Enlightening senatorial tour leaves nothing 'up in the air'

The chair of the state Senate Communications & Technology Committee was among those visiting on Wednesday, impressed by a variety of instructional areas alongside Penn College administrators, state Sen. Gene Yaw and legislative colleagues.

Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, a Republican whose 24th senatorial district comprises portions of Berks and Montgomery counties, was accompanied by state Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York), the majority caucus secretary who toured the college as a first-term legislator in May 2019; Lisa Walter, Pennycuick's chief of staff; Chloe Mandara, legislative director for Phillips-Hill; Jared Vento, executive director for Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D-Philadelphia); and Matt Wise, Yaw's district director.

Greeted and guided by a well-versed campus contingent – President Michael J. Reed; Patrick Marty, chief government and international relations officer; Loni N. Kline, senior vice president for college relations; Erin Wachter, director of state relations for Penn State; and Yaw – the guests were demonstrably keen on how the institution prepares its tomorrow makers for essential roles in the workforce.

Spotlighting their respective areas during the visit were Chet Beaver, assistant director of student advocacy for veteran and military services; Steven Keen, assistant dean of transportation technologies; Shannon M. Munro, vice president for workforce development; and Bradley M. Webb, dean of engineering technologies.

Stops included the the Maj. Gen. Fred F. Marty Veterans & Military Resource Center; the Center for Career Design; and labs in plastics & polymers, dental hygiene, advanced manufacturing, welding & metal fabrication, and machining technologies.

After lunch at Le Jeune Chef Restaurant, some traveled east to the Lumley Aviation Center at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville – of particular interest to Pennycuick, whose Army career included service as a combat medic and helicopter pilot.