Johnson College to Launch CDL Training In response to the regional and national demand for CDL truck drivers, Johnson College has partnered with Ancora Education to offer a Class A CDL Driver Training course. The College is currently enrolling students for the course, which will begin on March 20, 2023, at the College’s new satellite campus, Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center, in Hazle Township. The course, which will be managed by Ancora, will feature a four-to-one student-teacher ratio, ensuring high-quality training with an industry professional. Students will learn to inspect and operate tractor-trailers and to assume driver responsibilities on the road and at pickup/delivery points. Emphasis will be placed on vehicle inspections, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor carrier safety regulations (DOT 380 -397 and a certificate for entry-level drivers), trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, general maintenance procedures, hours of service, and accident prevention. Participants in this 160-hour program can obtain their CDL in as little as four weeks. “Johnson College has been committed to its mission of providing in-demand career training for over 100 years,” said Bill Burke, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs at Johnson College. “Knowing that there is a shortage of truck drivers, we felt the addition of this program and partnership with Ancora could have an immediate impact on the Hazleton area.” The course complies with the new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules established by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA), which went into effect in February 2022. After completing the CDL Training course, students will earn a CDL Training: Class A Tractor Trailer Certificate from Johnson College and the qualifications for one of the most in-demand careers in the nation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Pennsylvania is $49,270. To learn more or to enroll in the Class A CDL Driver Training course, visit johnson.edu/hazleton-cdl or contact the College’s Continuing Education department at continuinged@johnson.edu.
Johnson College Now Offering Evening Medical Assistant Program Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program is currently enrolling students in its evening Medical Assistant program. The class will be held in the Lemon Street Lab on the Johnson College campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 9 p.m. beginning on March 21, 2023, and ending on October 4, 2023. This program prepares students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office. Functions include preparing patients for examination, treatment, routine laboratory procedures, pharmacology, and taking and documenting vital signs. Plus, students will learn the fundamentals of phlebotomy and venipunctures, anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology encountered in the field. Students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties required of a medical assistant. The class fee is $5,000 and is approved by PA CareerLink for those eligible for funding through their local CareerLink. To learn more or enroll call 570-702-8979 or email continuinged@johnson.edu. To register for the course, visit johnson.edu/continuingeducation. About Johnson College Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a supportive environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance in their in-demand careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s only technical college, offering 17 associate degrees, four academic certificates, and over 30 continuing education programs. A low student-to-instructor ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on learning. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
Johnson College Announces New Satellite Campus In an effort to transform education, the economy, and the quality of the workforce throughout the Greater Hazleton region, Johnson College has partnered with Greater Hazleton CAN DO to address the demands of industry in the area. Together, they are spearheading plans to introduce the College’s first-ever satellite campus, Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center, located in the Humboldt Industrial Park in Hazleton. During a press conference on February 1st, 2023 at the 30,000-sq.ft. industrial facility, which once housed the McCann School of Business and Technology, executives and board members from Johnson College and CAN DO, Inc announced exciting details about the new campus. Dr. Katie Leonard, President and CEO of Johnson College, led the presentation and was followed by key members of the partnership including Joseph Lettiere, President and CEO of CAN DO; Charles Burkhardt, Chair of the CAN DO Board of Directors; and Pat Dietz, Chairperson of Johnson College Board of Directors. “We have heard from area employers and the programs that will be offered here are built to meet their needs,” Dr. Leonard said. “We look forward to hearing from the Greater Hazleton community in terms of how this building can once again become an asset that we all share. We are here to help meet the needs of our friends and neighbors in this great community.” The goal of this new campus will be to create unique and affordable academic experiences for students in partnership with industry to prepare them for careers in the Hazleton region and beyond. The College is built on its reputation for providing hands-on learning in a supportive environment and members of its community are thrilled to share this experience in a new area. CAN DO President & CEO Joseph Lettiere said, “For many years, CAN DO has worked to bring a technical school to Greater Hazleton to assist in improving the area’s access to career-ready job training. It is our mission to improve the quality of life in Greater Hazleton through the creation and retention of a full range of employment opportunities and I strongly believe that the programs Johnson College plans to offer truly move the needle for our community. I’d like to thank Dr. Katie Leonard, the Johnson College Board of Directors, as well as the CAN DO Board of Directors for their willingness to take the risk in making this investment with us.” Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center, pending approval by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, will offer an array of certificate and degree programs beginning in late August 2023. These will include academic certificates in Welding Technology, Industrial Technology, and Building & Property Maintenance and an associate degree in Electrical Construction Technology. It will also offer continuing education certificates in areas including Medical Assistant, Computer User Support & Security Specialist, and Class A CDL Driver Training. Students will be able to complete all programs and certificates at the Hazleton campus. For more information about these programs, visit johnson.edu/Hazleton.
Johnson College Holds Competition Johnson College hosted its fifth annual district SkillsUSA Competition. Over 100 high school students throughout the region competed in technical and occupational skills areas. SkillsUSA is a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students preparing for careers in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations and further education.
Johnson College Receives Grant Supporting New STEM Program Johnson College has received a $65,000 PPL Foundation Major Grant. These funds will support a new STEM Learning Labs after-school program for economically-disadvantaged students from diverse backgrounds. Throughout the program, students will use hands-on learning and activities to discover and explore potential careers in STEM fields. In a supportive environment that will encourage creativity and lifelong learning, students will work with technology such as Lego Mindstorms, Kinex, robotic arms, 3-D printing, electric circuits, and Ozobot robotic computer programming. The program is designed for seventh and eighth-grade students from Lackawanna County school districts including Nativity Miguel, Old Forge, Riverside, and Scranton. During this five-week program, students will meet after school three times per week for four weeks at their home school. During the fifth week, students will attend programming at Johnson College for additional hands-on experience with more advanced equipment. The PPL Foundation’s Major Grant program makes annual awards through a competitive application and review process. This year, the PPL Foundation received more than 100 applications during this highly competitive grant cycle. Johnson College was one of 17 organizations to be selected for an award. “We are continuously inspired by the caring, commitment and creativity of the many nonprofit organizations such as Johnson College who make a lasting difference in our communities, and this year’s grant recipients are no exception. We’re proud to support their efforts,” said Ryan Hill, PPL Foundation president. For more information about the program, contact Tim Frank, Johnson College Associate Director of Community Engagement, at tfrank@johnson.edu or at (570) 702-8963.
Johnson College Earns Designation by Pennsylvania Department of Education The Pennsylvania Department of Education has designated Johnson College as a “Hunger-Free Campus.” This pilot program, spearheaded by Pennsylvania First Lady, Frances Wolf, aims to build a coalition of colleges and universities focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students. Johnson College received the designation in October before becoming eligible to apply for grant funding through the Department of Education to support student initiatives to address food security. “We know that food and other basic need insecurities act as barriers that hamper our students’ abilities to focus on their education,” Amy Driscoll McNulty said. Amy is currently the Associate Director of Student Success at Johnson College and will lead the campus-wide initiative. “With this designation and related efforts moving forward, our goal is to lessen or remove those barriers, increase awareness of resources, and provide healthy food options so that students spend less time worrying about their next meal and more time pursuing their educational goals.” According to national studies, over one-third of students know someone who dropped out of college due to food insecurity during the pandemic, and roughly 52 percent of students who faced food or housing insecurity in 2020 did not apply for support because they did not know how. Colleges and universities across the country are taking steps to address these issues. Students who may need assistance at Johnson College may stop into the Office of Counseling and Disability Services in the Moffat Student Center on campus to access the student food pantry and to discuss other options and resources such as local food banks and the State’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). For more information about this initiative, visit www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/PAHungerFreeCampus.
Johnson College Announces Fall President’s List Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College, has announced the President’s List of students who have completed the 2022 Fall Semester with a grade point average of 3.90 or higher. Jacob Banta, Automotive Technology, Trucksville, PA Dominic Bulzoni, Architectural Drafting & Design Technology, Scranton, PA Rachel Butler, Architectural Drafting & Design Technology, Lake Ariel, PA Richard Christianson, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Susquehanna, PA Briana Curtis, Electronic Engineering Technology, Blakely, PA Colton Esslinger, Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Susquehanna, PA Brandon Grandinetti, Computer Information Technology, Olyphant, PA Hope Hoanzl, Electronic Engineering Technology, Forest City, PA Jared Hodorawis, Architectural Drafting & Design Technology, Honesdale, PA Anthony Kutchmanich, Physical Therapist Assistant, Greenfield Twp., PA Andrea Marques, Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Technology, Sybertsville, PA Dustin McAllister, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Scranton, PA Chase Notz, Computer Information Technology, Scranton, PA Devin Nowicky, Radiologic Technology, Drums, PA Ryan Phillips, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Dallas, PA Carley Riefler, Physical Therapist Assistant, Honesdale, PA Julie Ristics, Computer Information Technology, Dunmore, PA Thayer Rogers, Veterinary Nursing, Hershey, PA Devin Walsh, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Olyphant, PA Karl Weninger, Diesel Truck Technology, Kingston, PA Kevin Williams, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology, Eynon, PA Kyle Williams, Electronic Engineering Technology, Greentown, PA
Johnson College Receives $2,000 Contribution for the Pocono Mountain Street Rod Association Scholarship Members of the Pocono Mountain Street Rod Association recently presented a $2,000 contribution to Johnson College to support the annual Pocono Mountain Street Rod Association Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to two students in the Automotive Technology Program for the 2023-2024 academic year. The Pocono Mountain Street Rod Association was established in 1975 and has been funding the scholarship at Johnson College since 2009. The club raises funds through Cruise Nights held at the Viewmont Mall parking lot throughout the year.
Johnson College’s 3D Printing Competition Registration is Now Open Johnson College will host its third 3D Printing Competition for local high school students on Friday, March 24, 2023. The competition is an opportunity for students to showcase their abilities and creativity using science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) techniques. This year’s competition requires high school students to compete individually to design and make a gravity hook. The hook will try and pick up 10 objects that are various weights and sizes. All pieces must be 3D printed, with no adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or non-3D printed parts. Each competitor must submit a complete technical drawing of all parts and assembly. All students and groups must be registered by a school staff member who will also serve as an advisor while their students are on the Johnson College campus on the day of the event. For more information and to register, please e-mail Tim Frank at Tfrank@johnson.edu. Upon registration, a document will be emailed detailing additional information. Registration ends February 13, 2023. Prizes are to be announced.
Johnson College to Host Transfer Day Johnson College is holding a Transfer Day on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton, PA. The College is encouraging current college students that are interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path to visit its campus. Students will meet with Enrollment, Financial Aid, Career Services, and Counseling and Disability Services representatives. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on-hand for transfer credit analyses and review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Students will learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in in-demand industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. To attend Transfer Day at Johnson College, students must register online at https://johnson.edu/transfer/ or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.
