Reading, PA- The Reading Area Community College (RACC) Adult Basic Education (ABE) program honored 42 students who have obtained their GED in a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, June 2 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, x5322, or visit racc.edu.

Reading, PA, May 22, 2021 – Despite challenges facing the academic communities during the past year, Reading Area Community College (RACC) and Reading High School have successfully continued their Reading College Knights program. Fourteen Reading High School seniors, including two RACC presidential scholars, completed the course remotely. Five of these students have committed to attend RACC after graduation.

The program allows college-ready Reading High seniors to take a three-credit college success strategies course through RACC. The course is designed to support student learning and academic success by addressing academic skills, career and academic planning as well as financial literacy. Emphasis is placed on the student’s academic and personal development in the college. This unique course, developed by RACC Foundational Studies Associate Professors Denise Strohmayr and Teri Floyd-Brumm, recently won the 2019 League for Innovation in the Community College Innovation of the Year Award.

Now in its third year, the Reading School District supports seniors who are academically ready for college courses an opportunity to take RACC courses in the spring of their senior year. The overall success rates of these students demonstrate the commitment faculty and staff at both institutions to smoothly transition high school students to college.

A recent graduate of the program says, “The things I learned in the College Knights Program have been tremendous in helping me better remember lectures, understand text and organize my train of thought. I have practiced active listening in personal situations as well. All of this has reduced my stress level and the results have been extremely positive in my life.”

“Our colleagues at the Reading School District believe in the same things we at RACC believe in – being an anchor institution that provides opportunity and hope for our students and for this community. Through the College Knights Program, we hope students gain the college experience they will remember throughout their college career,” says RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney.

To learn more about the College Knights Program, contact Kristen Marcinko, assistant director of community and academic partnerships, at 610.372.4721 ext. 5127.

Reading, PA, May 22, 2021 – William “Kit” Jackson, a senior at Oley Valley High School, graduated from Reading Area Community College (RACC) with an Associate of Science Transfer Degree on May 7, days before he will also graduate from high school. Kit combined RACC dual enrollment classes he took during his sophomore, junior and senior years at Oley Valley High School with RACC’s campus and online courses to complete the 63-credit degree this May. Kit plans to attend Bucknell University this fall to major in computer science.

While jointly attaining a high school diploma and a college associate degree would seem like an overwhelming workload, Kit also found time for activities outside of academics. He is in the school marching and jazz bands, has a part time job at a local horse farm and stables; and recently placed third in the TSA (Technology Student Association) statewide Computer Science and Information Technology Competition.

“The dual enrollment program at RACC has been a great way for me to get a head start on my four year college degree, and also get me closer to a career in cybersecurity. Balancing the academic requirements of my diploma and associate degree, as well as my activities outside of school has really helped me develop the time management skills I will need at Bucknell and in my career,” says Jackson. 

RACC dual enrollment students concurrently complete their requirements for high school graduation at the same time they earn college credit. Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, and/or recommendation from their high school teacher and guidance counselor are eligible for dual enrollment courses. 

To learn more about the dual enrollment program at RACC, contact Kristen Marcinko, assistant director of community and academic partnerships, at 610.372.4721 ext. 5127.

Reading, PA, Wednesday, May 12, 2021 – Tompkins VIST Bank today announced that it has donated $5,000 to the Foundation at Reading Area Community College under the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program.  The donation is part of the $301,250 the bank has currently earmarked for youth education organizations that qualify under EITC.

Tompkins VIST Bank President and CEO Scott Gruber and Executive Vice President Gary Moyer were present at check ceremony. “In my work with RACC, I’ve been impressed with their focus on educational outreach,” said Moyer, vice chair of the foundation, which provides scholarships to disadvantaged youth in the community. “We’re pleased to support their efforts.”

Dr. Susan Looney, president of RACC commended the value of EITC. “The EITC program is a great way to inspire high school students to continue their education or enter the workforce after high school,” she said.

Reading Area Community College is an accredited, comprehensive, open enrollment education institution that provides the following: 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.

Tompkins VIST Bank, a subsidiary of Tompkins Financial Corporation, is a locally headquartered community bank with 19 branches serving southeastern Pennsylvania.  The bank offers personalized service, local decision-making and a broad range of services for consumers and businesses. These include cash management, commercial loans, and an online business loan application process. Insurance and wealth management services are provided through the Pennsylvania offices of Tompkins Insurance and Tompkins Financial Advisors. Whether you prefer branch or remote mobile banking, we provide the breadth of services and local decision-making to make what’s possible a reality. Locally Focused. A World of Possibilities. More information.

Reading, PA, May 10, 2021 – The need for cybersecurity professionals has increased dramatically as computers and mobile devices have become essential in our personal and professional lives. Dr. Susan D. Looney, president of Reading Area Community College (RACC) and the RACC administration recognized the need to establish a Cybersecurity Program, which has quickly become very popular for students with technical skills and an intuitive understanding of computer systems. 

RACC Cybersecurity faculty member, Michael Hoehl, noticed a trend among the students who had completed the ten course Cybersecurity Program. Some students needed financial assistance with costs to obtain the official certification. Hoehl also happens to be the director of Cybersecurity at Carpenter Technology. Hoehl connected with Linda Bell, associate dean of the Business Division and Tony DeMarco, executive director of the Foundation for Reading Area Community College. Michael’s concept was to appeal to Carpenter Technology’s leadership team for a gift to cover the testing costs for the students who completed RACC’s Cybersecurity curriculum. 

The Carpenter Technology Cybersecurity Program has awarded 14 students the funding to cover the costs of their official certification test. Linda Bell has also arranged for each of these students to have access to a test preparation workshop in advance of the rigorous test as part of the Carpenter Technology award. 

“We have cleared certain monetary obstacles for these talented individuals to achieve certification and find the career of their dreams in the many cybersecurity opportunities that are available in the industry,” says Hoehl. 

“One needs to simply read the news to realize the vulnerability that exists,” says Dr. Looney. “We know regionally as well as nationally, there is a need for qualified cybersecurity professionals. Our program provides a comprehensive cybersecurity education, preparing graduates for advanced technical and management positions in cybersecurity, she continues. We are grateful to Carpenter Technology for their generous contributions that provide direct assistance for these students and for recognizing the importance of developing the next generation of professionals in this critical field.”

To learn more about the Cybersecurity Program at Reading Area Community College, contact Linda Bell at 610.607.5168.