READING, PA – Reading Area Community College received $1 million to assist in the redesigning of Weitz Hall to renovate classroom and lab spaces for its health science programs. The grant was made possible by the Berks County Commissioners as part of an $18 million round of funding through the American Rescue Plan for community improvement projects.

The renovations to existing classrooms and labs are in response to not only local and regional, but also a national, need for expanded training for qualified healthcare workers in a variety of disciplines. Currently, the college offers associate degree programs in registered nursing, respiratory therapy, medical laboratory technician and a new histotechnician program. In addition to degree programs, the college offers a for-credit certificate practical nursing program and several short-term training programs such as home health aide and nurse’s aide. 

“This grant is critical to RACC’s ability to continue serving the community’s growing need for healthcare workers. We are grateful to the Berks County Commissioners for recognizing RACC’s ability to train and educate the future Berks County healthcare workforce,” says RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney.

While a definitive timeline has been established, the planning and design for the renovation project is in progress. To learn more about the health professions programs at Reading Area Community College, visit racc.edu/hp or call 610.607.6224.

The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment.

The League’s Innovation of the Year Awards were devised as a way to recognize significant innovations at board and alliance member colleges. These innovations reflect significant achievements and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded.

The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community. This year, the winners from Reading Area Community College are:

• Auria Bradley, Director, Continuing Education
• Diane Conrad, Faculty, English
• Brenda Creasy, Scholarship Coordinator, Foundation for RACC
• Lynette Davis, Faculty, STEM
• Anthony DeMarco, Vice President, College Advancement, and Executive Director, Foundation for RACC
• Dan Glass, Senior Academic Advisor and Completion Coach
• Yvonne Hall, Administrative Assistant, Academic Affairs
• RuthAnn Heaney, Records/Financial Aid Assistant
• Jay Hyneman, Manager, Accounts Receivable
• Marty Kelly, Webmaster
• Kristen Marcinko, Assistant Director, Community and Academic Partnerships
• Steven Mathews, Instructional Technology Specialist
• Tracey Rudnick, CRM Administrator
• Brian Schell, Associate Dean, Communications, Arts, and Humanities
• Anthony Vega, Faculty, Art

Reading, PA – Reading Area Community College, Lehigh Carbon Community College and Northampton Community College have formed a partnership that provides an opportunity for students in surrounding counties to complete an Associate’s degree in Histotechnology. In the agreement, students enroll in the Histotechncian Program at their local community college to complete their preclinical general education requirements; then finish the program at Reading Area Community College, paying Berks County tuition rates. The program consists of online courses and three in-person practicums at clinical sites in Berks and surrounding counties. 
 
Histotechnicians study cellular structures and their reactions with various stains using light microscopes while learning about the use of other microscope types and their testing requirements. Technicians process the tissues to prepare slides for various tests used in pathology to aid in proper diagnoses. 

“Histotechnicians play a critical role in the healthcare arena as they are skilled professionals in a laboratory setting. The future for employment is excellent and there is a critical need for well-trained histotechnicians locally, as well as throughout the country,” says RACC Professor/Program Director of Medical Laboratory Technician & Histotechnician Programs, Alayne Fessler.  

Histotechnicians can earn up to an average salary of $61,000-plus. It is a promising and rapidly growing field in which graduates can enjoy a long and successful career. Today, there are more jobs for Histologic Technicians than there are well-trained, qualified professionals to fill those positions. 

“Career opportunities in healthcare are growing in our area, and Lehigh Carbon Community College is honored to be able to provide this additional career path to our students,” says Lehigh Carbon Community College President Dr. Ann D. Bieber. “This partnership among the three community colleges demonstrates our collective commitment to student success and provides trained healthcare professionals to our respective regions.” 

“We are partnering with Reading Area Community College in a cooperative agreement so the Northampton Community College students can take their general education courses at Northampton and then apply for transfer to the Medical Lab Technician or the Histotechnician program. Both are greatly needed in our laboratories. It has been a great partnership,” says Northampton Community College Dean of Allied Health and Sciences, Judith Rex. 

To learn more about the RACC Histotechnician Program, visit racc.edu/academics/histotechnician, or call 610.372.4721 ext. 5428.

Reading, PA- The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) has announced the election of its Executive Committee and Officers for the term January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.

Dr. Susan D. Looney, J.D., President of Reading Area Community College, were re-elected to the Executive Committee.

Dr. Looney became the sixth President of Reading Area Community College on July 1, 2018. Her teaching career began in 1998, when she accepted a full-time faculty position in Accounting at Mohave Community College (AZ). In her 21 years as a full-time community college educator, eight as a faculty member and 13 years as a senior administrator, Dr. Looney worked in diverse roles at Mohave Community College, Delaware Technical Community College, and Colorado Mountain College. She was named Dean of Instruction at RACC in 2014 and named Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs/Provost at RACC in 2015. 

After completing her A.A. at Brookdale Community College (NJ), Dr. Looney went on to earn her B.S. and M.B.A. in business administration from Monmouth University (NJ), a J.D. from Widener University School of Law (DE), and ultimately an Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University (FL). She was named to the MSCHE Executive Committee in 2021 and 2022.

To learn more about Reading Area Community College, visit racc.edu or call 610-607-6224.

Reading, PA-Wednesday, January 19 - Over 50 people attended the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly completed Academic Learning Commons and Tutoring and Learning Center in the Yocum Library on the Reading Area Community College campus. In a 2021 survey of RACC students, several hundred survey respondents expressed a need for more spaces on campus for private study, group study, and to meet with a tutor or instructor outside of the classroom. 

RACC administrators were more than happy to meet this need, and by all accounts, the new space has exceeded their expectations. The Learning Commons will provide an excellent environment for collaborative learning in a state-of-the-art facility. Features include private and communal seating and collaboration areas, advanced connectivity, as well as accommodations for eating and refreshments. Those using the space will be able to draw inspiration from the panoramic views of the City of Reading, including the Penn Street Bridge and the Schuylkill River. 

In addition to modifying the 6,600 square foot space, which was previously used as meeting and conference areas, the project also includes a renovation of the library’s iconic “Tower Room,” which is a 500 square foot glass-enclosed meeting room overlooking the east side of the campus.

“The new spaces support RACC’s academic mission and interactive teaching format, combining collaborative spaces with small to mid-sized classrooms. To provide an opportunity for physical and intellectual collaboration, the Learning Commons is proportioned to give student, tutors and instructors room to move around and interact, and for students to interact with each other,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney.

”We have acted strategically to address this critical need in a way that provides students with options.  In this space, they will now have an area in which to study alone, to study in groups, to meet with an instructor outside of the classroom and to work with a tutor, depending on their need,” says RACC Dean of Instruction, Kevin Coots.

“The Commons will encourage learning and practicing working together in groups to accomplish goals.  We know the increasing value of this skill set in the eyes of employers as we prepare our students for the workforce of the present and the future,” he continues.

To learn more about the Academic Learning Commons and Tutoring and Learning Center on the RACC campus, call 610-607-6224.