October 6, 2020
Volume 2 | Issue 40
Your Weekly Community College Update
Community colleges play an important role in educating and training current and future generations of workers,
in addition to providing affordable and responsive higher education to thousands of Pennsylvanians every year.
Join Us for the First in a Series of Webinars on Community College
The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges proudly invites you to join us for our inaugural webinar, On Course with Community Colleges: Supporting Substance Abuse Recovery with Education and Intervention Services, on Thursday, October 15 at noon. Panelists will include Luzerne County Community College President Thomas P. Leary, Butler County Community College President Dr. Nicholas Neupauer, and PA community college addiction recovery alumna Ashlynn Heller.
Community Colleges: Creating Solutions for Workforce Needs
Since 1964, Montgomery County Community College has been collaborating with regional employers to train for the workforce needs of the county and region. The college team regularly meets with employers, assesses workforce needs and develops strategies to ensure a pool of skilled workers with relevant training is available.
Resource Center Helps Students
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, recently launched the CARE Center. It is a single-stop for students facing nonacademic barriers, like child care, food and housing insecurities, mental health and more. John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D., president and CEO of HACC, said, “...many [students] face challenges that can prevent them from continuing and completing their educational pursuits...”
Continuing Coverage
PA Community Colleges Respond to COVID-19 as Situation Evolves
Pennsylvania community colleges continue to evaluate their response to COVID-19. As guidance changes, the most up-to-date information from each community college is available through the Commission's website.
Milestones & Congratulations
Happy (belated) Birthday to Sen. Jim Brewster, Rep. Jim Cox, Rep. Austin Davis, and Rep. Tarah Toohil. May it be the best year yet!

Congratulations to Community College of Beaver County and Delaware County Community College on being named a Great College to Work For™ by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The survey is based on responses from almost 41,000 people at 221 institutions: 127 four-year colleges and universities and 94 two-year colleges.