Johnson College and The Andrew Mazza Foundation are proud to announce the 2nd Andrew Mazza Diesel Jam to be held at Johnson College on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Diesel Jam will be a celebration of the diesel truck community, featuring a truck show, mobile dyno runs, vendors, food, and live entertainment. It will be an all-day (rain or shine) family friendly event. All trucks are invited to participate. Truck registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the award ceremony is at 3:00 p.m.

This event will support the Diesel Truck Technology Program at Johnson College and The Andrew Mazza Foundation. Diesel Truck Technology is a 2-year program designed to prepare students as entry-level technicians with the latest information on diagnosis, repair procedures, preventative maintenance, and necessary safety applications in diesel technology. The program graduates more than 20 students each year who have an immediate impact on the diesel truck industry, especially in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The Andrew Mazza Foundation, started in 2016, supports and enriches the community through Andrew’s passions and hobbies. Proceeds raised from Diesel Jam will enhance and expand the Diesel Truck Technology Program at Johnson, provide students with scholarships, and serve the community in which Andrew called home.

Early truck and mobile dyno registration can be completed through Johnson College’s Website at www.johnson.edu/DieselJam until June 7, 2019.  The fee to register a truck is a $25 donation. Registration will be limited on the day of the event and will increase to $30 per registration, an additional fee is required to register for the mobile dyno. More information is available by contacting Dawn Ziegler at (570) 313-0369, emailing Andrewmazzafoundation@gmail.com or on Facebook at Johnson College or The Andrew Mazza Foundation.

Sustainability means utilizing environmental resources in an efficient way and reducing impact on the environment. It’s a concept that is becoming ever present at a time when climate change and renewable resources are at the forefront of political and news conversations. At Johnson College, sustainable principles are taught in almost all program areas. It is important to teach students how to minimize waste and utilize materials in a smart way. Two programs that have made great strides in the area of sustainability are Architectural Drafting and Design Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

“As the people that are primary users of materials, raw material into refined material, it is very important for us to think sustainably,” said Cole Goldstein, department chair of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. John DeAngelis, department chair of Architectural Drafting and Design Technology says that this topic isn’t just important to his field but it’s important to the world. Both of these programs bring green practices into the classroom.

Mr. DeAngelis established his sustainability course because he saw that designers were beginning to incorporate sustainable strategies into their designs. In the course, he focuses on the six guiding principles of green building, which are comfort, health, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, longevity, and environmental impact. Incorporating features like sunshades, solar panels or earth roofs might not always be practical or look traditional but thinking about the orientation of a building, windows and the inclusion of a retention pond for runoff all fall under sustainable practices that students need to consider when creating their own designs.

In Advanced Manufacturing Technology, recyclability and design are two of the major practices that are taught. “I try to push my students to work out as many kinks as they can on the computer in CAD (computer-assisted drafting) because in a virtual work space you aren’t using any materials,” Mr. Goldstein explained. Within the CAD program students can test the strengths of their designs with stress tests before 3D printing them. Once the parts are designed, students can print parts with less infill, the inside part of a 3D print, which saves material. Mr. Goldstein continued, “I stress to my students all the time that they need to think about how much material they’re using and why are they using it.”  Johnson College uses biopolymers for 3D printing. These plastics like PET, a type of thermoplastic polymer resin, are made from vegetable starches and are both recyclable and biodegradable.

When it comes to building design, Mr. DeAngelis said, “Every building uses a little bit of sustainable practices.” Large companies like Geisinger, who are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, are leading the way but a lot of smaller companies are also doing what they can to reduce their carbon footprint. Mr. DeAngelis thinks the idea of sustainability is slow to catch on because of how much it can cost upfront and many of the ideas are not entirely practical or traditional. He said, “People don’t want to put an earth roof on their house, it doesn’t look like what they’re used to.”

Advanced Manufacturing classes are project based, so Mr. Goldstein likes to share real world examples with his students. He said that companies like Volkswagen are using 3D printers in their factories now. “They are being sustainable about that process. It takes them less time, less material, and less cost to actually make add-ons to their tooling.” He also mentioned that Ford 3D prints sand molds for their engine block designs. Mr. Goldstein said that the practice of sustainability is only going to grow. He said, “We’re going to see a continued explosion. Sustainability in industry means cost savings.”

Mr. DeAngelis explained that future jobs in engineering, architecture and contracting will all be thinking about environmental laws because they will have to. “The idea that you can throw something away is not a real idea,” said Mr. DeAngelis, “It’s either in a landfill or some other place.” The process of getting a building site approved can take up to 2 years. All the environmental impact questions need to be answered before that. He says that graduates from the Architectural Drafting and Design Technology program will be involved with the environmental conversation and will be using sustainable practices with every project they do. “So they might not be putting an earth roof on a building but they will be answering questions about ‘why not’.” They will be able to make suggestions that benefit the client as well as our ecosystem.

“The sky’s the limit for our students,” Mr. Goldstein says, “We’re not teaching them how to make a certain part, we’re teaching them how to use certain skills to manufacture anything.” This makes Johnson College graduates more competitive in the field. “When students graduate from here with a two year degree and they understand processes that four year engineering students do – such as understanding how to use artificial intelligence to modify design, to make it lighter and stronger and use less materials, they’re more sought after by employers and industry as a whole.”

Johnson College’s Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology program hosted its third auction to benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA on Thursday, April 11th. The items up for auction were all created by students in the Carpentry & Cabinetmaking program, and the event was organized by Logistics & Supply Chain Management senior Matthew Darrow, ’19. More than 70 items were auctioned off including cutting boards, chess boards, stools, benches, tables, cabinets, wine racks and a toy box.  Most of the items were made from repurposed wood. The auction raised over $7,000 for the local non-profit and brought together a group of faculty, staff, and parents to showcase the wonderful creations the students work on every day.

Darrow, who organized the event as part of an internship said, “Organizing the auction has prepared me for the workforce by allowing me apply the communication, team work, and project and resource management skills that I have acquired through my education at Johnson.” He was very proud to produce an event that supports children in the region. “It was an honor and tremendous opportunity to be able to work with an amazing organization such as the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA which gives time and support to the youth of our community,” he said

For information about the two-year Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology program, please visit, www.johnson.edu/prospective-students/programs-of-study/building-trades-technology/carpentry-cabinetmaking/.

To learn more about Logistics & Supply Chain Management, please visit www.johnson.edu/prospective-students/programs-of-study/logistics/

Keystone College and Johnson College have signed a dual admission agreement enabling Johnson graduates with associate degrees or certificates in several programs to seamlessly transfer to Keystone to pursue their bachelor degrees.

Under the agreement:

• Johnson graduates with an associate of science degree in computer information technology can transfer into Keystone’s bachelor of science programs in computer science or information technology
• Johnson graduates with an associate degree in logistics and supply chain management can transfer into Keystone’s bachelor of science program in business
• Johnson graduates with an associate degree in veterinary technology can transfer into Keystone’s bachelor of science program in biology.
• Johnson graduates with certificates in welding or in building and property maintenance can transfer into Keystone’s bachelor of science program in business
• Johnson graduates with an associate degree physical therapist assistant can transfer into Keystone’s bachelor of science program in pre-physical therapy.

Students transferring into Keystone programs must meet minimum cumulative grade-point average requirements and satisfy all other transfer requirements.

The agreement is effective in the fall of 2019. Students transferring from Johnson to Keystone will enter with third year status.

“Partnering with Keystone College provides a new pathway to a bachelor’s degree for Johnson College students. Having a pathway to a bachelor’s degree provides the opportunity for students to stack their credentials and further advance in their careers,” said Johnson College President and CEO Katie Leonard.

“This dual admission agreement between Keystone College and Johnson College suits students of both schools perfectly,” said Keystone President Tracy L. Brundage, Ph.D.

“In today’s professional world, students should have the option of pursuing career pathways that work best for them. The more educational options they have, the more professional opportunities they will have in the future.”