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.

Reading, PA – On Tuesday, August 29, Reading Area Community College (RACC) signed a guaranteed transfer agreement with Immaculata University in the Miller Center for the Arts on the RACC campus.

RACC President Dr. Susan Looney and Immaculata University President Barbara Lettiere entered the colleges into a Dual Admissions Transfer Agreement to facilitate the transfer of RACC students to Immaculata’s Baccalaureate Degree programs. This agreement applies to students who enter Immaculata as full-time or part-time undergraduate students. RACC students will be guaranteed admission with third year (junior) status at Immaculata. The agreement will apply to  RACC graduates with an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science, or Associate in General Studies degree. Immaculata will award academic scholarships annually to all RACC graduates admitted to the college, and all RACC students will also be provided with a Dual Admissions Grant of $1,500 which is renewable each year the student is enrolled as a full-time matriculated undergraduate student. The Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship will also be awarded to Phi Theta Kappa members.

"We are celebrating today a new agreement with Immaculata University, which will open many new doors of opportunity for our graduates. 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," says Reading Area Community College President, Dr. Susan Looney.

“Immaculata University is proud to partner with RACC in the development of the Dual Admissions Agreement. The agreement clearly and seamlessly lays out the pathways to a bachelor’s degree and subsequent careers. This aligns exactly with what modern students are looking for and actively pursuing,” says Immaculata Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Angela Tekely.

"The availability of student scholarships when transferring a RACC associate degree to Immaculata's Baccalaureate Degree programs makes access to a continuing education easier and will reduce the financial burden for our qualified transferring students," says RACC Director of Academic Partnerships, Kristen M. Marcinko.

To learn more about the transfer agreement, or for more information about other transfer opportunities, contact Dana Stout at 610.372.4721 x5106, or visit Transfer Services.

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

About Immaculata University
Immaculata University is a comprehensive, co-ed institution of higher learning that has emphasized academic success, student outcomes, faith-based values and personal growth for more than 100 years. Immaculata University values each student and empowers them to chart their own course.

Offering more than 75 in-demand undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, Immaculata University provides attainable education, personal support and meaningful career pathways to tomorrow’s leaders who are focused on intellectual, personal, professional and spiritual growth. Driven by the Catholic Intellectual tradition and the heritage of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Immaculata provides affordable, career-focused education that is accessible to students, regardless of income, location, test scores or academic achievement.

Reading, PA (August 15, 2023) – Excelencia in Education has named Reading Area Community College (RACC)’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) English as a second language (ESL) Embedded Tutoring and Peer Support Program a finalist for the 2023 Examples of Excelencia, recognizing the program’s intentionality in serving Latino students through culturally relevant, evidence-based practices. This program is among 19 Examples of Excelencia finalists across the country.

The Early Childhood Education ESL Embedded Tutoring and Peer Support program supports Latino Early Childhood Education students through course embedded ESL tutoring, peer mentoring and the intentional revision of instructional design to support ESL students.

Excelencia is the only national effort to identify, aggregate, and promote evidence-based practices accelerating Latino student success in higher education. As one of this year’s finalists, RACC’s program demonstrates intentionality and impact in improving degree outcomes for Latino and other post-traditional students. The program’s efforts can inform institutional leaders and practitioners that are proactively seeking ways to build and sustain practices tailored to their students and their communities.

“We bring national attention to the Examples of Excelencia finalists because they show what is possible when serving Latino students in their higher education journeys,” said Adriana Rodriguez, Vice President for Programs at Excelencia in Education. “Beyond enrollment, these programs implement replicable practices that answer questions of how best to reach Latino students and support them to and through college in today’s landscape.

RACC’s Early Childhood Education ESL Embedded Tutoring and Peer Support program and the other finalists were selected through a robust review process of 103 program submissions representing higher education institutions and community organizations across 20 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in four categories: associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations. Since 2005, Excelencia has received over 2,000 program submissions, recognized over 400 programs for their impact, and raised and awarded over $2 million to the programs making a difference for Latino students to sustain their work.

“I am deeply grateful for the recognition that this award represents, and I would like to thank Nancy Jackson, Dr. Robin Eckert, and their staff for their tireless dedication to our students,” Dr. Susan Looney, RACC president, says. “Every day, they provide a supportive and nurturing environment that enables our students to thrive. It is their commitment to helping students achieve their dreams that helps to transform the lives within our community.” 

All finalist programs will be featured online in Excelencia’s Growing What Works Database — the only national, searchable database for institutional leaders, funders, policymakers, and others interested in effective programs for Latino students.

June 29, 2023 — Reading Area Community College (RACC) was honored at a gala at Kraras Hall in Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Wyomissing on Thursday, June 29. Accepting the award on behalf of RACC was RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney.

Each year, Centro Hispano Daniel Torres recognizes an institution, organization or individual who makes a positive impact at the center and in Reading’s Latino community with its Amigo Award. RACC was selected as the 2023 Amigo Award winner and honored at the Amigo Award Gala.

“I am deeply grateful for the recognition that this award represents, and I would like to thank everyone at RACC for their tireless dedication to our students. Every day, they provide a supportive and nurturing environment that enables our students to thrive. It is their commitment to helping students achieve their dreams that helps to transform the lives within our community,” says Dr. Susan Looney.

 In addition to the award ceremony, the dinner featured keynote speaker, Mr. Richard C. Harwood, renowned speaker, author and president and founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, will be our keynote speaker for the evening.

Centro Hispano Daniel Torres’ mission is to support the acculturation of the local Latino population through collaborative initiatives with core programs that include a senior center, social services referrals, college scholarships and guidance for high school students, peer-to-peer training for parents, and after-school mentoring.

Reading, PA – Chairman of the Board for the Foundation for Reading Area Community College (RACC), Gary Moyer, and Executive Director of the Foundation for RACC, Anthony (Tony) DeMarco, recently welcomed five new members to the Foundation Board. The Foundation for RACC has a long history of strong community support; having tremendous impact on student success within the region. In 2022, the foundation was recognized as an Outstanding Foundation by the Berks County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Alex Goodman, Sharon White, Daniel Laws, Sandra Focht and Peter Rowley were all elected unanimously to serve the Foundation and have provided superb leadership during their first months with the Foundation for RACC.

"The Foundation for RACC continues to build a powerful board befitting the largest institute of higher education in Berks County," says Tony DeMarco. "We are thrilled to bring on such influential leaders who will advocate for our college.

Alex Goodman serves as the Wieland-Heyco human resources director at the Reading location. She attended Skidmore College and received her MBA from Alvernia University. She has returned to the Foundation Board after a brief departure to pursue a position out of the area. Alex served on the 50th Anniversary Committee, which managed one of the most successful nonprofit events in Berks County history. She is currently a member of the Miller Center Advisory Council, and believes in RACC's core values and mission in building a stronger community through education.

Sharon White and her husband Brad, are longtime leaders of the John Paul II Center for Special Learning. Sharon was a longstanding member of the John Paul II Gala Committee, which is one of the finest nonprofit events in the region. Sharon has been an active participant of the RACC Golf Tournament, and is looking forward to help fundraise for the Foundation. Sharon is a respected speech therapist who has counseled many students in our region.

Daniel Laws is the founder, president and CEO of DaBrian Marketing, one of Reading's leading digital marketing and digital analytics companies. Daniel is always looking to help the students of Reading succeed. He takes his role as a community leader and a voice of diversity in Berks County very seriously. Currently, Daniel is one of three co-chairs of the Digital Analytics Association's (DAA) Philadelphia Chapter. He is a member of the Forbes Agency Council and is a member of the local Vistage group. Daniel is very involved in Berks County youth sports where his children are active participants.

Sandra Focht, has her Masters of Science in Biology and is a retired college educator. She is a local philanthropist who believes strongly in the mission of the Foundation for Reading Area Community College. Sandra has been active in the RACC Golf Tournament and Miller Center for the Arts events, and has developed a strong relationship with RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney. Sandra's husband, Michael Focht, is the retired president of Tenet Healthcare Corporation.

Peter Rowley is the senior vice president, commercial banking regional manager for Tompkins Community Bank. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and served as an associate vice president at M&T Bank before joining Tompkins. Pete was named a 2022 40 Under 40 honoree by Lehigh Valley Business Journal. Pete is an established community leader who has served such notable non-profit organizations such as Prospectus Berco, the United Way, Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County, Leadership Council at Alvernia University and the John Paul II Center for Special Education. He lives in Sinking Spring with his wife, Rachel and twin sons, Connor and Lucas.

The Foundation for Reading Area Community College was created to raise, invest and manage private funds for the benefit of the college. The Foundation supports RACC's mission to build communities of learning to encourage educational growth by providing scholarship funding for all students with demonstrated financial need and for emerging initiatives that serve to further enhance the college's programs and facilities. To learn more about the Foundation for Reading Area Community College, visit racc.edu/about-racc/foundation or call Tony DeMarco at 610.607.6251.