Sharibel Urena was born in New York City and moved to Berks County with her parents when she was in elementary school. She loved studying chemistry, biology and French in high school, so when she graduated from Wyomissing Area High School in 2011, she was eager to continue these studies in college.

Due to her excellent high school academic performance, Sharibel received a full scholarship to RACC. She enrolled in RACC as a science transfer major. “RACC gave me the opportunity to experience college close to home before deciding which four-year institution was right for me.”

With the guidance and support of RACC faculty and staff, particularly Jane Dietrich and Jodi Corbett, Sharibel’s transfer process was smooth. “RACC’s great selection of academic programs and ease in transferring to four-year institutions was very helpful. Having knowledgeable mentors and excellent counselors at RACC allowed me to stay on track with my academic goals.” Sharibel transferred to Albright College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry with a minor in French within four years of graduating high school.

In addition to immersing herself in trigonometry and chemistry her first year at RACC, Sharibel took advantage of the various opportunities to get involved on campus and in her community. She was a chemistry and math tutor and continued to do so at RACC even after transferring to Albright. She was a member of the International Club where she made great connections with people from around the world. There, she participated in the annual International Festival, and spent several hours volunteering to help RACC raise over $15,000 for Caitlyn’s Smiles, a local charity. Sharibel got her first taste of the performing arts when she participated in RACC Idol and won 2nd place in the competition. “I developed an even deeper passion for performing at Albright by joining the Women’s Chorale and I continue to sing with a local select chamber choir and volunteer in a community performing arts organization, Barrio Alegria.”

Sharibel also took advantage of the cross-registration program to continue her French education at Albright while taking classes at RACC. “I was placed into a 300 level French course at Albright as I attended classes at RACC and excelled at it for the next three years. Plus, I was also able to study abroad for a month in Paris.” Sharibel ultimately earned a 3.9 GPA in French, was inducted into the National French Honor Society, Pi Delta Phi, and became fluent in her third language, in addition to English and Spanish.

Thanks to the excellent education and experiences she received, Sharibel was well prepared and qualified to work professionally in the scientific field. Her first position after graduating was at a pharmaceutical laboratory as a chemist in Lancaster. The technical experience Sharibel gained there made her a perfect fit for a position much closer to home at Carpenter Technology, where she currently works as an environmental chemistry laboratory technician. “The STEM courses I took at RACC were the foundation for the higher-level science courses I took later in my academic career. The literature and speech classes and the diverse backgrounds of the people I met at RACC helped me grow from a very shy, quiet student, into one that was comfortable speaking in front of a classroom and performing on a stage.”

RACC’s new quarterly print and digital publication ALIVE features timely news and events about RACC students, faculty, staff, programs and workforce development. Each issue of ALIVE illustrates RACC’s commitment to enhancing the educational and economic vitality of Berks County and its residents.

View the current issue of ALIVE

Reading, PA. – The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is proud to announce the appointment of Reading Area Community College President Dr. Susan D. Looney to its Commission on Student Success, effective July 1, 2019. 

The Commission on Student Success focuses on student access and success, and organizational transformation. The commission may examine subject areas which include degree completion and two-year to four-year transfer. In addition, the commission may focus on initiatives that facilitate the implementation of the 21st-Century Initiative and Implementation Guidelines, showcase cutting-edge innovation with proven outcomes, and improve student success.

“It is a particularly exciting time to be appointed to the Commission on Student Success. The AACC is truly the ‘voice of America’s community colleges’ and I am honored to be selected to assist in providing advocacy, leadership, and service for community colleges. The mission of the AACC aligns closely with my personal hallmarks of access, opportunity, excellence, and hope in guiding our students to success,” says Dr. Looney.

In her 20 years as a full-time community college educator, eight as a faculty member and 12 years as a senior administrator, Dr. Looney has worked in diverse roles including: assistant to the campus director and director of corporate and community programs at Delaware Technical Community College, and interim assistant vice president of academic affairs, arts and sciences at Colorado Mountain College. Dr. Looney was named dean of instruction at Reading Area Community College in 2014 and named senior vice president of academic affairs/provost at RACC in 2015. She became the 6th president of RACC in July of 2018.

After completing her AA at Brookdale Community College, Dr. Looney went on to earn her BS and MBA in business administration from Monmouth University, JD from Widener University School of Law, and ultimately an Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Reading, PA. – The Reading Hospital Board of Trustees is proud to announce the appointment of Reading Area Community College President Dr. Susan D. Looney to its board effective June 1, 2019. 

The Reading Hospital Board of Trustees includes representatives from leading Berks County businesses, and academic and medical institutions. 

“We are very excited to have Dr. Looney join the Reading Hospital Board of Trustees. Dr. Looney brings a strong background in academics, research, and leadership – which is a great complement to our board,” says William M. Jennings, President and Chief Executive Officer, Reading Hospital. “It is especially significant to have Dr. Looney join us as we continue to partner with academic institutions, like Reading Area Community College, in our commitment to Advancing Health and Transforming Lives.”

In her 20 years as a full-time community college educator, eight as a faculty member and 12 years as a senior administrator, Dr. Looney has worked in diverse roles including: assistant to the campus director and director of corporate and community programs at Delaware Technical Community College, and interim assistant vice president of academic affairs, arts and sciences at Colorado Mountain College. Dr. Looney was named dean of instruction at Reading Area Community College in 2014 and named senior vice president of academic affairs/provost at RACC in 2015.

After completing her AA at Brookdale Community College, Dr. Looney went on to earn her BS and MBA in business administration from Monmouth University, JD from Widener University School of Law, and ultimately an Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

“It is a particularly exciting time to be appointed to the Reading Hospital board of trustees. The hospital continues to advance the healthcare industry in our area, and I look forward to working with the leadership team as the organization sets its sights on the future,” says Dr. Looney.

Reading Health is committed to advancing health and transforming lives in the communities they serve. Their system includes more than 1,000 physician and healthcare providers delivering both primary and specialty care.

Reading, PA - The Reading Area Community College (RACC) Adult Basic Education (ABE) program honored 88 students who have obtained their GED in a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 22nd in the Miller Center for the Arts on the RACC campus.

Students walking the stage have spent hundreds of hours working on GED preparation in one of RACC’s classes. The GED examination is equivalent to a high school diploma and certifies a student as having high school graduate-level skills. 

"Adult education is a vital program in our community, and we at RACC are proud to offer this option for students looking to improve their marketability in the workforce, or continue their education at the next level,” says Dr. Susan D. Looney, RACC president.  

Many students graduating have also completed English as a Second Language courses and now plan to further their education-including enrolling at RACC to earn a degree.

For more information about RACC’s GED and ABE programs, call 610.372.4721, ex. 5322.