Johnson College Receives Grant Johnson College has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation. The grant will support the College’s “Widening the Pipeline for a Trained Healthcare Workforce” project designed to increase the pool of qualified, well-trained health care workers for our area. Johnson College will establish a mobile training laboratory to provide a hands-on experience for potential students to see and feel what it is like to work in the health care field. This positive and highly visible project will provide an interactive way to share career information. With a focus on engaging non-traditional students, Johnson College will show participants various paths to meet their educational training needs. Johnson College offers pathways to health care careers with associate degree programs such as physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, and biomedical equipment technology as well as continuing education programs.. Regionally, there are several successful STEM-related pipeline programs serving middle and high school students. With this new program, Johnson College will widen that pipeline to include non-traditional students who represent diverse age, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. These potential students include displaced workers due to COVID-19, non-English speaking individuals, those who want/need to return to the workforce post-retirement or family, and those dissatisfied with their current career path. “We are excited to offer this new experience and information to people from all around NEPA and beyond, and to bring it directly to them,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “Our goal with the mobile lab is to show the region that a career in health care is attainable no matter who you are or what your current situation may be. We want to give people a taste of what hands-on education at Johnson College is like. We continuously strive to be the leaders in hands-on education and meet the workforce needs of NEPA.” For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Grant The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute received a $1,000 grant from the Luzerne County Bar Association Charitable Foundation at their annual summer outing at Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter. The event featured an evening of dinner, presentations featuring two student scholarships and honoring Attorney William F. Anzalone. Additionally, grants were presented to several nonprofit organizations in the region including the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. This $1,000 grant will help to support the Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps low income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals who are not up to date with breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer screenings.
Lackawanna College Grows Medical Assistant Program with $150K Grant Lackawanna College has received a $150,000 grant from Moses Taylor Foundation to launch a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) certificate program at the main campus in Scranton and the Lake Region Center in Hawley. Funds from the grant will be used for the purchase of equipment and supplies for hands-on teaching laboratories and to upgrade lab equipment at the College’s Towanda Center. “This grant will provide state-of-the-art equipment to students, giving them the hands-on experience, they need to enter the workforce as skilled medical assistants,” said Christine Martin, Program Director. “Thanks to the generosity of the Moses Taylor Foundation, Lackawanna College can meet Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania’s need for certified medical professionals.” Lackawanna College’s program is matching the growing demand for medical assistants which stems from several factors including an aging population, rising chronic disease rates, and advancements in healthcare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in this field are expected to grow 19% by 2029. The certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) certificate program at Lackawanna College is one of only a few of its kind available in Northeastern and Central Pa. For more information on the Lackawanna College medical assistant program, visit lackawanna.edu/certificates/.
The Greater Scranton YMCA Needs Your Vote The Greater Scranton YMCA needs your help by voting for them to receive a $25,000 grant from State Farm® to help improve their community. Starting August 18th at 12:00 a.m. ET, U.S. residents who are 18 and older with a valid email address can vote for their favorite cause at www.neighborhoodassist.com. The Greater Scranton YMCA has until August 27th at 11:59 p.m. ET to rally votes and anyone voting is allowed up to 10 votes per day. On September 29th, the top 40 vote-receiving causes will be announced at www.neighborhoodassist.com and a $25,000 grant will be awarded to each of the affiliated nonprofits. A $25,000 grant from the State Farm Foundation would allow the Greater Scranton YMCA to hire a full-time staff person who would be dedicated to the success and future development of the Y’s current Food Program. Presently, due to a lack of funding and staff, the Food Program only serves children enrolled in Early Childhood Education Programs at the Greater Scranton YMCA. The addition of a full-time staff person dedicated to the Food Program and its growth would allow the Y to not only provide meals to individuals enrolled in more programs at the Y, for example summer day camp, after school, and programs serving older adults; but provide meals to the community at large, including veterans, as we know food insecurity affects individuals of all ages and backgrounds. To cast your vote for the Greater Scranton YMCA between August 18th and August 27th, visit our cause page here: https://www.neighborhoodassist.com/entry/2038251. “The Greater Scranton YMCA is honored to have been chosen as a State Farm Neighborhood Assist® Top 200 Finalist,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “We would appreciate our community rallying together so we can turn our dream of expanding our Food Program to serve more children, adults and families in need of healthy food into a reality!” State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a crowd-sourced philanthropic initiative that empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods. The State Farm Review Committee selected the top 200 finalists from 2,000 submissions.
Hospice of the Sacred Heart Hosts Camp Healing Hearts Hospice of the Sacred Heart holds Camp Healing Hearts made possible by a $20,000 Community Impact Grant given by New York Life’s Northeastern Pennsylvania General Office. This event is a five-day camp experience to provide grief education to children ages 8 to 14 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Children work with trained bereavement counselors and members of the regional arts community to help them progress towards acceptance of the loss and use the arts as a means of self-expression. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Camp Healing Hearts will be conducted safely via Zoom Video Conferencing. Jennifer Seechock, Hospice of the Sacred Heart Director of Counseling Services, will be available throughout the week for media interviews. The five-day camp is free and is made up of two back to back 60-minute instructional sessions each day to provide a sense of routine, consistency and ultimately closure for the entire process. Each session utilizes a different theme explored through the arts. Bereavement counselors will be available throughout the week if any campers or family members require individual support. Community volunteers lend their time to campers with artistic projects in painting, writing, yoga, dance, singing and cooking/baking. Friday’s session will be held in person at Montage Mountain Waterpark. Social distancing will be observed. A video retrospective of Camp Healing Hearts will be presented before the feature film at the Circle Drive-In, 1911 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Dickson City, on a date to be determined in late August. WHEN: Monday through Friday, August 9 through 139:30 – 11:30 AM WHERE: Monday through Thursday via Zoom Video ConferencingFriday in person at Montage Mountain Waterpark1000 Montage Mountain Road, Scranton, PA 18507
Marywood University Alumnus to Reveal Martin Luther King, Jr. Mural Marywood University alumnus, Emmanuel Wisdom Adjei, bachelor of fine arts in graphic design graduate, and Eric Bussart, bachelor of fine arts in illustration graduate, will reveal their mural, “The Dream,” of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the City of Scranton’s First Friday event on July 2, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. The mural is located at the intersection of Adams Avenue and Mulberry Street, Scranton, Pa. Scranton Tomorrow sponsored the grant that funded the mural project and is also organizing the unveiling. The mural, which will occupy the entire side of a building, as well as the imagery and messaging, is aesthetically outstanding and powerful. Inspired by Martin Luther King (MLK), Jr., “The Dream” pays tribute to the American civil rights leader who changed the world. Artist Eric Bussart incorporated morning glory flowers into the design because they are resilient, just as his hero, MLK, was. With lettering by artist Emmanuel Wisdom Adjei, the mural encompasses a wide array of interests, including diversity, positive messaging, inclusion, urban gentrification, and art. The messaging and art work conveys a timeless message for the greater community, enhances the aesthetic appeal of the city, and showcases how graduates of Marywood University’s art programs are applying their talent and creativity to elevate humanity, a universal, as well as a Marywood, core value. For additional information about Marywood University’s art department, please visit marywood.edu/art, or call the Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234. For additional information about Scranton Tomorrow’s mural projects, please visit scrantontomorrow.org/thedream.
Lackawanna College Receives $5,000 Grant to Support STEM-Focused Summer Camp Lackawanna College has received a $5,000 Business Education Partnership (BEP) grant from the Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board (WDB) to support the FIRST LEGO League: Robot Game Camp, a STEM-focused, hands-on summer camp for Scranton School District students in grades six through nine. Run by the Continuing Education department, the program will run Aug. 2 – August 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students will work in teams and engage in a friendly competition to build and program LEGO robots to accomplish tasks and meet challenges. These unique challenge missions will provide students with hands-on experiences that relate to a variety of STEM occupations, such as engineering, coding and information technology, architecture, manufacturing and logistics, the trades, and technician positions. “Lackawanna College supports the community through youth programming and activities that encourage growth and active learning,” said Bridget Duggan, Lackawanna College Youth Program Coordinator. “Through this grant, we are able to provide accessible opportunities to Scranton School District students that get them excited about the STEM field. Partnerships like this are extremely valuable to everyone involved.” The college has opened registration to Scranton School District students for the FIRST LEGO League: Robot Game Camp. The program will be available free of charge with 15 spots available. This project is funded, in part, under an Agreement with money allocated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, through the Lackawanna County WDB, and its Fiscal Agent, Lackawanna County. For more information and to register your child for the FIRST LEGO League: Robot Game Camp at Lackawanna College, call Bridget Duggan at (570) 961-7883 or email dugganb@lackawanna.edu.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Grant Supports Outreach Center for Community Resources The Scranton Area Community Foundation awarded a $7,000 COVID-19 Critical Needs Grant to support the workforce development programs and educational services that Outreach – Center for Community Resources provides to the regional community. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Outreach has continued to operate and provide assistance to those in need. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is supporting Outreach as the organization responds to an increased demand for essential services and programs. Outreach serves a broad population of those affected by poverty and other challenges: single parents, unemployed workers, educationally at-risk children, veterans, individuals with health, behavioral and cognitive issues, individuals in recovery, and others in transition. Outreach improves the lives of over 5,000 individuals each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support individuals as they navigate through life’s challenges. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania region for over 65 years as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change and growth. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was established as a community trust in 1954 by the Scranton Family, whose initial gift was the seed which has grown into a permanent vehicle for donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals while helping to support positive change within our community. Today the Scranton Area Community Foundation holds and manages a variety of funds from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Through these gifts, the Foundation responds to community needs and has provided grants to support regional nonprofits as they respond to the critical needs of those disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson College Receives Grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation Johnson College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation. This grant, which will be disbursed over a three-year performance period, will support the Foundation and College’s goal to address the critical growing need for health care professionals by promoting opportunities for careers in health care and training for traditional and non-traditional students. Using a motorhome shell customized to demonstrate various health care training modalities, Johnson College plans to give potential students a hands-on experience to see and feel what it would be like to work in a health care environment. In addition to the hands-on encounter, Johnson College staff will be available to answer questions and help potential students resolve or eliminate common barriers to educational access. With this new program, Johnson College will be able to show participants that there is a path to meet their needs. Johnson College offers pathways to healthcare careers with associate degree programs such as physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, and biomedical equipment technology as well as continuing education programs like certified nursing assistant and medical billing and coding. With the focus on engaging non-traditional students, Johnson College will broaden opportunities for students who represent diverse age, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. These potential students include displaced workers due to COVID-19, non-English speaking individuals, those who want/need to return to the workforce post-retirement or family, and those seeking a new career path. “This project illustrates exactly what we do so well here at Johnson College. We think of innovative and new ways to provide people with the education and job training that they need to obtain a family-sustaining career,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “With this mobile lab, we will be able to demonstrate to people in the region that a career in health care is attainable and give them a taste of what hands-on education at Johnson College is like.” For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
The University of Scranton Awarded $1.5 Million PA RACP Grant The University of Scranton was awarded a $1.5 million Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to support renovations of Hyland Hall to create new laboratory and classroom space for the new mechanical engineering program. The facility renovations are necessary to support the multidisciplinary, high-impact learning design of the undergraduate engineering program that will prepare students to meet the modern-day workforce needs of the field. The renovated space in Hyland Hall will include four engineering laboratories; a student classroom; a garage; staff offices and equipment to allow students to learn using the latest simulation and modeling techniques. Students graduating in mechanical engineering will have the ability to use the techniques and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice; design a system or process within budgetary, environmental, safety and other constraints; and understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental and societal context. Scranton graduates will be able to communicate effectively, function on multidisciplinary teams and understand the professional and ethical responsibility inherent in the field. They will be well prepared to enter the workforce in such industries as automotive, HVAC, aerospace, biotechnology, computers/ electronics, and manufacturing. The University will use the RACP grant to fund a portion of the costs associated with the Hyland Hall renovation project, which will be undertaken in two phases. The first phase will be completed by the start of the 2021-2022 academic year to allow students to begin to use the space in the fall semester. The full project will be completed in the spring of 2022. The University’s Mechanical Engineering program addresses a local need for a much-in-demand field. Few mechanical engineering programs exist in the northeast states, and only seven Jesuit universities in the nation offer this major. Scranton’s 131-credit program will draw students to Northeastern Pennsylvania and also help retain those students who might otherwise leave to study elsewhere. The program will also improve regional workforce development by being responsive to industry needs through the program’s Industrial Advisory Board. “Our mechanical engineering program was conceived and became a reality due to advice and help of our Industrial Advisory Board,” said W. Andrew Berger, Ph.D., professor and chair of the University’s Physics and Engineering Department. The University of Scranton, and the physics and electrical engineering programs in particular, have a long and successful record of placing its students in many science and engineering related careers. “The University of Scranton is one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the country and this grant will allow the University to expand its course offerings and add a cutting edge mechanical engineering program,” said then Pennsylvania Senator John Blake in a press release in January 2021. In addition to mechanical engineering, other majors offered at Scranton offered by the University’s Physics and Engineering Department include computer engineering, electrical engineering, engineering management, biophysics and physics. For additional information, contact the University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 888-727-2686 or email admissions@scranton.edu.
