Students Benefit From Caterpillar Fund's Continuing Generosity

The Caterpillar Foundation and its network of regional dealerships recently bolstered their historic investment in Pennsylvania College of Technology students, presenting $142,000 in additional support of three majors within the School of Natural Resources Management.

The latest commitment from the Caterpillar Excellence Grant Fund provides $110,000 for the diesel technology and heavy construction equipment majors and $32,000 toward electric power generation technology. This marks the 12th year that Penn College has received money from the Caterpillar Excellence Fund; with the latest contribution, the total now exceeds $1.3 million.



The foundation's funding partners are Alban Tractor Co. Inc., Baltimore; Beckwith Machinery Co., Murrysville; Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co. Inc., Harrisburg; H.O. Penn Machinery Co. Inc., Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Ransome CAT, Bensalem.

"The Natural Resources Management faculty appreciates the continued support provided by the Caterpillar Foundation and participating dealers," said Wayne R. Longbrake, school dean. "Their support has assisted the faculty in developing the depth of technological instruction provided in the heavy construction equipment and diesel technology programs."

The Caterpillar Foundation contributed $25,000 toward those majors, matched by $17,000 from each of the five dealerships. It kicked in an additional $16,000 for electric power generation, supplemented by $6,000 from Alban and $2,500 from the four other dealers.

"We feel that the programs (Penn College) offers in both diesel technology and power generation are spot-on for what we need," said Karl Quinn, Alban's training manager in Sterling, Va., and a member of the college's Heavy Construction Equipment Technology/Caterpillar Advisory Committee. "(They) give the students a well-rounded education, and the course offerings give an in-depth study of the fields they are entering."

Quinn also noted Alban's satisfaction with technicians hired from among Penn College graduates and the mutual benefit of the long-standing cooperation between the college and its Caterpillar benefactors.

"In this day and age, we understand that industries need to work with educational institutions if we expect them to keep in tune with changes. Programs like the college offers are expensive to operate, and we are pleased we can help in the areas we can," he added. "Penn College should be extremely proud of the programs they have developed over the years, and we are proud to have the working relationship with them."

The majors are based at the college's Schneebeli Earth Science Center near Allenwood; the EPG curriculum also involves electrical faculty from the School of Construction and Design Technologies.

For more information about the programs offered by the School of Natural Resources Management, call (570) 320-8038, send e-mail or visit online.