News about Construction & Design Technologies

Celebrating the talents of graduating seniors, Architecture & Sustainable Design 2020 is viewable on The Gallery at Penn College’s webpage.

The online exhibit showcases the work of students earning Bachelor of Science degrees in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s building science and sustainable design major.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a May 14 opening reception was planned for the exhibit in The Gallery at Penn College; however, a shift from the physical space to an online showing was required.

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A group of building construction students, grateful to see a familiar faculty face after six weeks away from their Pennsylvania College of Technology classes, were on the receiving end of some very special deliveries Friday.

In a Keystone State journey that covered more than 500 miles – a top-to-bottom odyssey that included stops in Tunkhannock, Plymouth Meeting, Lehighton, Allentown and Harrisburg – instructor Charles C. “Chris” Warren dropped off materials so students in his Interior Finish class could, well, finish a pared-down version of their laboratory project at home.

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It wasn’t remotely on his mind while taking a Mechanical Systems I class in Fall 2011, but a Pennsylvania College of Technology alumnus/employee’s plumbing and pipe-fitting skills resulted in fabrication of framework for five EMS airway hoods to be used at Geisinger Medical Center.

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Meet Jeffrey C. Comitz, an applications engineering manager for Thermal Product Solutions in New Columbia (and a 2016 graduate in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design technology). After earning his bachelor’s degree from Penn College, Comitz accepted an offer at TPS’ Tenney Environmental, where he partners with global organizations to develop industrial ovens and furnaces for testing and manufacturing processes. Take a look inside his career, see how he applies his education every day and imagine yourself pursuing a future made by hand. And when finished, check out other recent YouTube videos that showcase academic opportunities for tomorrow makers: concrete science, collision repair, construction management, plastics and graphic design.

When most people think of concrete, sidewalks and bridges come to mind. But there’s much more to this widely used construction material than meets the eye. Take a look inside the concrete science technology major at Penn College. The only one of its kind on the U.S. East Coast, the hands-on program explores diverse admixtures and their applications, invites creativity with decorative designs, and prepares graduates with the specialized skill set – not just to thrive in the industry, but to lead it. “There is so much involved in it. It’s not what people would think of as just pouring concrete,” says student Jeremiah Dyer, of State College. “One of my favorite classes was our mixed-design class, where we’ve worked on how you design concrete in the proper proportions and the proper additives. It’s not necessarily just back-breaking work; it’s a lot of science and a lot of math involved and a lot of problem-solving.”

Pennsylvania College of Technology is aiding the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by donating personal protection equipment to area health care facilities.

Various departments have spent the past week collecting supplies – originally intended for on-campus student and staff use – to be distributed within the next few days to the college’s nursing home partners.

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From the boardroom to the job site, construction managers call the shots. They take the lead to ensure building projects are completed on time and within budget. Take a look at Penn College’s bachelor of science degree in construction management, meet a few soon-to-be construction managers and see how they’re preparing to rise to the top of this dynamic and exciting career field. “Ultimately, what I would love to do is just to go back to the community I’m from with the education I’ve gotten here,” says Zachary N. Wilkinson, of North Wales, one of the students included in a college YouTube video. “And then, maybe, change the skyline of Philadelphia.”

The ConCreate Design Club, a student organization that grew out of one of Penn College’s newest majors, will hold a concrete pendant decorating workshop from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday in the Bush Campus Center lobby. “Decorating a pendant is a quick and easy process that will allow students and faculty to be creative,” explained Joseph F. DiBucci, the club’s founder and president (who also provided the photos). “The workshop will give you the ability to choose a concrete pendant and decorate it with an assortment of paints, stains or dyes.” Each stone costs $3 and will come with a necklace or keychain on which to place it. All funds raised by the ConCreate Design Club will go toward more hands-on workshops for the campus community.

A civil engineering technology major at Pennsylvania College of Technology is one of four students to be recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Central Pennsylvania Section for outstanding academic achievement.

Among those presented with a $2,000 check at the section’s recent dinner meeting, the 28th time that the organization’s annual awards have been distributed, was Regina M. Peluzzo, of Philadelphia.

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Penn College’s inspiring majors made their customary splash throughout the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg (Jan. 4-11), as a rotating regiment of subject experts satisfied each day’s crowds – intellectually and nutritionally – at the nation’s largest indoor agricultural expo. In addition to the photo gallery below, the college’s involvement was covered by the Pennsylvania Cable Network and the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, which featured the schools of Nursing & Health Sciences and Business & Hospitality in its editions.

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The School of Construction & Design Technologies’ concrete science technology major was well-represented by students and faculty at a trio of industry gatherings during the Fall 2019 semester.

Joseph F. DiBucci, of Glenshaw, an applied technology studies student and founder/president of the college’s ConCreate Design Club, attended all three: the American Concrete Institute convention, Oct. 20-24 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati; the International Concrete Repair Institute convention, Nov. 11-13 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City; and the Pennsylvania Aggregates & Concrete Association annual meeting, Nov. 18-19 at the Hotel Hershey.

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A New Year’s tradition – Pennsylvania College of Technology’s eye-opening participation in the nation’s largest indoor agricultural attraction – is about to be renewed.

Knowledgeable students and employees will busily represent the college at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, 2300 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, and personify the event’s 2019 theme of “Imagine the Opportunities.”

“We always look forward to showcasing the excitement of our academic programs. This is a great opportunity to introduce Farm Show visitors to the opportunities a Penn College degree provides,” said Carolyn R. Strickland, vice president for enrollment management/associate provost. “With so many visitors from across the commonwealth, we also enjoy connecting with our alumni attending the event.”

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Eric J. Fino, a 2016 civil engineering technology graduate, is included among Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal’s Top 20 Under 40. “Throughout my high school career, I tinkered with everything I could get my hands on, from working on cars to helping put together stage equipment for my high school’s Christmas play,” Fino said. “I learned early that I was a hands-on learner. ” That naturally led him to Penn College, a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation internship in his chosen field and full-time employment there as work zone coordinator. In addition to his job responsibilities, Fino is an Eagle Scout who serves his community in a variety of capacities.

Students in Rob A. Wozniak’s Architectural History course, an art elective that attracts students from a variety of majors, recently closed out the semester with a brisk stroll among downtown Williamsport’s rich selection of buildings and styles. The course is typically taught in the spring, but Wozniak (an associate professor of architectural technology) kept the same schedule for the fall term – which meant “a bit of a chill.” The class followed an informative pamphlet compiled several years ago, traversing a self-guided loop that encompasses 23 structures within a one-mile area. Among the historic buildings are the First National Bank Building at 21-25 W. Third St., the city’s first “skyscraper;” the former county prison at 154 W. Third St., built shortly after the Civil War; the Ulman Opera House at 2 E. Third St., where Mark Twain promoted “The Innocents Abroad” on New Year’s Eve in 1869; and the much-beloved James V. Brown Library at 19 E. Fourth St. “If you’re looking for something to do, bundle up as the students did,” said Wozniak, who also provided the photo. “Or put it on hold for the warmer days ahead.”

Two alumni of Penn College’s four-year construction management major – Brian J. Fish and Matthew R. Sarver – are included among the 20 Top Young Professionals in Engineering News-Record’s Mid-Atlantic Region. Fish, a 2002 graduate, is a general superintendent with Hensel Phelps; Sarver, Class of 2004, is an area manager at Gilbane Building Co.

The magazine’s 2020 roster represents the “best and brightest emerging design and construction leaders from across the region,” comprising Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The awards program honors individuals who have built extraordinary industry portfolios in just a few short years. In addition, according to the publication, many donate significant amounts of time and expertise to serve their communities. Each recipient will be profiled in more detail in ENR MidAtlantic’s February issue.

The winning entries will advance to consideration for ENR’s National “Top Young 20 Under 40” honors, to be announced in the spring.