PA House Education Committee chair visits college

State Rep. Peter G. Schweyer (D-Allentown), majority chair of the House Education Committee, visited Pennsylvania College of Technology on Tuesday, gaining insights into the college’s unique educational model, impressive academic facilities and exciting new initiatives. He was accompanied on his tour by his chief of staff, Nancy Wilt.

In addition to viewing the college’s polymer engineering technology labs, the special guests explored dental hygiene, advanced manufacturing & machining, and welding & metal fabrication majors. The Center for Career Design was also on the main campus tour.

The entourage discussed the significant academic enhancements taking place on main campus, including the construction of a Clean Energy House and renovations to the Carl Building Technologies Center, supported by a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration grant, and vital renovations and expansions to the electrical and architecture & sustainable design labs, funded, in large part, by the state's Neighborhood Assistance Program, with support from Coterra Energy. It was noted that the college's electrical and architecture programs are both full for Fall 2024.

Schweyer also met with Alison A. Diehl, the college's newly appointed vice president for workforce development, who detailed the work being done with pre-apprenticeships under the U.S. Department of Labor's new Apprenticeship Building America grant, as well as the latest efforts in registered apprenticeships.

The visitors added a stop at the Schneebeli Earth Science Center to see the college's diesel & power generation labs.

Guiding the tour were Penn College President Michael J. Reed; Patrick Marty, chief government and international relations officer; and Anthony J. Pace, associate vice president for enrollment and academic operations. State Rep. Jamie Flick (R-South Williamsport), a college alumnus, also joined the outing.