Member Company News
Johnson College will hold an in-person Open House on its campus in Scranton on Saturday, November 6, 2021, 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
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. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. Face coverings are required inside all campus buildings regardless of vaccinated status.
Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance in their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering 16 associate degree and 3 academic certificate programs. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. 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
Johnson College Announces a 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 Leonard, 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.
Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring 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 premier technical college, offering 16 associate degree and 3 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-teacher ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on instruction. 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
Johnson College Receives Accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Johnson College received official notice from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) affirming Johnson College’s full accreditation.
As a Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredited institution, students, families, and employees are assured of the quality and rigor of the educational experience provided by Johnson College. Being accredited also ensures that students who qualify may receive more federal financial aid options and that credits will transfer to and from other regionally accredited institutions with more ease. Additionally, the MSCHE designation allows the use of a more streamlined process to add new program and increases our ability to solicit funding and grant opportunities to better prepare students to become part of the essential workforce in industries with which the College collaborates.
The affirmation comes following a huge undertaking that began in 2015. The College was awarded candidacy status in November of 2016. After the submission of Accreditation Readiness Reports, the College was approved for Self-Study in the spring of 2018. The entire College community engaged in a self-study process, which extended to 2-years due to the pandemic, involving staff, faculty, students, industry partners, board members, administration, and on-site and virtual visits from an MSCHE evaluation team.
“Becoming Middle States accredited means Johnson College will never settle for the status quo. We are committing ourselves to becoming a continuously improving organization, one that rises and succeeds together,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “This accomplishment was achieved by the hard work of our entire campus community. When we work together, we make a difference in the lives of our students and, in turn, our community and region.”
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is a voluntary, non-governmental membership association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. It examines each institution as a whole and performs peer evaluation and regional accreditation of colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring 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 premier technical college, offering 15 associate degree and 3 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-teacher ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on instruction. 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
Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College announced the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation during a Presidential Update Video distributed to the Johnson College community. To watch this Presidential Update Video, please visit: https://youtu.be/uLa4Ar-2VS8.
Photo Caption: Recently Johnson College alumni, staff and students gathered to discuss the College’s full accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Pictured left to right: Front row - Brandon Dougherty, ’21, Electrical Construction & Maintenance Technology, Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO, Johnson College, and Joshua Shaver, ’20, Carpentry & Cabinetmaking Technology. Back row - Bill Burke, M.S., Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs, Johnson College, Dr. Kellyn Williams, Chief Academic Officer, Johnson College, Philip Davitt, Electrical Construction & Maintenance Technology student, and Barbara Byrne M.Ed., Associate Vice President of Faculty and College Planning, Johnson College.
Solar Innovations® Architectural Glazing Systems team proudly donated over $5,500, to be split between three organizations, during its 2021 second quarter Solar Cares campaign.
The Solar Cares campaign was created to dedicate extra time and effort into giving back to the surrounding communities. This quarter, equal shares of $1,837.50 were donated to St. Joseph’s Center for Special Learning, Big Impact Group of Schuylkill County, and Avenues. Including team member donations and the company match, Solar Innovations® was able to donate a total of $5,512.50 between the three non-profits.
Located in Pottsville, PA, St. Joseph’s Center for Special Learning offers academic, social, religious, and pre-vocational instruction for students aged 5 to 21 with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Schuylkill and surrounding counties.
Big Impact Group of Schuylkill County Inc. is a non-profit corporation organized to assist in the personal development of at-risk youth through the enhancement of skills, interests, and mutual trust through supervised mentoring relationships with carefully screened and trained adult volunteers.
Avenues, formerly United Cerebral Palsy, has been serving Schuylkill County and the surrounding area since 1952. As a human service organization, they are committed to providing quality services that enhance the lives of individuals with developmental and/or acquired disabilities. In doing so, they offer a wide variety of programs that reach people from birth to an elderly age
The Solar Cares campaign launched in October of 2015. Since its inception, Solar Cares has raised over $67,000 in monetary donations plus a variety of supplies such as toys, coats, non-perishable food items, pet supplies, and cleaning supplies, and continues to hold company-wide fundraisers each quarter.
Solar Innovations® is a single source provider of custom glazed structures, skylights, windows, and doors. Their
extensive product line ranges from greenhouse to sunrooms, to folding glass walls. To learn more about Solar Innovations®, its products, the Solar Cares campaign, or to request a brochure, visit solarinnovations.com, contact
Hydro continues investments in North America
Hydro has announced plans to invest $48.3 million in Cressona, Pennsylvania, to support the growing transportation, distribution, and industrial market segments in North America.
The company will continue its strategy of asset modernization with the installation of a state-of-the-art 3,000-ton 12” indirect aluminum extrusion press line at its Cressona facility. Not surprisingly, this investment follows closely on the heels of the site’s highly successful 2019 greenfield installation of a 10” extrusion press to serve the automotive and distribution markets.
“We are very excited about the decision to continue investing in new assets at Cressona, and I am certain that our history of delivering strong results on past investments was a key factor,” said Mike Hammer, Senior Director of Operations for Hydro’s Cressona and North Liberty facilities.
“This new press will create a strong foundation as we drive our manufacturing process to the next level in Cressona.”
Building upon the site’s recent press project, the equipment will utilize advanced Industry 4.0 technology to achieve improved quality, reliability, and productivity and achieve benchmark energy consumption levels. Hydro expects this press to be operational by late 2023.
