HARRISBURG, PA — At the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges’ Annual Lobby Day at the Capitol today, RACC students, staff and President Dr. Susan Looney joined Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges to advocate for an increased funding level in the 2019-20 fiscal year budget. 

Pennsylvania Community Colleges are the largest provider of public postsecondary education in the Commonwealth and a sector that plays a significant role in the Commonwealth’s education and workforce development systems.

In the 2017-18 academic year, Pennsylvania’s community colleges enrolled more than 300,000 students from all 67 counties in the state. They also provided a foundation for nearly 35,000 students who sought transfer to four-year institutions, saving these students up to $20,000 on the cost of higher education. 

RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney says “Community colleges offer our communities access, opportunity, excellence and hope. When a student walks through our doors, we offer them the opportunity to change their lives for the better.” 
Pennsylvania community colleges offer high-quality education and workforce programs aligned with areas of critical workforce needs across the Commonwealth. The 14 colleges regularly consult with business partners to develop programs to meet state and local workforce needs, while fueling Pennsylvania’s economic recovery.

In his budget address, Gov. Wolf indicated that Pennsylvania needs to address the skills gap to ensure that Pennsylvania has a well-trained workforce. He established a goal of 60 percent of Pennsylvania residents having some form of postsecondary education by 2025.
 
“Pennsylvania community colleges are ready to assist individuals who want to improve their lives by earning a certificate, enrolling in technical training, attaining an associate degree or preparing for further education,” said Elizabeth Bolden, president & CEO of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. “The colleges are committed to increasing access to quality, affordable higher education in the Commonwealth. We hope the General Assembly will support us in this mission by increasing funding for community colleges.”

Reading, PA – Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) recognized Reading Area Community College President Dr. Susan Looney as a winner of the prestigious Paragon Award for New Presidents during PTK Catalyst 2019, the Society's annual convention, April 4-6 in Orlando, Florida.

These awards are given to new college presidents who have shown strong support of student success by recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students at their college. Recipients were nominated for the award by the students on their campus.

The Paragon Award for New Presidents marks a special accomplishment for Dr. Looney. "I am completely humbled to be honored by PTK, an organization that has meant so much to me over the course of my community college career," says Dr. Looney. She has received a Paragon Award when a PTK student and again when she was a PTK advisor. Dr. Looney joined RACC in 2014 as dean of instruction and was appointed to senior vice president of academic affairs/provost in 2015. 

PTK students have a 91 percent student success rate, and research has shown that strong presidential leadership and support of PTK increases member success and the depth of their college experience. More than 500 college presidents were eligible to receive this award.

The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognizes academic achievement of community college students and provides opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. For more information about Phi Theta Kappa at Reading Area Community College, please call 610.372.4721.

Reading, PA –The Career Services Office at Reading Area Community College is pleased to announce our Job Fair 2019, which will be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The event is open to all students and graduates of RACC, and job seekers from the general public are welcome to attend as well. The event will be held in the Schmidt Training and Technology Center on RACC’s campus.

“We are expecting 51 employers,” says Jen Gittings-Dalton, Career Development Specialist at RACC. “We have employers hiring students from most majors, and in multiple career areas. They are offering full-time, part-time, and internship positions. We encourage all types of job-seekers to attend.” 

Job seekers are encouraged to dress appropriately for interviewing and to bring multiple copies of their resume, if they have one. RACC students may create or improve their resumes by visiting the RACC Career Center, and also get help with interviewing and job search skills and any career-related questions. The Career Center is located in room B-220, Berks Hall; students may drop by during office hours or make an appointment by calling 610-607-6246.
RACC partners with many local employers in hiring and services.

RACC’s annual Job Fair has been held at RACC for many years, with positive reviews from both attendees and employers. “We are proud of our students,” said Gittings-Dalton, “and we are proud of our community.  The people of Berks County are well-known for their hard work and loyalty, and RACC interns, students, and graduates add talent and skills to that foundation.”

For more information, contact Pat Edgar at 607-6246.

Reading, PA – April 3 – Ninety-five Reading High School seniors earned a head start on college by excelling on their College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) in Spanish I and Spanish II exam. Seventy-nine seniors earned the maximum number of credits possible by taking the exam,12 credits, and 16 students earned 6 credits. 

Students completing the exam can now carry these CLEP credits into an associate degree program at RACC and/or onto many bachelor’s degree programs at colleges and universities. The twelve CLEP credits save $2,000 in RACC tuition and hold even greater tuition savings at state, nearly $5,000, and state affiliated, over $7,000.  

“Reading Area Community College is a great partner in supporting student success,” says Mr. Waldo Alvarado, Reading School District’s Director of Diversity and Equity. “Our Spanish-speaking students who earned college credit through this unique program with RACC are provided a sense of cultural pride and confidence as multilingual individuals.”

RACC waives the test proctoring fees, provides campus tours, and admission orientation sessions. Reading School District pays for the students’ CLEP exams and provides the transportation to RACC’s campus.  This unique and successful partnership program with the Reading School District and Reading Area Community College is in its third year. 

According to the College Board:

• Financial aid recipients earning Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit had dramatically higher bachelor’s degree completion rates (72%) than their non-PLA counterparts (16%). 
• More than 50% of PLA students earned a degree in seven years, compared to 21% of non-PLA students. 
• Hispanic PLA students earned bachelor’s degrees at a rate that was almost eight times higher than that of Hispanic non-PLA students. 
• 91% of CLEP test takers said CLEP made a difference in helping them to complete their degrees. 

For more information on the College Board visit clep.collegeboard.org/about-clep.

Reading, PA – Lisa Watson, Deputy Secretary of Human Services and Tamila Lay, Director of Bureau of Employment Programs visited Reading Area Community College on Friday, March 29th to learn more about the college’s successful KEYS GED Bridge program.

RACC’s unique KEYS GED Bridge program prepares students to take the GED, or general equivalency exam, but offers case management, financial assistance and academic support to help students navigate college.
     
A recent study shows community colleges using the Bridge program shows these students are 20 percent more likely to complete GED classes and exams and to enroll in higher education courses. “Some of our students have some pretty significant challenges,” says Dr. Susan Looney, RACC president. “Student stories can change every week. Having them think about a career and having that extra support really makes a difference.”

Nationally, less than five percent of those with a GED will earn a bachelor’s degree, compared with 33 percent of those with high school diplomas, according to the US Census. Studies by the National Bureau of Economic Research show that although many GED students take the exam with the intention of gaining a post-secondary diploma, about 77 percent of GED holders do not go on beyond the first semester of college.

Those behind KEYS GED Bridge are hopeful the program gives students the support they need to stick with their studies.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Department of Human Services for our success in the development and implementation of the KEYS GED Bridge Program. We are excited to have Deputy Secretary, Lisa Watson and Director of Employment and Training Programs, Tamila Lay hear about the program’s evolution and to share our student’s success stories,“ says Mary Turner, MS, RACC KEYS Program Coordinator/Student Facilitator.

The mission of the Department of Human Services is to improve the quality of life for Pennsylvania’s individuals and families. We promote opportunities for independence through services and supports while demonstrating accountability for taxpayer resources.

For more information about DHS, visit www.dhs.pa.gov.

Learn more about the RACC GED Bridge program.