Reading & Chester Counties, PA (February 6, 2023) —- As part of a first-time partnership, Reading Area Community College (RACC) and West Chester University (WCU) came together today to sign a degree completion agreement that will enhance greater access to a baccalaureate degree for RACC students. The new agreement between the two institutions enables qualified, enrolled RACC students to earn an associate degree and then transfer seamlessly to WCU with a renewable scholarship and priority housing. Eligible RACC students will receive a joint invitation from RACC President Dr. Susan Looney and WCU President Dr. Chris Fiorentino to enroll in the new dual admission program.

Effective today, more than 25 associate degree programs at RACC will transfer directly into parallel programs at WCU for eligible students. In addition, a renewable scholarship award of up to $2,000 per academic year will also be available to eligible RACC students.

"The new admissions agreement between Reading Area Community College and West Chester University will expand access to our college's transformative education for Pennsylvania students. This partnership will provide a direct pathway to a West Chester University degree for the talented graduates of RACC programs," says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney.

While at both institutions, students will receive support through financial advising, tutoring, and academic success coaching. To benefit from transfer scholarships and housing priorities, qualified RACC students must enroll at WCU within one calendar year from their graduation from RACC. 

“West Chester University is excited to partner with Reading Area Community College and have its graduates join our community,” said President Fiorentino. “Much like RACC, WCU is committed to the success of all students from every point of entry, and we take pride in doing whatever it takes to help students cross the finish line to graduation. At the same time, providing our students with access to a quality education at a reasonable cost is an uncompromising priority. We welcome being the next step in the academic plans of numerous RACC graduates.”

The dual admission agreement is designed to provide the best of both worlds to eligible RACC students who will be mapping an intentional path to WCU. Students at both campuses will establish relationships with professors who are committed to engaging students in dynamic and purposeful ways that will support their development inside the classroom as well as outside the classroom. 

Eligible students must receive their associate degree and meet all University degree, major and grade point average requirements. The University’s Exploratory Studies, Sports Medicine, Respiratory Care, and traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) major programs are not part of this new guaranteed dual admission agreement.

About Reading Area Community College

Reading Area Community College is an accredited, comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution that provides associate degrees, certificate and diploma programs, career-focused training; transitional coursework and skills training for business and industry. Sponsored by Berks County, the college provides affordable access to meet identified community educational needs.

About West Chester University

Enrolling more than 17,000 students, West Chester University is the largest member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1871, the University is a comprehensive public institution, offering a diverse range of more than 200 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 50 fields of study. In addition to the main campus in West Chester, the University offers programs through its graduate center, the campus in Philadelphia, and online. Six colleges and two schools comprise the University: University College, Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Business and Public Management, Education and Social Work, Health Sciences, and the Sciences and Mathematics, as well as the Wells School of Music, and the Graduate School.

January 17, 2023 — Earlier this year, PA Governor Tom Wolf announced that $1 million in PA Hunger-Free Campus grants have been awarded to 28 institutions of higher education and private licensed schools to combat student hunger across the commonwealth. Reading Area Community College (RACC) is among those recipients, and will receive $40,000 in total grant funding. 

“Hunger affects far too many postsecondary students across the nation,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney. “The PA Hunger-Free Campus designation and grant funding will help provide RACC students with access to healthy food so they can stay focused, learn and graduate.”

Postsecondary institutions that received a PA Hunger-Free Campus+ designation implemented additional innovative solutions to address student hunger and other basic needs for their campus community in conjunction with demonstrating additional criteria. Examples of these initiatives included offering a variety of meal plans, including an option that provides ten or fewer meals weekly to avoid interfering with SNAP eligibility, creating or implementing meal-sharing programs, educating student leaders on campus to develop student-centered programs, or facilitating innovative community partnerships.

RACC will use the funding to support two campus initiatives. Approximately $15,000 will be allocated to providing hot meals to eligible students in the campus cafeteria. The remaining funds will support The Raven Food Pantry. The pantry is regularly stocked with a variety of non-perishable foods and products, including canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, snack bars, crackers, rice, sauce and pastas. Personal care and clothing items are also available.

The grants are awarded with the purpose of addressing food insecurity on campus, including expanding access to food options, creating awareness initiatives, and upgrading facilities. Awardees will be able to utilize the grant funds until December 31, 2023.

To learn more, contact RACC Director of Grants, Rhonda Hudak at 610.372.4721 x5016.

January 9. 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) and Villanova University, College of Professional Studies (CPS) entered into a Guaranteed Admission and Transfer Agreement on Friday, January 6 in a signing ceremony in the Miller Center for the Arts on the RACC campus.

The agreement will facilitate the transfer of RACC students to all majors offered through CPS exclusively under the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.

"We are proudly celebrating this new agreement with Villanova University, which will open many new doors of opportunity for our graduates," says Dr. Susan Looney, RACC president. “This pathway is the result of great cooperation and collaboration between faculty and deans of our respective institutions and will serve well both the needs of our institutions and, more importantly, those of our students."

"This new transfer agreement between Reading Area Community College and Villanova University College of Professional Studies is an exciting step forward,” says Christine Kelleher Palus, dean of the College of Professional Studies. “Every day in CPS we strive to allow greater access to a rigorous Villanova education, and we are thrilled to welcome RACC graduates to our community of learners. To our future students, with a solid educational foundation at RACC and a bachelor’s degree from Villanova, where you’ve been is just the beginning.”

Eligible students with an overall grade point average of 3.0 to 3.49 will receive a 20% tuition reduction, and those with a 3.5 to 4.0 will receive a 25% tuition reduction for each course taken at CPS.

"The new admissions agreement between Reading Area Community College and Villanova will expand access to our college's transformative education for our students. This partnership will provide a direct pathway to a Villanova degree for the talented graduates of RACC programs," says Kristen Marcinko, RACC director of academic partnerships.

In addition to tuition reduction, CPS may also offer Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) scholarships for qualified graduates admitted to CPS.

To learn more about the RACC and CPS and other transfer opportunities, visit the Transfer Services page.

READING, PA – On Thursday, November 10, the Berks Regional Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professions (AFP) honored The Foundation for Reading Area Community College (RACC) as its Outstanding Foundation at the annual AFP Berks Regional Chapter Awards Breakfast held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Reading.

Gary Moyer, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Foundation for RACC says, “We are honored to be recognized for our dedication to RACC students. The year 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the college and the foundation celebrated the historic significance of this milestone with an incredible year of philanthropic success for the benefit of the students of the college.” 

Key Foundation initiatives included a comprehensive partnership with Helping Harvest, which led to the establishment of the Ravens’ Food Pantry on campus for students experiencing food insecurity. Another initiative is the Student Emergency Assistance Fund, which helps students pay for rent, electric bills, transportation, phone bills and other emergent needs; to allow the student to remain in college and complete their education. The Foundation for RACC also secured a grant from Truist to sponsor an event at Boscov’s Department Store, which provided professional clothing for graduating students.

“RACC has 8500 students. Last year we distributed over a million dollars through over 700 scholarships to students. Scholarships are the essence of what we are about as a foundation. Despite our successes, the best is still ahead for us,” says Tony DeMarco, RACC VP for college advancement & executive director of the Foundation for RACC.

DeMarco and the Foundation also managed and organized the sold out RACC 50th Anniversary Gala with over 800 attendees that raised $1.3 million dollars and featured the co-founder of Apple Computer, Steve Wozniak. RACC’s 50th is widely regarded as one of the finest non-profit events in Berks County history.

The Foundation manages over 120 scholarship opportunities, many of which are for first generation or lower-income students, high school students who matriculate to RACC from a Berks County high school, or students in the college’s workforce training programs. In 2021, the Foundation distributed over $1M in scholarship support to RACC students.

To learn more about the Foundation for RACC, call 610.607.6239.

READING, PA – On Friday, October 21, the Miller Center for the Arts on the Reading Area Community College (RACC) campus celebrated its 15-year anniversary with a performance by world-renowned contemporary dance sensation, Parsons Dance Company. A pre-show reception at the Schmidt Training and Technology Center on the RACC campus hosted a large crowd of supporters, followed by the capacity performance in the Miller Center venue.

“Thank you, Marlin and Ginger Miller, for the beautiful theater that bears your name. Your generosity has provided our RACC students, staff, and community members with one of the finest performance venues in Pennsylvania. We thank you for 15 years of spectacular concerts and dance presentations, 15 years of comedy and music and 15 years of performance excellence,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney.

The Miller Center for the Arts emerged from the vision and philanthropy of Mr. Marlin Miller. Working closely with the President Emeritus, Gust Zogas as well as with the architects, construction crews and various visual artists, the Miller Center for the Arts emerged to bring some of the finest singers, musicians and dancers in the world to the campus of RACC. 

“After 15 years, we are so very proud to hold true to Marlin and Ginger Miller’s vision of an exquisite theater that brings some of the finest performance artists in the world to Berks County and our surrounding region. We are blessed through the endowment commitments of Dr. Frank Franco, Renee and Bruce Dietrich, Gust and Doris Zogas and, of course, Marlin and Ginger Miller, to bring a varied array of musical, comedic and dramatic genres to the Miller Center,” says RACC Vice President of College Advancement and the Executive Director of the Foundation for Reading Area Community College, Tony DeMarco. 

The Miller Center for the Arts has become an anchor in the City of Reading’s cultural landscape. The 500 seat theatre offers quality programming for all ages and interests. Whether it is modern dance, improv comedy or a children’s show, the Miller Center has something for everyone.

Some of the more prominent acts that have appeared at the Miller Center include David Sedaris, Judy Collins, Three Dog Night, The Machine, Tom Papa, and Josh Ritter. 

Along with performances, the Miller Center also hosts community events and is available for rental. For more information on how we can accommodate your event, please contact Megan Schappell at 610.607.6205.

Photo Caption: From Left to Right:
Dr. Susan Looney, Marlin Miller, Ginger Miller, Tony DeMarco