Johnson College’s Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology (AMET) program  allows students to train on CNC machines, lathes, 3D printers, drones, and robots. Launched in 2015, these students and graduates have will play an important role in the future of manufacturing  and technology.

In support of this new degree, the College recently received a $5,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to support students in the AMET program. The grant will provide scholarships to current and future students as they progress through their education to become part of the advanced manufacturing workforce. According to the foundation’s website, Gene Haas established the foundation in 1991 to fund the needs of the local community. Haas is the owner of Haas Automation, Inc., America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools, which he started in 1983. Gene’s commitment to the importance of US manufacturing prompted him to grow his personal foundation and direct his foundation board to focus on manufacturing education in the form of scholarships for CNC machinist training. To date, more than 4,000 charitable organizations and schools have received funds totaling over 50 million dollars from the Gene Haas Foundation.

Andrew Zwanch, ’82, Sr. Director of Student Affairs said, “The grant from the Haas Foundation will support the type of student who is eager to break into the newest technologies in automation and additive manufacturing. These scholarships will certainly set our students up for a promising career.” In the 2017-18 academic year, every student of the AMET program will benefit from the grant by receiving funds to pursue or continue their education.

Johnson College has received a $1,000 grant for its Healthy Workplace Initiative from the Moses Taylor Foundation. The Moses Taylor Foundation welcomed the opportunity to partner with the College to improve the health and wellness of people in Northeast Pennsylvania. The $1,000 grant will sponsor a free fitness class one evening per month open to all 75 employees. Each month will focus on a different activity, including Zumba, yoga, strength training, Pilates and kickboxing.

Tracey Pratt, Manager of Development said, “Support from the Moses Taylor Foundation allows Johnson College to offer many types of fitness activities to our employees. It allows each participant to find what works for them and their wellness goals.”

Employee wellness is something the College has been working on for quite some time. Heather Buck, Human Resources Manager, is excited to get the employees even more active. “This past year our employees have participated in several healthy initiatives including the March Mayhem walking competition, walk it out Wednesdays, and organized Zumba and yoga classes. We have also organized healthy socials including a salad bar day where everyone can make a healthy lunch and share ideas for eating well.”

Over the next year, the College plans to utilize the funds to promote health and wellness in the workplace. “It is important for faculty and staff to not only do well at their job, but to feel their best every day. I think the Healthy Workplace Initiative grant will help us establish a workplace that is more health conscious and could even lead to better productivity on campus,” said Buck.

About Moses Taylor Foundation

Moses Taylor Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to building healthy communities and providing opportunities for people in Northeast Pennsylvania, especially the most vulnerable, to lead healthier lives. The Foundation was endowed in 2012 with the net proceeds from the sale of the Moses Taylor Health Care System to Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tennessee. Information on the work of Moses Taylor Foundation is available on the Foundation’s website: www.mosestaylorfoundation.org

Johnson College is once again celebrating its students for hitting high marks by celebrating their inclusion into a major national honor society. 24 students were honored during a ceremony on Friday, May 12^th for the Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society.

Alpha Beta Kappa (ABK) is the premier national collegiate honor society for trades and essential occupations. The society honors excellence not only in the classroom, but also in shop, studio, and laboratory study. Students must also rank in the upper ten percent of their graduating class.

The 25th Annual Johnson College Open will be held on Friday, May 19, 2017 at Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club in Mountaintop, PA (rain or shine).  Proceeds from this annual golf tournament support the Johnson College Presidential Scholarship Fund. Each academic year, Presidential Scholarships are awarded to two qualified and deserving full-time students.

Sponsors of the 25th Annual Johnson College Open to date include:
Presenting Sponsor: Gerrity’s Supermarkets
25^th Anniversary Sponsor: Shop Rite of Daleville & Mount Pocono
Advertising Sponsor: Lamar Advertising
Platinum Marketing Sponsors: Blackout Design, Sweda Advertising
Gold Print Sponsor: Sprint Print
Gold Sponsors: Highland Associates, L.R. Costanzo Company, PNC Bank, Simplex Industries, NAPA Auto Parts of Daleville & Mount Pocono, Reilly Associates
Silver Sponsors: Sordoni Construction Services, Shea Demolition
Cart Sponsor: Kane Is Able
Lunch Sponsor: Stevens & Lee
Dinner Sponsor: Postler & Jaeckle
Gift Sponsor: Action Lift
“Crossroads” Snack Bar Sponsor: Troy Mechanical
Mulligan Sponsor: McCarthy Tire & Automotive Centers

Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available. Golfer registration deadline is May 8^th. To obtain more information or to register to play in the tournament, visit www.johnson.edu/golf or contact Tracey Pratt, Advancement Specialist at 570-702-8908 or tpratt@johnson.edu.

Johnson College students and instructors from welding technology, advanced manufacturing engineering technology, and architectural drafting & design technology all contributed to a recent project for the Scranton Police Department Bomb Squad. The students created two 6 x 9 ft., c-channel structural steel door frames for the bomb squad to practice explosive entry training.

Since the Orlando nightclub shooting in the summer of 2016, police nationwide are preparing to enter buildings that may be locked down to outside force with a dangerous person or situation inside using explosive entry training. The Orlando incident was a tipping point where many police departments realized that explosive entry training was a necessary and powerful tool. Detective Sergeant Robert Martin, SPD Bomb Squad Commander said, “Developing a program for our officers is expensive, and Johnson College is saving us a ton of money by helping us with this project.” He said, “Chief Graziano, being proactive, wanted to develop a program to prepare the Scranton Bomb Squad in the event that we are confronted with  a situation similar to Orlando.”

The door frame will be used at the police training range on the Morgan Highway where the department also holds pistol and rifle training. “We can train up there by finding doors made of all different configurations including steel and butcher-block. We need to practice and train with all different variants of doors or materials that we may be confronted with.” The frame, designed and built by the Johnson College students allows the bomb squad trainees to attach different kinds and sizes of doors. “What we will do is train to see how much explosive is needed to break through certain materials. Since explosive or forced entry is so dangerous, we want to minimize any harm to the people inside,” said Det. Sgt. Martin. The goal is to use just the right amount of explosive to get through the construction of the door. “We keep records of explosives used to get through different kinds of doors, what the outcomes were, and the amount of fragmentation produced as well as if we had a positive or negative entry,” he said.

The Bomb Squad contacted the College in December and provided photos of what the frames should look like. The students of architectural drafting and design technology rendered the photos to create a set of prints and materials needed. The advanced manufacturing engineering technology students had approximately 10 hours of setting up and machining slots in the frames. Within eight weeks, the project was complete with the help of over 20 students and staff members over spanning over 55 hours of work. Det. Sgt. Martin said, “Thanks to the expertise of the staff and students at Johnson College, it came out perfect.”

Johnson College has chosen Ken Okrepkie, Regional Manager of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania to give their 2017 commencement address to graduates on Sunday, May 14th, 2017 at 10 a.m.

As the Regional Manager for Ben Franklin Technology Partners, he oversees investments in a portfolio of Northeastern PA companies that in 2016 generated more than $1B in revenue in the region. At Ben Franklin Technology Partners he also connects manufacturing companies to college and university resources. As a result, today a project with Johnson College is creating a new programmable logic controller (PLC) for a local company that employs 148 people in Carbondale that will drive significant additional revenue to the firm.

Mr. Okrepkie’s career blends a variety of experiences from higher education to the world of the entrepreneur. He started his career at the University of Scranton ultimately serving as Assistant Dean of Admissions followed by Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania where he held the position of President leading an organization that teaches life skills and the American free enterprise system to 12,000 young people a year. Ken then transitioned to founding member of an internet start-up company, CollegeRecruiting.com, where he led the sales and strategic initiatives. Prior to Ben Franklin in 2004, he joined the Great Valley Technology Alliance, now TecBridge, as a Vice-President.

He is credited with creating the Lackawanna and Luzerne County Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) Program that generates more than $2M each year for technology companies, now totaling $17.4M since the inception of the program. In support of regional economic development and local nonprofits, he continues to serve the community as Chairman of the Boards for SLIBCO- the Scranton Chamber’s Economic Development arm and Scranton Tomorrow, an organization that is leading the revitalization of downtown Scranton. Mr. Okrepkie also serves as Treasurer for United Neighborhood Centers and Chairs the Hazleton based CAN BE Business Incubator and Penn State University Wilkes-Barre Engineering Advisory Committee. He serves as Vice-President for the Carbondale Technology Transfer Center’s Board while participating on the Scranton Chamber Executive Board, CAN DO Board, Wilkes University Engineering Advisory Board, Wilkes-Barre Connect, Penn’s Northeast, TecBridge and the 9 Business Incubator Boards in the region. He has been both Commissioner and/or Coach for girls’ basketball and soccer in the Abington Youth programs and coached his daughter’s Holy Cross High School winter and summer league girls’ soccer team.

A graduate of the University of Scranton, Ken holds an undergraduate degree in marketing and a master’s degree in human resources. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at the University of Scranton Kania School of Management teaching in the Entrepreneurship program while being recognized as the 2013 TecBridge Bill McNally Mentor of the Year and a 2016 Wilkes University Allan P. Kirby Center Mentor of the Year recipient.

He resides in Scott Township with his wife, Dr. Kim Pavlick, and two daughters, Emily and Grace.

Johnson College recently received $1,000 from Munley Law for a scholarship to be given to a student pursuing Veterinary Technology. The scholarship comes to the College in remembrance of Janie Lamberton, an employee of Munley Law for more than ten years, who passed away in 2014.

Janie’s true love was rescuing dogs. She organized fundraisers to benefit local shelters, transported dogs to no-kill shelters, and loved taking photos of them. She even had her own therapy dog, which she would bring to visits at local nursing homes. When it came to animals, Janie had so much compassion. The staff at Munley Law thought the best way to honor her legacy would be through supporting students who care about animals just as much as Janie did.

The Veterinary Technology program at Johnson College prepares students to join an animal-care team as entry-level technicians.  Technicians collect samples, perform lab tests, take radiographs, prepare the surgical suite, assist in surgery, monitor anesthesia, provide general nursing care to patients, and assume other clinical duties.  Second-year students complete clinical rotations in the Animal Care Center, a pet wellness center on the campus of Johnson College.  The program prepares students to become Certified Veterinary Technicians (CVT) upon passing the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). For more information about the program, please click here.

“Thanks to Johnson College’s outstanding students, faculty and staff, board members, industry partners, and alumni I feel that it is well positioned for continued growth.” 

Dr. Ann L. Pipinski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson College today announced her retirement, which will be effective June 30, 2018.  The announcement was made earlier today at a special all-college gathering of board members, students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Pipinski was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson College in 2003. She served as acting President of the College from August 2002 and previously as Vice President of Continuing Education since 1989.  She has been with the College for over 27 years and her leadership has had a profound impact on the institution and greater Scranton community.

Dave Boniello, ’84, Chair of the Johnson College Board Directors shares, “I always remember Ann sharing that as President she wanted to laugh, have fun and could be a bit of a rebel.  I am proud to say that she has remained true to this statement throughout her tenure and it has served us well.  The College has grown in so many ways thanks to her leadership and our students are all the better for it.  As the first female President and Chief Executive Officer she has been an outstanding role model to all and has created an institution that is student-focused and industry-driven.”

Since becoming President and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson College Dr. Pipinski has led the College in growth of program development, friendraising and fundraising, and enrollment.  After years of an inactive alumni association she gave voice to this important constituent group by actively engaging them in activities related to their alma mater.  She reached out and they reached back and together, they began to shape the future of the institution, including a successful capital campaign that exceeded its comprehensive goal.  This was the first capital campaign for the College and resulted in its largest building project to date, the 12,600 square foot Health Science Technology Center.

The Health Science Technology Center houses the College’s Physical Therapist Assistant program, the newest program addition at the institution.  Dr. Pipinski also oversaw the development of the Woolworth Flex space, a 4,400 square foot building that houses the College’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning program.  Other building renovations under Dr. Pipinski’s tenure include the College’s first Collaborative Learning Space, a remodel of the Moffat Student Center, and a remodel of Woolworth Hall to house the College’s Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology program and 3-D print lab.

These additions, along with program development have helped to enhance the overall student experience.  Students have always been the focus for Dr. Pipinski and hearing feedback from them remains one of her favorite activities as President.  Listening to direct input from students has led to record-setting enrollment during Dr. Pipinski’s tenure.  Program enhancements and new program development have been a result of student, industry, and board input.

The new programs introduced under Dr. Pipinski’s leadership are Distribution, Supply & Logistics (in 2006 with a 2014 name change to Business Management with tracks in Project Management and Supply Chain Management), Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technology (2008), Diesel Preventative Maintenance Technology Certificate Program (2009), Welding Technology Certificate (2012), Physical Therapist Assistant (2013), and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology (2015).  The diversification of offerings has led the College to a 20% increase in enrollment since 2003.  The overall net assets of the College (Value of the College) has grown 204% and the operating budget has doubled during Dr. Pipinski’s tenure.  Thanks to this dynamic leadership, Dr. Pipinski has helped to change the landscape of higher education in Northeastern Pennsylvania and how people view technical education.  She enhanced the College’s presence in the community and increased its profile throughout the region through strategic public relations and branding.

As a lifelong resident of Scranton, PA, Dr. Pipinski, who is affectionately called Dr. Ann by the community, has also provided great service to professional and community organizations.  She serves on the boards of the United Way of Lackawanna County, currently serving as Treasurer; the Child Advocacy Center; and formerly the Everhart Museum.  Dr. Pipinski had also been on the board for over 15 years of the Women’s Resource Center and is past Chair.

She has also served as a commissioner with the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). She has served as an evaluator for the Division of Academic Approval for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). She is past president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Continuing Education Council. She is a member and past chair of Northeast Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities (NEPACU), which consists of regional college and university presidents.

Dr. Pipinski is also active in regional economic development activities including the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, serving as a member of the Board of Directors.  She currently serves on the Executive Board as vice president, on the board of the Lackawanna Industrial Fund Enterprises (LIFE), and is past chairperson of the Higher Education Committee. Dr. Pipinski previously served as Chairperson of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute (NPTI), an initiative sponsored by Northeastern Pennsylvania colleges, universities, economic development groups, private foundations, and industry. She has been appointed by the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners as a member of the Lackawanna County Workforce Investment Board (WIB).

In 2014 Dr. Pipinski received a diversity award from the Council for Community Affairs Inc.  In 2012 Dr. Pipinski received the Woman of Excellence Award from the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, recognizing her years of service to the greater Scranton community.  In 2007 she was selected as one of Seven Women at the Pinnacle of their Careers by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal.

“The College is in a great place and I feel it is the right time for me to retire,” Dr. Pipinski shared earlier today.  She went on to say, “Thanks to Johnson College’s outstanding students, faculty and staff, board members, industry partners, and alumni I feel that it is well positioned for continued growth.  It is as true today as it was back in 2001 when I first stated it – human capital is the primary source of competitive advantage.  Our employees and graduates demonstrate this every day.”

Chair of the Board of Directors Dave Boniello ‘84 is Johnson College’s first alumnus board chairperson.  As part of the special all-college meeting today, he also shared that a national search will be conducted for Johnson College’s next President & Chief Executive Officer and will commence over the next few months.  A timeline for the search process will be released soon.

Zahir Robinson, sophomore guard for the  Jaguars achieved his 1,000^th point against Harrisburg Area Community College on Saturday, February 11^th. He is the first in College history to achieve this milestone. Robinson is from Philadelphia and is in his second year as a student athlete at Johnson College. He is on track to graduate with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business – Project Management this May.