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News
News
RACC Holds Grand Opening/Open House Event for New Esports Center on Campus
November 20, 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) unveiled its new Esports Center with a ground breaki
November 20, 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) unveiled its new Esports Center with a ground breaking and open house on Monday.
“We are extremely proud of this amazing facility,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney. “It has surpassed all my expectations, and I have a feeling this is only the start. The Esports Club continues to grow in membership and I’m eager to see how this facility helps grow this club.”
Located in the college’s Student Union Building, the gaming hub features 25 gaming machines featuring MSI computers with the newest Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card with Samsung Odyssey monitors.
The college launched the Esports Club in 2019 with eight gaming stations and about 20 members. After students returned to campus after COVID-19, membership began to increase, quickly outgrowing its small space in Weitz Hall. College leadership worked with Reading-based Muhlenberg Green Architects, and Ethosource, to design and furnish the over 1,200 square foot $300,000 project.
“I’m happy the Esports Club now has a state-of-the-art facility to match the skills and enthusiasm of our team,” says Esports Club Advisor, Sonia Rieger. The new facility will further provide support for students that want to compete in local or regional collegiate tournaments with their friends and peers,” she continues.
To learn more about Esports at RACC, contact Sonia at srieger@racc.edu or 610.607.4081.
RACC Earns Prestigious Histotechnician Program Accreditation
RACC Earns Prestigious Histotechnician Program Accreditation
RACC Earns Prestigious Histotechnician Program Accreditation
October 19, 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) has achieved accreditation status for their Histotechnician program. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the program has been granted accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) for five years.
Accreditation by NAACLS is a testament to the exceptional quality and standards maintained by RACC's Histotechnician program. This achievement is a result of the dedicated efforts of faculty, staff and students who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in education and training.
The Histotechnician (HT) is a medical lab worker responsible for processing surgical tissues, biopsies, and autopsy specimens for microscopic review by pathologists. Illnesses such as cancer or serious infections can often be detected by the arrangement of cells in a tissue sample.
“We are thrilled to have achieved this significant milestone for our Histotechnician program. This accreditation affirms our commitment to providing exceptional education in healthcare and further validates the efforts of our faculty and staff in maintaining the highest standards of excellence,” says RACC Dean of Health Professions, Dr. Stacia Visgarda.
RACC’s state-of-the-art facilities, experienced faculty, and hands-on learning opportunities ensure that graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of the industry.
The employment prospects for the field of Histotechnology are projected to be high due to a growing demand for medical and diagnostic services, as well as advances in medical research that require the use of histologic techniques.
To learn more about health professions programs at Reading Area Community College, contact admissions@racc.edu or 610.607.6224.
Wyomissing Foundation Awards $300K Grant for RACC Weitz Healthcare Pavilion Initiative
The three-year award provides support for renovations to the current Weitz Hall facility.
The three-year award provides support for renovations to the current Weitz Hall facility.
September 27, 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) received a $300,000 grant from the Wyomissing Foundation to kick off the Capital Campaign to renovate and redesign Weitz Hall to the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion. The Weitz Healthcare Pavilion will dramatically increase classroom and lab spaces for the 14 healthcare programs currently at RACC and to allow capacity to bring on nine new healthcare programs. Currently, the college offers associate degree programs in Registered Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Medical Laboratory Technician and a new Histotechnician program, as well as for-credit certificate practical nursing program and several short-term training programs such as Phlebotomy and Nurse’s Aide.
“With increased space, we will increase the number of applicants seeking admission to our healthcare programs by as much as 80%. These students will then work here in Berks County since over 90% of our graduates stay in our region after graduation,” says RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney. “As a Hispanic Serving Institution, we graduate students of diverse backgrounds, resulting in equitable representation in the local healthcare industry which is critical as our local population reflects our student body.”
“The Wyomissing Foundation is proud to make the first major gift to this essential campaign which will directly address the healthcare workforce crisis here in our region. We are also proud to honor RACC President Emerita, Dr. Anna Weitz, who has long been a champion of the training our local workforce,” says Wyomissing Foundation President Pat Giles.
There are significant healthcare workforce vacancies throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and throughout the Commonwealth. While the two top in-demand professions are Registered and Licensed Practical Nurses, there are many current openings for lab technicians and other laboratory-based positions. Local employers also note increased demand for entry-level workers such as nurse’s aides and phlebotomists.
“Having the highly respected Wyomissing Foundation make this phenomenal award to the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion signals to our business and philanthropic community that the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion is a project that merits serious consideration. We are so grateful to the Board of the Wyomissing Foundation for their support,” says Tony DeMarco, executive director of the Foundation for RACC and the vice president of advancement.
About the Wyomissing Foundation
The Wyomissing Foundation is a private Foundation established in Berks County, Pennsylvania and formed for the promotion of such charitable, scientific, literary and educational activities as the Trustees of the Foundation in their discretion may select.
About Reading Area Community College
Reading Area Community College builds communities of learning committed to educational growth and to the economic vitality in our region.
Joshua Riojas
For Joshua Riojas, RACC was just the beginning of his successful journey. “My professional work experience and education all started at RACC, and the school deserves a tremendous amount of credit in how I have progressed through life professionally.”
Joshua graduated from Conrad Weiser with no immediate plans for a career. He knew a four-year college didn’t suit him, so he chose RACC for his education. “I wanted to keep costs down and since I didn’t take my SATs seriously, I considered community college as my best option.”
While at RACC, Joshua received a Foundation Scholarship which encouraged him to earn more than one degree. Joshua graduated from RACC with two Associate Degrees in Web Site Development and Computer Technology.
One of Joshua’s instructors, Marty Kelly, who is also RACC’s webmaster, gave him an opportunity to work as a work-study in the web department. “Over the years of employment at RACC, Marty was a wonderful supervisor who made every effort to see me thrive academically and professionally. People like Marty are the reason why a student should go to RACC.” Marty not only encouraged and supported Joshua while he was at RACC, but they stayed in touch after graduation and continue to be close friends.
Joshua directly credits RACC for providing him with a pathway not only for transferring to a four-year college but also for gaining employment opportunities. “My education at RACC enabled me to acquire part-time work at the college. Plus, it was instrumental in obtaining an IT Internship at Morgan Corporation, which continued a trickle effect as I transferred to PSU.” Joshua was able to leverage his work experience at RACC to get a web internship in the Marketing and Communications Research Department at Penn State. Joshua ultimately graduated from Penn State with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Computer Science.
Joshua currently works at Cerner Corporation as a System Engineer and as an adjunct lecturer at Penn State, Harrisburg campus. Joshua’s immediate plans moving forward are to continue to explore fields within Computer Science, further his education with various IT/System Administrator certificates and focus on improving his lectures for his college classes.
Joshua feels that RACC was a turning point for him and continues to highly recommend RACC as a starting point for anyone looking to further their education. “RACC provides many dual admission opportunities that facilitate easy transfer of credits; and the classes, instructors and work-study programs help you calculate a trajectory for your career.”
Vice President Kamala Harris Visits Reading Area Community College
Reading, PA – On Tuesday, September 19, Vice President Kamala Harris marked National Voter Registration Day by
Reading, PA – On Tuesday, September 19, Vice President Kamala Harris marked National Voter Registration Day by participating in a moderated conversation with actress Annie Gonzalez at Reading Area Community College (RACC), a Hispanic-serving institution in Reading, PA. This campus event will be the third stop on the Vice President’s month-long college tour.
Vice President Harris’s “Fight for Our Freedoms" College Tour is a high-energy national swing to mobilize thousands of young people in the ongoing fight for fundamental freedoms and rights. She is set to visit around a dozen campuses including HBCUs, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, state schools, and additional Hispanic-serving institutions. At each stop, the Vice President will focus on key issues that disproportionately impact young people across America – from reproductive freedom and gun safety to climate action, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality, mental health, and book bans.
“It is truly an honor to have Vice President Harris visit our beautiful campus. I am very proud to have such an opportunity to showcase the great work that our faculty and staff do for our students and the Berks County community,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney.
The Vice President’s college tour officially kicked off this week with stops at Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University. It is a continuation of her dedicated work to energize, engage, and partner with young people throughout the country. She has already been to 13 college campuses this year after visiting 14 schools in 2022. Vice President Harris also regularly meets with young leaders wherever she goes – from climate leaders in Colorado to gun safety advocates in Virginia.
Features & News
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