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.

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.

Transfer Day is December 14

Johnson College is holding a Transfer Day on Thursday, December 14, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on its campus in Scranton, PA. The College is encouraging current college students who are interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path to visit its campus.

Students will meet with Enrollment, Financial Aid, Career Services, and Counseling and Disability Services representatives. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on hand for transfer credit analyses and to review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Students will learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in in-demand industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. 

To attend Transfer Day at Johnson College, students must register online at Johnson.edu/transfer or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.

College Reveals Expansion with Construction of Bracey Hall

Johnson College announced today that construction will soon begin on a new advanced technology facility to house its growing Building Trades programs, specifically Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technology and Electrical Construction Technology. The new facility will double the size of the existing HVAC laboratory and provide additional training facilities for Electrical Construction Technology on the College’s Scranton campus.

During a community event on the Scranton campus, Dr. Katie Leonard, Johnson College President & CEO, unveiled artist renderings and plans for the new facility as she announced that the building expansion will be named Bracey Hall, in recognition of the Bracey family’s service to Johnson College. The Braceys recently pledged a major gift to the College’s capital campaign, “Innovation at Work,” to support its building trades programs. This gift will allow the College to continue meeting the needs of its students, industry partners, and the community with advanced real-world, hands-on, industry-driven education.

In addition to the transformational gift from the Bracey family, the College was awarded a $1 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the City of Scranton. This grant will help the College to expand its workforce development programming for high-tech and in-demand fields, including HVAC and Electrical Construction. The HVAC and Electrical Construction Technology programs also benefitted from a $280,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant for campus technology upgrades.

Dr. Leonard stated Bracey Hall will feature ample space to provide dedicated, permanent areas for all significant training equipment. The facility will feature a more advanced interdisciplinary programming laboratory that will teach students the importance of learning to work in teams with each other and those from differing programs.

The building trades programs at the College have seen continuous growth throughout the past few years. The College’s HVAC program director and chair of the Building Trades division, Walter Wood ’11, shared that the significant demand in industry has led to an increase in enrollment and the need to expand. Additional classrooms and lab space will provide more students the opportunity to enroll in the College’s hands-on Building Trades programs to meet industry needs throughout the region and beyond.

For more information about Johnson College’s comprehensive, five-year capital campaign, “Innovation at Work,” visit johnson.edu/innovationatwork.

Scranton Campus to Host Open House on July 12

Johnson College will hold an on-campus Open House on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, from 5 to 7 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.

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.

Celebration of Industry to Honor Alum, David Boniello ‘84

Johnson College will host its first-ever Celebration of Industry event on September 7, 2023, on the College’s Scranton campus. The event will honor David Boniello ’84, President of Simplex Industries, as the recipient of the President’s Spirit of Giving Award for his leadership and contributions to Johnson College and the region.

Johnson College’s Celebration of Industry is a signature fundraising event that celebrates the unique relationship between the College and its industry partners. Each year, an industry partner will be honored for work as an industry champion and for playing a vital role in supporting the College’s students and the community. Proceeds from the event will benefit the College’s Innovation at Work Capital Campaign to improve programs and facilities for student success.

The President’s Spirit of Giving Award is an artistic representation of the community, students, and the College made of steel and welded together in a flowing 3D design. The award was designed and created by members of the College’s Welding Department including Tony DeLucca, Welding Technology Program Director, Ben Lipperini, Welding Instructor, and Josh Perniciaro, Welding Instructor.

Mr. Boniello is a native of Dunmore, Pa., and graduated from Johnson College with an Associate Degree in Building Construction Technology in 1984. He became an active member of the College community by participating in its Program Advisory Committees, as a member of the Board of Directors in 2008, and became the first alum to be named Chair of the Board of Directors in 2016.

Mr. Boniello worked on the College’s first capital campaign from 2009 to 2014, helping to raise over $5.1 million, and currently chairs the College’s $5 million five-year capital campaign, Innovation at Work, launched in 2021. He played an instrumental role in the College’s nationwide search for the current President and CEO, Dr. Katie Leonard.

Mr. Boniello has been part of the Simplex team for over 30 years. Throughout his professional career, he rose through positions in sales and management before being appointed to Vice President of Simplex, where he focused on developing and maintaining relationships with large-scale customers. He oversaw the company’s largest apartment and townhome projects across the Mid-Atlantic region. He was promoted to President in 2022. Furthermore, in 2005, he was an instrumental part of the company’s efforts to launch its own retail division for home sales called Cornerstone Building Solutions Inc. of which he currently serves in the capacity of President.

In addition to his commitment to Johnson College, Boniello is a former board member of the Lackawanna Home Builders Association and Home Builders Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania, along with the Women’s Resource Center Golf Tournament Committee.

Simplex Industries has been an industry partner of Johnson College for over 25 years. The partnership benefits both organizations and most importantly, the local community. Through collaborative efforts with NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lackawanna County Area on Aging, the College and Simplex are involved with the Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO). The project allows older adults to remain close to family or caretakers as they age by placing cottages on their properties. These structures are designed and built by Johnson College students and members of the Simplex team.

To learn about available sponsorship opportunities for the Celebration of Industry, please contact Karen Baker, Senior Director of College Advancement, at kbaker@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8908.

Scranton Campus to Host Open House on March 25, 2023

Johnson College will hold an in-person Open House on its campus in Scranton on Saturday, March 25, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To register for the Open House, visit Johnson.edu/openhouse or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

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 department chairs will be available to review the specifics of their programs. CDC guidelines will be implemented.

Innovation and Creation STEM Program Celebrates Afterschool Programs

West Scranton Intermediate and NativityMiguel School of Scranton students from Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM afterschool programming joined a national celebration of afterschool programs called Lights On Afterschool on October 20, 2022.

The sixth through eighth-grade students showed their support of the National Afterschool Alliance’s Lights On Afterschool event by participating in challenges that used littleBits electrical circuits to illuminate their projects. The first set of students used the littleBits to demonstrate Morse Code through lights. The second set of students participated in an architectural design and drafting challenge using Legos and littlBits circuitry to create structures that incorporated a lighting component. The projects encouraged them to communicate with each other while expanding their knowledge in both STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and history.

Through Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM program, students are exposed to careers and fields they might not have previously known about. They are given the opportunity to engage in STEM-related learning in a way that promotes innovation, creation, problem-solving, and many other essential skills. Students complete projects using a variety of modern robotic, electronic, and engineering equipment that is provided to them by the College.

Additionally, students learn about the steps they can take to expand their STEM education, including Johnson College’s Dual Enrollment and Industry Fast Track programs. Through these programs, students are eligible to earn college credits while they are attending high school.

To learn more about Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM programming, contact Tim Frank at (570) 702-8963 or tfrank@johnson.edu.

About Afterschool Alliance

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. The Lights On After School event is used to draw attention to the opportunities and support that afterschool STEM programming provides to students including academic support, job and college readiness, opportunities for hands-on learning, and so much more. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Pictured left to right: Onix Crespo and Ellie Parker of NativityMiguel School of Scranton.

College to Host Inaugural Fall Fest

Johnson College will host an inaugural Fall Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 1, 2022, on the College campus in Scranton, PA.

This free-admission event will feature a variety of activities for all ages. Enjoy live music by The Hometown Boyz while browsing an array of handcrafted items from local artisan and craft vendors. Children can make their own crafts in a Kid’s Corner as families delight in free games, prizes, and activities throughout the day. Feeling hungry? Attendees can grab a bite to eat or warm up with some hot chocolate and cider from some favorite, local eateries.

Community members can explore the Johnson College campus by participating in an all-ages scavenger hunt or by viewing demonstrations from a variety of highlighted program areas across campus.

Additionally, Johnson College will hold its first-ever Cornhole Tournament presented in partnership with NEPA Cornhole. The tournament will feature two divisions so that anyone from beginners to pros can play with double elimination. The social division registration fee is $20 per two-person team and the competitive division fee is $40 per two-person team. Teams can pre-register online at https://johnson.edu/fallfest/, or register at the door from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Prizes for social division: 1st place is $100 cash; 2nd place is $50 in gift cards. Prizes for competitive division: 1st place is $300 cash; 2nd place is $150 cash.

Various sponsorships for the event as well as spaces for artisan, craft, and food vendors are available. Those interested in sponsoring the event or participating as a vendor can register at https://johnson.edu/fallfest/ or contact College Advancement via email at jeidenberg@johnson.edu or by phone at 570-702-8991.

Proceeds from Fall Fest will benefit the Johnson College Annual Fund, which helps to maintain important scholarships, programs, and facilities to continue providing hands-on learning to Johnson College students.