College to Host Closer Look Event for Architectural Drafting & Design Technology

Johnson College is hosting a Closer Look event for its two-year Architectural Drafting & Design Technology program on May 1, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. on its Scranton campus. Prospective students can explore the College’s Architectural Drafting & Design Technology laboratory inside the new Ideal Saldi Hall while learning more about the program, career opportunities, and the enrollment process.

Johnson College’s two-year Architectural Drafting & Design Technology Associates Degree program prepares students as entry-level technicians in computer-assisted drafting (CAD) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) for residential and commercial construction. Instruction and hands-on learning include all phases of building design drafting, print reading, cost estimating, specifications writing, and sustainability concepts.

For more information or to register, visit Johnson.edu/closerlook or contact the College’s Enrollment department at (570) 702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

College to Host 7th Annual Carpentry Auction

Johnson College’s Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology program will host an auction to benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, inside the Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology lab in Woolworth Hall on the Johnson College Scranton campus. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and the auction starts at 6:00 p.m. The auction is open to the public. 

More than 70 items will be available to bid on, including cutting boards, chess boards, tables, benches, and custom woodworking. All items were created by students in the Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology program. Many of the items were made from re-purposed material. The 2023 Carpentry Auction raised $5,970 to benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA.

Register for the event at https://forms.gle/TbnaKmm6xfjX7ntLA.

To learn more about the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA, visit https://cacnepa.org/.

Mayor of the City of Carbondale to Deliver 2024 Commencement Address

Johnson College has selected Michele Bannon, Mayor of the City of Carbondale, to give its 2024 commencement address to graduates on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the College’s Scranton campus.

For the past 30 years, Mayor Bannon has spent her career working with the residents of the City of Carbondale and local partners to build a strong, sustainable region. She is admired for her commitment to developing vibrant neighborhoods, impactful community development, and strong advocacy of empowering a positive culture throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mayor Bannon finds joy and fulfillment in her intentional commitment and involvement with many boards and organizations including NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, Carbondale YMCA, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, Carbondale Historical Society, Greater Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, and Wane Memorials Hospital Community Board.

She lives by the quote of George Bernard Shaw; “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.”

Mayor Bannon is a lifelong resident of the City of Carbondale and resides in the home where her grandmother was born. She is the daughter of Rita Enslin Bannon and Gerald Bannon. She has four brothers and one sister, two nieces, two nephews, and three godchildren. She attributes the person that she is today to her wonderful family and friends.

After graduating from Carbondale Area High School in 1987, she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology, Political Science, and Public Administration from Wilkes University between 1991 and 2024. She was sworn into the office of Mayor on January 7, 2024.

Johnson College Hosts Debut Event for Ideal Saldi Hall

Johnson College celebrated the opening of its new gateway building, Ideal Saldi Hall, during a debut event at its Scranton campus on April 3, 2024.

Members of the Johnson College community and the Saldi family gathered for a glimpse at the newly constructed building that will serve as the official gateway to the College’s main campus. A program led by Johnson College’s President and CEO, Dr. Katie Leonard, marked the significance of the largest building project to date for Johnson College. She was proceeded during the program by Dave Boniello ’84, President of Simplex Industries; Matthew Michalek ’85, Vice President of Operations at L.R. Costanzo Co., Inc.; and Senator Marty Flynn, Pennsylvania 22nd Senatorial District.

Ideal Saldi Hall is one of four components of the College’s comprehensive, five-year capital campaign, “Innovation at Work.” The building honors the legacy of Ideal T. Saldi, a Johnson College alum from the class of 1949. He and his wife, Frances, contributed $1 million to the College’s capital campaign, which is the largest gift from a Johnson College alum to date and will have a lasting impact on the school and its students.

“At 19,000 sq. feet, this building provides a home to four labs, two general education classrooms, the most innovative and high-tech conference room in all of NEPA, and office space for staff that directly serve our students,” said Dr. Katie Leonard. Ideal Saldi Hall now houses student-facing departments including Enrollment, Financial Aid, and the Registrar, as well as programs including Architectural Drafting & Design Technology, Biomedical Equipment Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, and Mechatronics Technology.

Construction of Ideal Saldi Hall began in 2022, following the public announcement of the capital campaign and the official reveal of the building, designed by WKL Architecture. Under the construction management of L.R. Costanzo Co., Inc., the building took shape quickly and was forged with the help of many of Johnson College’s industry partners and alumni.

The building now sits on the former site of Richmond Hall, a piece of the original Willian H Richmond estate given to the College’s founder, Orlando S. Johnson, to fulfil his dream of creating a trade school for women and men.

Mr. Boniello, who serves as the chairperson of the “Innovation at Work” capital campaign said, “Ideal Saldi Hall will provide the gateway into future decades of Johnson College students and will help to shape the future industry leaders, innovators, and workers that will not only make a difference in the area we live in but also the world.”

The event concluded with an official ribbon cutting for the building.

Hazleton Campus to Host Spring Open House on April 13, 2024

Johnson College Hazleton will hold a Spring Open House on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the CAN DO Training Center located inside the Humboldt Industrial Park at 370 Maplewood Drive in Hazle Township. To register to attend the Open House, visit Johnson.edu/openhousehazleton or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

The Open House will include discussions about the admissions process, information about financial aid for those who qualify, and student services such as student life, student support, and career services. Plus, same-day acceptance will be available for many programs if students bring their high school or college transcripts. Tours of each technical area will be conducted and program directors and instructors will be available to review the specifics of their programs.

Johnson College Hosts Annual 3D Printing Competition

Johnson College hosted its annual 3D Printing Competition for local high school students on Friday, March 22, 2024, at its Scranton campus.

The competition was an opportunity for students from Forest City, Lakeland, Scranton, Wallenpaupack, and Wilkes-Barre Area STEM Academy to showcase their abilities and creativity using science, technology, engineering, and math. Using 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) skills, participants designed and printed a device that could launch a projectile across the College’s gymnasium. 

The student who placed first, James Telep from Lakeland Jr. Sr. High School, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Johnson College. Second place was awarded to Caelum Cahoon from Forest City Regional High School and third place to Gavin Zellers from Lakeland Jr. Sr. High School.

The event, which was sponsored by The New Jersey Chapter of SAMPE and Boyce Products Ltd., featured a keynote address given by Adam Hecht, co-founder and Director of Additive Manufacturing at DiveDesign, a full-service design agency. He gave students a behind-the-scenes look at how DiveDesign is helping to disrupt industries with the use of 3D Printing.

To learn more about Johnson College’s STEM opportunities for local school districts, visit johnson.edu.

Now Enrolling Students in Hazleton Continuing Education Courses

Johnson College’s Continuing Education program is now enrolling students in its Class A CDL Driver Training and Medical Assistant courses at its satellite campus, Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center in Hazle Township.

Class A CDL Driver Training

The Continuing Education Class A CDL Driver Training is held in partnership with Ancora Education and will begin on April 1, running Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Students will learn to inspect and operate tractor-trailers and to assume driver responsibilities on the road and at pickup/delivery points. Emphasis is placed on vehicle inspections, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor carrier safety regulations (DOT 380 -397 and a certificate for entry-level drivers), trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, general maintenance procedures, hours of service, and accident prevention. Participants in this 160-hour program can obtain their CDL in as little as four weeks. The course complies with the new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules established by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA), which went into effect in February 2022.

The class fee is $5,000 and is approved by PA CareerLink for those eligible for funding through their local CareerLink.

To learn more or to enroll in the Class A CDL Driver Training course, visit https://johnson.edu/hazleton/hazleton-cdl/ or contact the College’s Continuing Education department at continuinged@johnson.edu.

Medical Assistant

The Continuing Education Medical Assistant course will begin on April 15, running Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m.

This program prepares students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office. Functions include preparing patients for examination, treatment, routine laboratory procedures, pharmacology, and taking and documenting vital signs. Plus, students will learn the fundamentals of phlebotomy and venipunctures, anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology encountered in the field. Students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties required of a medical assistant.

The class fee is $5,000 and is approved by PA CareerLink for those eligible for funding through their local CareerLink.

To learn more or to enroll in the Medical Assistant course, visit https://johnson.edu/continuing-ed/medical-assistant/ or contact the College’s Continuing Education department at continuinged@johnson.edu.

Scranton Campus to Host Spring Open House on March 23, 2024

Johnson College will hold a Spring Open House on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on its Scranton campus. To register to attend the Open House, visit Johnson.edu/openhouse or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

The Open House will include discussions about the admissions process, information about financial aid for those who qualify, and student services such as student life, student support, and career services. Plus, same-day acceptance will be available for many programs if students bring their high school or college transcripts. Tours of each technical area will be conducted and program directors and instructors will be available to review the specifics of their programs.

College Receives Receives FAA Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grant

Johnson College has been awarded a $423,754 Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The grant will support Johnson College’s efforts to expand the U.S. aviation maintenance technical workforce through student scholarships and new laboratory training equipment. Johnson College is the only Pennsylvania College to receive funding under this program.

“The aviation technology industry is expected to have rapid-paced growth throughout the next decade,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, Johnson College’s President and CEO. “Through this grant, we will be able to provide our Aviation Technology students with elements needed to enhance their hands-on training and help them to successfully enter the workforce with a valuable skillset.”

Johnson College’s two-year Aviation Technology Associates Degree program prepares students as entry-level technicians with the latest information on diagnosis, repair procedures, preventative maintenance, and necessary safety applications in aviation technology. Through a partnership with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, students will complete airframe and power plant instruction in a lab located at the airport. This opportunity will provide students with a very unique and hands-on learning experience in the Aviation industry.

The grant objectives include the further development and implementation of an FAA-certificated associate degree Part 147 Airframe and Powerplant Aviation Technology program and the development of a robust and sustainable pipeline program for middle and high school students, stimulating interest in aviation technology careers.

To learn more about Johnson College’s two-year Aviation Technology Associates Degree program, visit https://johnson.edu/divisions-of-study/transportation/aviation/.