Penn College Connection Celebrated Through Chamber's Alumni Awards
Published 03.04.2011
A 1982 graduate of Williamsport Area Community College and a member of Pennsylvania College of Technology's Board of Directors were among the honorees Thursday as the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce held its 10th annual Education Celebration at the Holiday Inn.
David L. Maciejewski, business manager for the East Lycoming School District and a computer science technology graduate of W.A.C.C. (Penn College's immediate predecessor institution), and state Sen. Gene Yaw a 1970 Lycoming College graduate and member of the Penn College board - received Alumni of the Year awards. The chamber honor annually goes to individuals who attended college locally and stayed to become successful, civic-minded residents of Lycoming County.
During the past 10 years at East Lycoming, Maciejewski has led East Lycoming in becoming "greener," writing or co-writing more than $2.6 million in energy grants enabling the district to construct a biomass heating system, a 600-kilowatt solar field, a wind turbine and a geothermal heating system.
Further, the district has partnered with Double A Willow of Fredonia, N.Y., and the State University of New York in the planting of hybrid willow, a short rotation woody crop that ultimately will supply half of the wood chips for the biomass heating system. In addition, the district's Ashkar Elementary School became the first building in Lycoming County to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Award for energy efficiency in 2009.
His community committment encompasses service to a number of organizations, including the YMCA, the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Co. and the SEDA-Council of Governments Energy Resource Center Advisory Committee. He and his wife, Kathleen A. (who holds two Penn College degrees and is a part-time member of the welding faculty) are charter members of the college's Pillar Society that recognized those making planned gifts to the institution.
Yaw has served Pennsylvania's 23rd Senatorial District since 2008, following a lengthy law career and service as solicitor to Lycoming County and general counsel to Penn College.
He was instrumental in the institution's creation as an affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University two decades ago has been honored with establishment of a scholarship in his name.
He annually holds a Student Government Seminar at the college, continuing an event begun decades ago by former state Sen. Roger A. Madigan. Upon Madigan's retirement, Yaw was appointed to the college board ofdirectors in 2009.