Welding Students Create Bench in Memory of Former Classmate

Members of the American Welding Society student chapter at Pennsylvania College of Technology designed and fabricated a bench to memorialize a former classmate who died in an automobile accident.

Colt W. Jenny, of New Sewickley Township, who graduated with an associate degree in welding technology in December 2007, died in September 2008. He was 21.

"To the whole group, Colt was a good friend who was always in good spirits," said Kade E. Poorman, a May graduate of the welding and fabrication engineering technology major and an AWS member. "He was always smiling and had a good attitude toward just about anything. He did his best at keeping a light atmosphere in the (welding) shop, even during stressful times like the pipe test. Overall, he was just a good friend to all of us, due to having spent so much time with everyone in the shop."

When the AWS learned of his death, the members decided to find a way to pay their respects to Jenny and his family. The group chose the bench, which Poorman designed to commemorate Jenny's involvement in pony-pulling competitions. Jenny won multiple championships at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, most recently with his brother in 2008.

To reflect Jenny's enjoyment of the activity, Poorman's bench design incorporates two pulling horses and horseshoe-shaped sides. The bench was built during the spring semester by a small group of AWS members that included Ian B. Garrett, of Pittsburgh; Dustin P. Haver, of Madison, N.H.; Tyler R. Pancione, of Augusta, W.Va.; Jason M. Yantus, of Central City; and Poorman, of State College. Donating materials and services to the project were Miller's Welding, M&M Sheet Metal and Horizon Powder Coating.

The bench was given to Jenny's parents, who operate a farm in Beaver County, on May 24. A photo of the bench and the AWS members will be hung, along with a plaque to explain its significance, in the college's Avco-Lycoming Metal Trades Center, home of the welding laboratory.

Jenny was a magna cum laude graduate of Freedom High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He was also a graduate of Beaver County Vo-Tech and attained dean's list honors while a student at Penn College.

To learn more about the welding majors or other academic programs offered by the School of Industrial and Engineering Technologies at Penn College, visit online or call 570-327-4520.

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