Even in Tough Times, Caterpillar Supports Penn College Students

The Caterpillar Foundation and its partnering dealerships have joined in a $42,000 donation to Pennsylvania College of Technology, the majority of which will sponsor students in three majors within the college's School of Natural Resources Management.

"Despite these challenging economic times, our relationship with Caterpillar Inc. remains strong and productive," said Mary A. Sullivan, dean of natural resources management at the college. "Our dealers continue to share ideas for curriculum development, donate equipment, and provide training and upgrading opportunities to our faculty and employment options to our students."

The latest contribution, delivered during a recent advisory meeting and Career Fair at Penn College's Schneebeli Earth Science Center, provides $24,750 for diesel technology and heavy construction equipment technology majors at the School of Natural Resources Management and $17,250 toward the electric power generation technology major. (A portion of the power-generation major is offered through the School of Construction and Design Technologies on the college's main campus in Williamsport.)

Penn College has received $1.65 million from the Caterpillar Excellence Fund and its member dealers Alban Tractor Co. Inc., Baltimore; Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co. Inc., Harrisburg; H.O. Penn Machinery Co. Inc., Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Ransome CAT, Bensalem since the Fall 1994 semester.

"The college offers outstanding programs that are able to keep pace with the changing industry," said Karl Quinn, Alban's training manager in Sterling, Va., and a member of the college's Heavy Construction Equipment Technology/Caterpillar Advisory Committee.

"The Penn College graduates who come out of the many diesel programs and power generation offer tremendous value to Alban as an employer. During these tough economic times, we must continue to support the college in any way that we can in its efforts to stay current with industry and its programs. We look forward to the continuation of the joint efforts and hope that the program will continue to grow with the industry."

The Caterpillar Foundation contributed $13,500 toward the diesel and heavy equipment majors, matched by $11,250 from dealerships. The foundation provided an additional $7,750 for electric power generation, supplemented by $9,500 from the dealers.

For more information about the programs offered by the School of Natural Resources Management, visit online or call 570-320-8038. For more about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

For more information about grant-funding opportunities, faculty and staff may contact the Grants and Contracts Office at ext. 7562 or through its Web portal.