Reading, PA, Friday, March 19, 2021 – Reading Area Community College will offer in-person graduation ceremonies for 2020 and 2021 graduates on Friday, May 7 in Santander Arena in Reading.

The college will be holding multiple ceremonies on that date. 

“We at RACC were determined, after having to postpone ceremonies during the height of the pandemic in 2020, to have an in-person ceremony this May if it was at all possible within health and safety protocols for our graduates and their families," says Dr. Susan D. Loony, RACC president.

Students eligible to graduate are required to register for graduation by Friday, April 16, 2021. 

"I am glad to say we found a way to make it happen, and we are thrilled that we will be able to give our graduates and their families, as well as our RACC faculty and staff, the ceremony they deserve for all the hard work they put into their education,” she continues.

CDC guidance for organizing large events and gathering will be observed. Graduates will be allowed to invite a yet to be determined number of guests to the ceremonies.

More information will be available as the commencement date gets closer on the college's commencement website.

The event will also be livestreamed for graduates and their families who may not be able to attend in-person.

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:

• Alayne Fessler - Program Director/Professor, Medical Laboratory Technology Program
• Cathy Weinheimer - Assistant Professor, Health Professions
• Crystal Schilthuis - Assistant Professor, Foundational Studies
• David Brant - Professor, Psychology
• Eleisha Moreno - Coordinator, Foundational Studies
• Kathleen Evans - Assistant Director, Financial Aid/Records
• Kathy Cunningham - Director, Admissions & Enrollment Services
• Kenneth E. Dearstyne, Jr. - Senior Vice President, Finance & Administrative Services
• Kevin Coots - Dean, Academic Affairs
• Linda Bell - Associate Dean, Business
• Michelle Wallace - Director, Nursing Programs
• Patricia Mejabi - Associate Dean, STEM Division
• Patricia Mellor - Coordinator, Financial Aid/Records
• Rhonda Hudak - Director, Community and Academic Engagement
• Stacia Visgarda - Associate Dean, Health Professions

Reading, PA-August 14 2020 – Reading Area Community College (RACC) is proud to announce the promotion of Ms. Dolores Peterson to vice president of fiscal and human resources. Peterson previously held the position of associate vice president for finance and administrative services/controller since joining RACC in 2001.

Prior to joining RACC, Dory served in a wide variety of professional capacities in the market research, retail, and entertainment industries before pursuing her love of education and joining RACC.

“This promotion is a recognition of Dory’s outstanding contributions and her ability to lead important initiatives at RACC during the past 19 years. She has dedicated almost two decades to envisioning and implementing innovative financial and human resources services and systems that not only meet the RACC strategic goals, but most importantly enhance the lives of employees and students,” says RACC Senior Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, Ken Dearstyne. “We look forward to the continued leadership that Dory will bring to this critical role.”

A Philadelphia native, Dolores earned her bachelor's degree from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now Thomas Jefferson University), and her Master of Business Administration from Villanova University. She is an active member and certified professional of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP).

“Dory’s promotion is well deserved. Her experience in financial management and leadership, as well as her passion for making RACC a better institution for everyone, will continue to be an outstanding asset to our organization,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney.

An avid hiker, Dory volunteers as a trail maintainer on the Appalachian Trail under the auspices of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club.

Reading, PA-August 7, 2020 – Reading Area Community College has been awarded a $252,000 grant from the Early Childhood Professional Development Organization at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education for this academic year. The funds will cover tuition costs for Early Childhood Education students who are employed in Department of Human Services-licensed childcare centers and meet the eligibility requirements.

RACC’s Early Childhood Education pathway allows traditional students, high school career technology students, and incumbent workforce students the opportunity to begin to work incrementally along the PA ECE Career Pathway. This pathway, a model for the state, has been designed to support the educational needs of all students who desire to work with young children, starting as early as high school through the Career Technology Center’s Teacher Academy and earn nested credentials, such as the Child Development Associate Certificate (CDA). RACC’s AAS then transfers seamlessly to a BSED (Pre-k-Grade 4 teaching certification) at Kutztown University (KU).

For more information about enrolling in Early Childhood Education Pathway, contact the Early Childhood office 610-372-4721 x5263 for the ECE Scholar application.

Fall in person classes start August 24. More information...