2 has received three grants toward the development of its programs, the publication of textbooks, the mentorship of programs at other community colleges around the country and a four-day professional development conference called BIOMAN, which will be held next July at MCCC.

In addition, NBC2 hubs offer one-week workshops for high school teachers. Twelve local teachers attended at workshop at MCCC in June 2012.

During Phase 1, with a $3 million NSF grant, the initiative worked to produce curricula around the 10 major biomanufacturing job areas in which students are employed with an associate’s two-year degree.

In the second phase, when it received $2.69 million, NBC2 moved into crossover industries such as biofuels, in which fuel is produced from algae and corn. NBC2 also published the first “Introduction to Biomanufacturing” textbook, authored by 15 biomanufacturing industry scientists and managers.

In the third phase, NBC2 plans to create more hands on and theoretical curricular materials for other aspects of the growing bioeconomy.

‘Bridge to Employment’ Program Preps Students to Study STEM, Health Sciences

by Diane VanDyke

Montgomery County Community College is partnering with Wissahickon High School and Janssen Biotech, Inc., Janssen Research & Development, LLC, and Janssen Supply Group, LLC of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson in the Bridge to Employment (BTE) program, based in Ambler, Pa.

The BTE program encourages high school students to pursue post-secondary education and explore career options in health care and the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

BTE partners hosted a kick-off event earlier this month at the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, providing an orientation for the 50 Wissahickon High School students who are participating in the program, and their families. The diverse group of students has demonstrated academic promise and an interest in exploring post-secondary education options.

Students in the three-year program will continue their academic studies at Wissahickon High School and participate in quarterly visits to Janssen campuses. During their visits, students will spend time with their Janssen mentors learning about such careers in pharmaceutical research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, finance, technical operations, marketing, and engineering.

For its role in the partnership, the College is providing access to dual enrollment courses, parent/student college planning workshops and financial literacy workshops. Through the dual enrollment program, students will have the opportunity to earn college credits, meet professors and learn about the expectations for successful course completion. This portion of the program will enable students to successfully transition to college, as they learn and master time management techniques, organization skills and studying strategies, among other skills.

In addition to assisting students with identifying careers and higher education opportunities, the BTE program helps students develop the soft skills — stress management, self-regulation, organization, verbal and non-verbal communication, business etiquette, diplomacy and persistence — necessary to succeed.

In 1992, Johnson & Johnson established the Bridge to Employment program to help young people around the world build solid futures by introducing them to a broad array of careers in health care.  For more information the program, visit bridge2employment.org/.

: Back row, from left: Patrick McCrummen, Director, Convergence & Communication, World Wide Corporate Citizenship, Johnson & Johnson; Karen Gebhardt, Assistant Principal, Wissahickon High School; Michael Bzdak, Director of Corporate Contributions, Johnson & Johnson; Paul Mongillo, Manager, Forecasting and Analytics, Janssen; and Cheryl Mearhoff, Director of Dual Enrollment, MCCC. Front row, from left: Mark Cunningham, Director, Immunology, Strategy & Planning Janssen; Lyn Fields, Principal, Wissahickon High School; Gwen Miley, Manager, Corporate Relations, Janssen; Susan Incorvia, Director, Secondary Teaching and Learning, Wissahickon School District; and Niamh Hunt, Senior Manager, Janssen; Leslie Bluestone, Director of Major Gifts and Alumni Relations, MCCC Foundation. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

Veterans Day Commemorated With Opening of New Resource Center

by Alana J. Mauger

On Nov. 8, military veterans and their supporters joined Montgomery County Community College President Dr. Karen A. Stout and members of the College’s Veterans Task Force to officially open the College’s new Veterans Resource Center.

Through a $115,000 grant from The Collegiate Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development, the College was able to convert the “202 House” on its Central Campus in Blue Bell into a dedicated Veterans Resource Center. The facility includes rooms for meetings, classes and a community area, where students can study, relax or participate in small group programs.

Representatives from the Montgomery County Veterans Center and from Pennsylvania Career Link will also hold regular office hours for both the College’s students and the community veteran population at large.

Supporting student veterans is not new for Montgomery County Community College. The College’s veteran support services were extremely active during 1960s and 1970s as veterans were returning from the Vietnam War.

In 2006, as veterans began to return from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the College, once again, re-invigorated its veterans services and established a Veterans Support Team as part of the institution’s Student Success Initiative. Since then, the College’s student veteran enrollment has grown by close to 55 percent over the past five years, with a record number of 398 veterans enrolled this fall.

During the dedication ceremony, Dr. Stout presented members of the Veterans Support Team with the plaque designating the College as a “Military Friendly School” for the fourth consecutive year by G.I. Jobs magazine.

Numerous federal, state and local officials joined the College for the dedication ceremony, including U.S. Representatives Patrick Meehan and Chaka Fattah; Pa. Senator John Rafferty; Pa. Representatives Matthew Bradford, Tim Briggs, Larry Curry, Madeleine Dean, Thomas Murt, Marcy Toepel, and Todd Stephens; and Montgomery County Commissioners Vice Chair Leslie Richards.

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photos by Sandi Yanisko