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.

College to Host an Open House for Interested Students on July 13, 2022

Johnson College will hold an on-campus Open House on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 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.

Now Enrolling Students in OBDII Emissions Training Course

Johnson College’s Continuing Education department is enrolling students into its next OBDII Emissions Training. The class will be held on the Johnson College campus in Scranton on Monday, April 4, Tuesday, April 5, and Thursday, April 7, 2022, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The class fee to be paid to Johnson College is $180, and a study material and testing fee of $39.99 is paid directly to the PA Training Portal. For more details, visit Johnson.edu/continuingeducation, call 570-702-8979, or email continuinged@johnson.edu.

The OBDII testing monitors a vehicle’s emission control systems in real-time and can inform a licensed technician of a systemic issue the moment it occurs. The system operates through a series of indicator lights, drive cycles, trouble codes, and readiness monitors. During an inspection, an emission analyzer scan tool plugs into the diagnostic connector attached to the OBDII computer and communicates with the vehicle. The OBDII system relays whether it has discovered errors in the emission control systems to the scan tool. The emission analyzer then determines if the car is being operated according to emission standards.

Johnson College Announces Tuition Freeze for the Third Year in a Row

After achieving the third year of record-setting enrollment this fall, Johnson College is announcing that tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year will not increase. The $17,700 annual tuition cost set for fall 2021 will freeze for the upcoming year.

Liz Renda, Chief Financial Officer, is proud of Johnson College’s ability to alleviate a student’s debt burden. She shared, “The third year of record-setting enrollment and smart fiscal management has led directly to this tuition freeze and our overall level of affordability for students.”

“The key reasons students choose Johnson College are that our programs are in-demand with up to 100% placement rates for specific programs and the affordability and value of the education they receive. Plus, a student’s immersion in industry from day one,” said Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO. “Our industry partners guide our curriculum to ensure that our students become talented, essential employees who fill employer workforce needs. The College’s strong relationships with industry partners have resulted in local, desirable, live labs, and internship opportunities, for our students to experience the hands-on education, they expect from Johnson College.”  

The tuition freeze will increase students’ return on investment. Bill Burke, Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs, shared, “Our two-year degree and academic certificate programs have the highest ROI in the short-term because students enter the workforce sooner, and with less debt.” Johnson College ranks #1 for immediate return on a graduate’s investment for education among local institutions based on a 10-year return, according to a recent Georgetown University study.

Enrollment is still open for the spring 2022 semester, which begins on January 18, while the fall 2022 semester starts on August 29, 2022. Financial Aid is available to eligible students. Currently, a majority of Johnson College students, 94%, receive some financial aid.

Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a supportive environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s only technical College, offering 18 associate degree and 4 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-instructor ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on learning. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.

Now Enrolling Students in Fundamentals of Welding Class

Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program is currently enrolling students in its next Fundamentals of Welding class, scheduled for Monday, December 13, 2021, on its campus in Scranton. Space is very limited. 

Students will learn the basics of the major welding processes. After fundamentals, students can enroll in an intermediate class in either Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), or Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG). Each of these classes works toward plate certification to a common welding code. 

To learn more or enroll, visit https://johnson.edu/continuingeducation/ or contact the Johnson College Continuing Education department at 570-702-8979 or email continuinged@johnson.edu. 

Johnson College Announces New One-Year Academic Certificate Program, Industrial Technology

Students can now enroll in Johnson College’s new one-year academic certificate program, Industrial Technology. The program will launch during the spring 2022 semester.

This one-year academic certificate program prepares students for employment as entry-level industrial technicians. Students will learn industry skills such as diagnostics, equipment repair, machine testing, and operations. The program also teaches students critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Graduates of the program will prepare to work in machine shops, fabrication shops, distribution warehouses, and similar settings that encompass the industrial technology industry. They will know how to work in a team environment, practice professionalism, and acknowledge organizational diversity.

The Industrial Technology field is expected to grow by 19% per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Graduates entering the field have the potential to earn $54,920.

“We are excited to add the Industrial Technology one-year academic certificate to our growing list of programs,” said Bill Burke, M.S., Johnson College’s Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs. “Graduates of this program will become proficient in the technical skills industry requires, and will also acquire the essential soft skills required to enter today’s workforce.”

For more information about the program, or to enroll in Johnson College’s Industrial Technology program, please visit johnson.edu/industrialtech or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

Johnson College Receives $250,000 from the City of Scranton

Recently Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, Mayor of the City of Scranton, joined Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO of Johnson College, to announce that the City of Scranton’s Office of Economic and Community Development awarded Johnson College a $250,000 grant to improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance across the College campus. 

Improving Johnson College’s ADA compliance will increase accessibility for faculty, staff, visitors, and, most of all, students, as the College strives to be inclusive to all. The funds will be used to install automatic door openers, access ramps, and ADA-compliant restroom improvements to President’s Hall and the Lemon Street Continuing Education Lab.

This grant was made possible through the Federal Community Development Block Grant Program and the Housing and Urban Development Administration.

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public accommodations to provide goods and services to people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. The goal is to afford every individual the opportunity to benefit from Johnson College and to afford Johnson College the opportunity to benefit from all students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. Last year, 12.5% of students attending Johnson College registered disabilities with the College. The campus use is increasing with space being used for community events, continuing education activities, community sporting events, and scouting. It is our desire to increase community use of the Johnson College campus and make our facilities accessible to all who visit.

All new college buildings have been designed and constructed to be ADA compliant. Some of the initial retrofitting work to existing campus structures has already been accomplished through a City of Scranton Community Development Block Grant several years ago. As guidelines and campus use have evolved, it is prudent to engage a firm experienced in ADA compliance audits to perform a system-wide survey of the Johnson College campus/facilities and make recommendations for improvements to bring us into full ADA compliance.

Johnson College Diversity & Inclusion Committee Donates to NEPA Youth Shelter

The Johnson College Diversity & Inclusion Committee sponsored a food and supply drive for the NEPA Youth Shelter in honor of National Coming Out Day. A local organization that provides emergency shelter and related services to unaccompanied youth, the NEPA Youth Shelter is especially affirming to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth, as this population constitutes a high percentage of unhoused youth in our area. Food, drinks, and cleaning supplies were collected on the Johnson College campus from September 27 to October 8. Many thanks to those faculty, staff, and students who donated!

Photo Caption: The Johnson College Diversity & Inclusion Committee members present NEPA Youth Shelter Executive Director Maureen Maher-Gray with the collected food and supplies. Left to Right: Ashley Cease Hassenbein, Academic Resource Officer, Johnson College, Luke Boniello, Academic Advisor, Johnson College, Melissa Saxon-Price, Counselor/Manager of Disability Services, Johnson College, and Maureen Maher-Gray, Executive Director, NEPA Youth Shelter.

New Two-Year Associates Degree Program, Civil Design Technology

Students can enroll in Johnson College’s new two-year Civil Design Technology associates degree program launching during the spring 2022 semester.

This two-year associate degree program prepares students as entry-level technicians in the field of civil engineering. This program provides the foundation for applying basic engineering principles and technical skills to support civil engineers engaged in designing and executing public works projects such as highways, dams, bridges, tunnels, and other facilities. The program also emphasizes professional interpersonal skills.

Students will acquire the skills necessary to obtain an entry-level position in the civil design field, which has a 3% growth potential through 2029 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  They will also demonstrate professional behavior and ethics to meet work challenges and develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Graduates will work as civil designers, CAD technicians, survey technicians, design engineering technicians, or similar roles in the civil engineering industry and have the opportunity to make a medium annual income of up to $53,410. Typical employers in the civil design career field are civil design and engineering firms, structural engineering companies, environmental engineering firms, surveyors, consulting firms, construction companies, and government design agencies.

“The launch of the Civil Design Technology program is a great example of how Johnson College continues to answer industry demand for highly skilled technicians,” said Dr. Katie Pittelli, Johnson College President & CEO. “The College will work with industry partners to ensure our Civil Design Technology students are introduced to industry from day one and get the hands-on education needed for this in-demand career.”

To learn more about Johnson College’s new Civil Design Technology Program visit Johnson.edu/civildesign.

Photo Caption: Recently, Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO of Johnson College, visited PennDot’s I-84 Twin Bridge Project just outside of Dunmore, PA, to record a special Presidential Update Video announcing the launch of Johnson College’s new Civil Design Technology program, the College’s 16th two-year associates degree program. To watch the video, visit johnson.edu/presidential-update or learn more about the Civil Design Technology program at Johnson.edu/civildesign. Left to right: Chad Faraday, Civil Engineer Trainee, PennDot, Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO, Johnson College, Chris Christopher E. Rood ‘06, P.E., Assistant Construction Engineer, PennDot, and John Pivovarnik, P.E., Assistant Construction Engineer, PennDot.