Johnson College Receives Donation in Memory of Employee

Recently, Mike Yushinski ’95 and his wife Melissa Yushinski ’11, both Johnson College alums and owners of Mike’s Welding and Industrial Services in Clarks Summit, PA, donated a 2011 2500 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to Johnson College in memory of the company’s foreman and fellow Johnson College alum, the late Gary Muckin ’84.

Johnson College will use the donated van in community building trades technology services, and campus projects.

Mike’s Welding and Industrial Services in Clarks Summit, PA, donated a 2011 2500 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to Johnson College in memory of the company’s foreman and Johnson College alum, the late Gary Muckin ’84. Left to right: Mark Chappell ’92, Senior Maintenance Mechanic, Johnson College; Karen Baker, Sr. Director of College Advancement, Johnson College; Melissa Yushinski ’11, owner of Mike’s Welding and Industrial Services; Mike Yushinski ’95, owner of Mike’s Welding and Industrial Services; and Roger Orlandini, Associate Vice-President of Facilities and Campus Projects, 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 with a satellite campus serving the greater Hazleton area, 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.

Settlers Hospitality to Host Open House

Settlers Hospitality will throw open the doors to all its Hawley properties to welcome visitors to the second-annual Open House on Sunday, March 26. The event from noon-4 p.m. features guided tours of five sites in Hawley, PA, food and drink tastings, music, prizes and more.

“All are welcome, but the event is really geared for those planning a special occasion, meeting or wedding,” explains Justin Genzlinger, CEO/Owner of Settlers Hospitality. “It’s an opportunity to show the public the variety of styles and amenities available. We’re also thrilled to provide a platform to highlight so many fellow small-business owners as vendors.”

Guests will receive an email prior to the event with their starting location for the tour. A shuttle bus will transport passengers between properties including The Settlers Inn, Ledges Hotel, The Boiler Room at the Hawley Silk Mill and Gorgeous Floral. Event planners, staff and preferred vendors will be available at each venue to greet visitors, give tours, provide consultations, and answer questions. Food and drink samplings give attendees a taste of the culinary options the chefs of Settlers Hospitality can craft. During the Open House, Settlers Hospitality will debut the recently opened Ruskin Room at The Settlers Inn for private dining events.

“We’re excited to meet everyone and help them envision all that their event can be, whether it’s a lavish wedding, intimate party or dynamic conference,” says David Vipond, Settlers Hospitality’s Senior Director of Sales. “I think people will discover each venue has its own personality, from the lakeside setting of Silver Birches to the Arts and Crafts style charm of The Settlers Inn and dramatic backdrop of Ledges Hotel. Plus, there’s the cool, industrial feel of The Boiler Room and lush greenery of Gorgeous Floral.”

Tickets are $20. Each person who attends will receive a swag bag. For more information, visit settlershospitality.com

Marywood University Hosts Employment Fair

Marywood University is hosing a Business School Employment Fair on Thursday, March 30 from 11am – 2pm in the Latour Room of the Nazareth Student Center on Marywood’s campus. Setup will begin around 10am, and a light lunch will be provided to all businesses attending.

Students of all majors are invited but we anticipate mostly our business students attending that day as well as Marywood alumni. They will come prepared with resumes and questions about internship / job opportunities. Businesses are welcome to bring marketing materials and can use any of our available space if they’d like to interview students on-site that day. They will have a table on which to hang a banner or provide materials to students.

There is no cost to participate, but we are limited to 30 businesses. In the past, some would give away a gift card or another prize to students who stopped by their table but this is certainly not necessary.

If any business would like to be part of our event, they can email me directly at awasho@maryu.marywood.edu

Free Event at The Scranton Cultural Center

Listing Information:

WHO:  The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple

WHAT: St. Patrick’s Parade Day Party with Music by Kilrush

WHEN:  Saturday, March 11 – 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

WHERE: Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple – Grand Ballroom

               420 N. Washington Avenue – Scranton, PA 18503

TICKET PRICE: **FREE ADMISSION!!**

The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is once again the place to celebrate this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade!  The Center’s annual St. Patrick’s Parade Day Party will begin at 11:00 AM on March 11 and will continue until 4:00 PM.  Admission is free and live entertainment will be provided by Kilrush.  In addition, several parade performers will continue their acts at the SCC for all party-goers to enjoy, from bagpipers to step dancers and more!

Admission is FREE to the public as the Scranton Cultural Center’s gift to the community.  A cash bar and light fare will be available for purchase.

The 2023 St. Patrick’s Parade Day Party is sponsored by The Society of Irish Women, the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and LT Verrastro.

The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple’s 2022-2023 Season is sponsored by Fidelity Bank and LT Verrastro and supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Lackawanna County Office of Arts and Culture, and Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Dominick, Esq. and Chris Chermak. A special thank you to its media partners: Access NEPA, Allied Services, Audacy, Citizens’ Voice, Lamar Advertising, MAC Signs, The Times-Tribune, Times Shamrock Communications and Eyewitness News – WBRE/WYOU – pahomepage.com.

Lackawanna College’s Robotics Program Announces Amatrol Partnership

Lackawanna College’s Robotics & Integrated Technologies Program partners with Amatrol and Allegheny Education Systems.   The partnership allows the Center for Technology Innovation’s Robotics & Integrated Technologies Program students to receive hands-on experience with Amatrol equipment such as robotics, automation systems, industrial electronics, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and many more.  
“This partnership will assist our students by bridging the gap between the electrical side of robotics and programming,” Robotics & Integrated Technologies Program Director Rob Crane said. “Included in this partnership is troubleshooting, critical thinking skills and PLC work, which we will be performing with Amatrol equipment and educational material as well.”  
The Robotics & Integrated Technologies Program will use the Amatrol robotics/automation curriculum to educate students on the full scope of building and maintaining automation.   “Students will be given material at a level where they can understand it and if they are having trouble learning the concepts, they have the option to go back and review past lessons or another section entirely,” Crane said.          
The Robotics & Integrated Technologies Program is built with a hands-on approach with students spending 60 percent in the lab. Students will train on the equipment from Amatrol similar to on the job training. The program will align with the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM), a national expert in robotics and workforce development.     
“The class material and equipment we will have in the lab is going to have a factory feel with hands-on learning versus only learning in the classroom,” Crane said. “We get more than the scope of learning robotics, we get extra access to everything Amatrol does and this partnership will eventually blend into other programs, such as Electric Vehicle & Advanced Automotive Technologies and the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas.”            
Amatrol is a global leader in technical education, offering different levels of study in the manufacturing processes starting with the basics and building into more complex technology applications. Within the program are different levels of credentials for students to earn and take into the workforce. These credentials include Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) certificates for PLCs, basic electrical theory and advanced manufacturing/motor control. Within these certificates are also micro credentials students will receive, keeping them innovative for the future.  
“We have gone out and done our due diligence to find one of the best educational training equipment and material providers,” Crane said. “We can get a novice student to a very high-level education in a short amount of time.”  
On March 30, Lackawanna College will host a STEM fair for local high school students to increase student financial literacy and career awareness through a hands-on, immersive experience.
The event is coordinated by Lackawanna College’s Business Division, Career Services and Pre-College Departments. Students will balance a monthly budget, compare careers and salaries, and “try out” some of our programs to experience each from the point of view of our students, including CTI programs.
The event will run from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.   Media are requested to RSVP prior to attending event, please contact Eric Eiden, Media Relations Coordinator at (570)961-7807 or eidene@lackawanna.edu to register.

Misericordia’s Women’s History Month Events

Pride Night, at Men’s Volleyball Game

Wednesday, March 15 • 7:00 pm | Anderson Center

8 Women Who Changed the World Event

Tuesday, March 28 • 7:00 pm | Mary Kintz Bevevino Library, McGowan Room

Art Gallery Exhibit

Through March 31 | Pauly Friedman Art Gallery

Flashpoints: Material/Intent/Fused

Art Gallery Exhibit Event

Thursday, March 16

• 3:30 pm Artist demonstration on encaustic paint with artist and curator Reni Gower Preregistration: llittle@misericordia.edu | 570-675-6250 • 5:30 pm Reception and Gallery Talk | Free and open to the public

Clarks Summit University Hosts Virtual Master of Education Event

Join Clarks Summit University for “Increasing Effectiveness as a Curriculum Leader”

In an ever-changing world of education, a foundational worldview of curriculum is essential. In this virtual workshop, educators will focus on the important elements of curriculum development and the assessment cycle. Because curriculum encompasses the entire responsibility of a school, all members of the education team should be equipped to participate in curriculum development. Learn alongside experienced educators as you’re reminded of the importance of curriculum development and take away tools and strategies to implement at your school.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM

Register Today!

WVIA to premiere ROAR on May 11

WVIA has announced its next original documentary film ROAR: The Story of the Southern Columbia Football Tigers will premiere May 11th at 8 p.m. on WVIA television. The documentary chronicles the 2022 Southern Columbia Area High School Football Tigers as they chase a PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc.) record sixth consecutive state championship.

Award-winning WVIA filmmaker Alexander Monelli tells the story of their season from the locker room to practices to the sidelines of the games, giving viewers an up close and never-before-seen look at one of the top high school football programs in the state. Located in rural Catawissa, Pennsylvania (near the world-renowned Knoebels Amusement Resort), the film aims to discover what makes the small-town team so successful year after year.

The film will feature interviews with the 2022 Southern Columbia football team and its coaches alongside interviews with former NFL players Henry Hynoski (Southern Columbia, New York Giants) and Bo Orlando (Berwick, Houston Oilers), as well as former WNEP sports director Jim Coles, who covered Southern Columbia and regional high school football for 33 years, and current WNEP sports reporters, Landon Stolar and Steve Lloyd.

“We have this incredible story right in our own backyard. The Southern Columbia football program was almost shut down in 1979 because of a 26-game losing streak and poor player turnout. It is now the perennial state champion with the winningest high school football coach in Pennsylvania history,” said filmmaker Alexander Monelli. “Everyone has their theory (good and bad) about how Southern is so dominant every year. I’m trying to shed some light on that with this film. It was such a dramatic season with so many surprises, injuries, and losses. I don’t think anyone could have predicted how their story unfolded.”

“What I hope people will say after this documentary is ‘they do things the right way,” said head coach Jim Roth. “As far as the way we work, the way we treat players, the way we interact, and then the rest takes care of itself and translates into wins.”

“Southern Columbia High School football is a unique story, and we are excited to give our viewers an up-close and personal view of this team,” said Ben Payavis II, WVIA Chief Content Officer. “WVIA takes pride in shining a light on the stories of our region and giving them a platform to be shared with the world.”

The trailer for ROAR: The Story of the Southern Columbia Football Tigers can be viewed here: https://www.wvia.org/roar-the-story-of-the-southern-columbia-football-tigers

About Southern Columbia Area High School Football Tigers

The Southern Columbia Football Tigers are the most decorated high school football team in the history of Pennsylvania. Prior to the 2022 season, they have won 12 PIAA state titles (1994, 2002-2006, 2015, 2017-2021). Head coach Jim Roth has a record of 475-64-2, which is the most wins by any head football coach at any level in state history.

Geisinger to Start Assessment across Pennsylvania

On Wednesday, March 1, Geisinger, in collaboration with other regional hospital systems, will start the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment to identify challenges and solutions to local health-based topics.
As in prior Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), Geisinger will partner with Evangelical Community Hospital and Allied Services Integrated Health System on the assessment. Partnership among regional organizations allow for a better understanding of health needs across the communities served and encourages collaboration to address the identified needs.
“The CHNA provides us with a snapshot of key health challenges affecting our communities,” said Matt Walsh, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Geisinger. “It leverages information from a variety of reliable resources — Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Anne E. Casey Foundation, U.S. Census, for example — and marries it with information from people in our community. It informs our strategy and helps us identify what we can do to improve our communities. Finally, the CHNA assists other organizations who can provide additional services to our area.”
The assessment will be conducted by Community Research Consulting, a woman-owned business based in Lancaster, Pa. that partners with healthcare providers, social service agencies, foundations, government entities and other community organizations to build vibrant, healthier, and sustainable communities by addressing community health, housing, socioeconomic disparities, capacity building, population health management, and other similar challenges.
Nonprofit hospital organizations are required to conduct a CHNA every three years and develop implementation strategies that address the identified health needs. These reports identify needs through data collection and analysis. The CHNA expands the hospital’s focus to include health issues impacting the greater community and promotes collaboration among local advocates, partners and hospitals.


This upcoming CHNA will be conducted throughout 2023 and will cover Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026. The region’s current CHNA runs through Dec. 31, 2023.