Johnson College Receives Grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation

Johnson College has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation to support the development of a new Biomedical Equipment Technology laboratory to be housed in the new campus gateway building, Ideal Saldi Hall.

The new laboratory will provide critical hands-on learning on the latest technology available and in use throughout the region in healthcare facilities. The program trains students as entry-level biomedical technicians with medical terminology and human physiology principles, as well as the maintenance and support, planning, and installation of medical equipment according to standards and guidelines.

The future promises revolutionary advancements in the biomedical equipment technology industry. New technology such as 3D printing, computer miniaturization, and nanotechnology, will provide exciting new opportunities for biomedical equipment technology graduates.

The construction of the new gateway building is one of the four pillars of the College’s comprehensive, 5-year capital campaign, Innovation at Work. The building will highlight students’ future career potential by showcasing various industry training opportunities within classroom and laboratory spaces such as a Biomedical Equipment Technology laboratory.

In recognition of its support, the new biomedical equipment technology laboratory will be named in honor of the Foundation. Campus visitors will have the opportunity to see students actively learning within the new lab through large glass viewing areas.

The two-year Biomedical Equipment Technology associate degree program prepares students as entry-level biomedical technicians with skills training that include medical terminology and human physiology principles, as well as the maintenance and support, planning and acquisition, and installation of medical equipment according to standards and guidelines.

For more details about the “Innovation at Work” campaign, visit johnson.edu/innovationatwork.

The Moses Taylor Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to building healthy communities and providing opportunities for people in Northeastern Pennsylvania to lead healthier lives. Since its formation, the Foundation has grown to support approximately $4 million in annual grantmaking in Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties. For more information, visit www.mosestaylorfoundation.org.

Pictured left to right: Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO, Johnson College; Danielle Breslin, Executive Director, Moses Taylor Foundation; and Karen Baker, Senior Director of College Advancement, Johnson College.

Johnson College Receives $75,000 Grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation for Health Care Careers Project

Johnson College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation. This grant, which will be disbursed over a three-year performance period, will support the Foundation and College’s goal to address the critical growing need for health care professionals by promoting opportunities for careers in health care and training for traditional and non-traditional students.

Using a motorhome shell customized to demonstrate various health care training modalities, Johnson College plans to give potential students a hands-on experience to see and feel what it would be like to work in a health care environment. In addition to the hands-on encounter, Johnson College staff will be available to answer questions and help potential students resolve or eliminate common barriers to educational access.

With this new program, Johnson College will be able to show participants that there is a path to meet their needs. Johnson College offers pathways to healthcare careers with associate degree programs such as physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, and biomedical equipment technology as well as continuing education programs like certified nursing assistant and medical billing and coding.

With the focus on engaging non-traditional students, Johnson College will broaden opportunities for students who represent diverse age, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds. These potential students include displaced workers due to COVID-19, non-English speaking individuals, those who want/need to return to the workforce post-retirement or family, and those seeking a new career path.

“This project illustrates exactly what we do so well here at Johnson College. We think of innovative and new ways to provide people with the education and job training that they need to obtain a family-sustaining career,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “With this mobile lab, we will be able to demonstrate to people in the region that a career in health care is attainable and give them a taste of what hands-on education at Johnson College is like.”

Photo Caption: Johnson College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation which will support the Foundation and College’s goal to address the critical growing need for health care professionals by promoting opportunities for careers in health care and training for traditional and non-traditional students. Left to right: LaTida Smith, President & CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation, and Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College.

Tech Talk with Johnson College Podcast Episode 7 Now Available.

Tech Talk with Johnson College Podcast Episode 7, “The Pandemic’s Influence on Healthcare and Mental Health” is now available.

In this episode of Tech Talk with Johnson College, Dr. Katie Leonard talks with LaTida Smith, President and CEO of the Moses Taylor Foundation. LaTida shares her insights on the importance of normalizing and valuing mental health, the influence of the healthcare system during the coronavirus pandemic, and how people can seize opportunities in the healthcare field – especially locally. Dr. Katie and LaTida also discuss the partnership between Johnson College and the Moses Taylor Foundation. This partnership formed because of the myriad of healthcare opportunities Johnson College offers. Plus, the desire of both organizations to educate people in the healthcare industry.

To listen to all of the Tech Talk with Johnson College Podcast episodes and learn more visit https://johnsoncollegepodcast.com/. The podcasts are also available on iTunes and Spotify.

As President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation (https://mosestaylorfoundation.org/), LaTida Smith operationalizes the Foundation’s commitment to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. With over 17 years’ experience in health legacy foundations, LaTida is driven by the opportunity to engage diverse stakeholders in identifying, prioritizing, and addressing local community health needs.

Prior to joining Moses Taylor, LaTida was Vice President of Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland, directed the City of Cleveland’s HIV/AIDS Unit and served as a community educator for Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland.

She currently serves on the board of directors of Playworks and Highlights Foundation, the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Advisory Board, and the University of Scranton’s Institutional Review Board. LaTida considers it a privilege to lead the development of this new philanthropy and promote collaborative strategies to increase opportunities for people in Northeastern Pennsylvania to live healthier lives.