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

Reading Area Community College will receive $5 million toward the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion

Reading - October 26, 2022 - This evening Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced $20.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capitol Program grant funding for seven 11th Senatorial District projects.

Reading Area Community College received $5 million in funding for the Weitz Health Pavilion. With funding, Weitz Hall will undergo a series of physical improvements to increase learning space for health care students and workers. The project would allow all health care programming to be housed in one building.

“I’m very pleased to see Gov. Wolf continue to support Berks County’s thriving network of higher education,” Schwank said. “We now have three institutions of higher education operating in Reading that are able to move forward with big projects that will provide students with world-class educational opportunities and help the commonwealth meet its long-term workforce needs.”

Alvernia University was awarded $7.5 million in funding for the development of the vacant sixth floor of the Reading CollegeTowne building, which will allow the university to expand program offerings and student housing.

Albright College was granted $3 million in funding for renovations to the Leo Camp Building. The building will become the home of the Science Research Institute.

Reading, PA – On Monday, September 19, Reading Area Community College (RACC) signed a guaranteed transfer agreement with Muhlenberg College in the River Room of the Yocum Library on the RACC campus.

RACC and the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies entered into a program-to-program agreement for RACC students planning to transfer to Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies Accelerated Degree Programs. RACC graduates with an Associate in Arts Degree, Associate in Science Degree or Associate in Applied Science Degree in a major aligned with one of Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies Accelerated Degree Programs. A RACC student admitted with an earned associate's degree in one of the designated curriculums will be able to complete a bachelor's degree in a parallel program at the School of Continuing Studies within 22 months.

"We are celebrating today a new agreement with Muhlenberg College’s, 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.

In addition, students who are admitted under this agreement will be eligible to receive $1,500 per academic year. Current members of Phi Theta Kappa at RACC at their time of transfer will be eligible to receive an additional $500 per academic year.

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

"The availability of student scholarships when transferring a RACC associate degree to Muhlenberg College's bachelor's degree program 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 Leora Chernesky 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 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Muhlenberg College aims to develop independent critical thinkers who are intellectually agile, characterized by a zest for reasoned and civil debate, committed to understanding the diversity of the human experience, able to express ideas with clarity and grace, committed to lifelong learning, equipped with ethical and civic values and prepared for lives of leadership and service.

The College is committed to providing an intellectually rigorous education within the context of an inclusive and diverse campus; we strongly believe that diversity is essential to learning and to our success as a pluralistic community. Our curriculum integrates the traditional liberal arts with selected preprofessional studies. Our faculty are passionate about teaching, value close relationships with students and are committed to the pedagogical and intellectual importance of research.

Secretary Miguel Cardona Announces the Road to Success Back to School Bus Tour

On Monday, September 12, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will launch the Road to Success Back to School Bus Tour alongside First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff. The week-long, multi-state road trip will showcase the many ways school communities are helping students recover and thrive – putting them on the road to success.

First Lady Biden and Secretary Cardona will kick-off the tour in Tennessee with a visit highlighting ways states and districts are recruiting and preparing qualified educators into the classroom. The First Lady will join Secretary Cardona for the first two stops within the tour.

Later in the week, Second Gentleman Emhoff will join Secretary Cardona in Pennsylvania with visits that highlight how community schools are helping students recover academically and get the mental health supports they need, celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and raise awareness about the Administration’s actions to provide debt relief to millions, including teachers and administrators through Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Throughout the week, Secretary Cardona, Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, Undersecretary James Kvaal, and local school leaders will join students, parents, and educators for additional events that celebrate the back-to-school season and underscore the Administration’s commitment to helping students recover from the impacts of the pandemic and continue on the road to success. As part of the Road to Success Bus Tour, Administration leaders will highlight academic and mental health programs and efforts to recruit and support educators funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP), which provided historic resources to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities to reopen schools and help students of all ages recover.

The Road to Success Bus Tour will feature stops in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

“It’s a great feeling to see yellow school buses drive around our communities with excited children who are ready to thrive in this new school year. I am thrilled to be traveling across the eastern states and highlighting innovative ways local, state, and federal efforts are helping students recover and succeed in and out of the classroom,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This year will be one of the most important ever, as we not only work to catch students up, but put them in a position to do even better than where they were before March 2020.”