Students Meet Newest CAT on Campus
Jan. 24, 2012 - 4:02 p.m.
Students in Penn College's heavy construction equipment technology and diesel technology majors this week got a close look at the newest vehicle in the heavy-duty fleet of a longstanding corporate partner. Cleveland Brothers CAT brought the CT660 vocational truck, an on-highway vehicle unveiled last year by Caterpillar, to the Schneebeli Earth Science Center for students in the School of Natural Resources Management. Representing a longtime partner in the Caterpillar Excellence Fund, which regularly provides equipment, scholarships and technical support to the school, were
Doug Wetzel, on-highway trucks, parts and service sales representative;
Nate Chase, technical communicator; and
Randy Fetterfolf, corporate recruiter
.
Photos by Carol A. Lugg, coordinator of matriculation and retention, School of Natural Resources Management
Fruitful Partnership Continues With $112,000 Caterpillar Donation
Oct. 24, 2011 - 1:24 p.m.
A corporate partnership that has benefited Penn College students for 17 years will continue with the recent donation of $112,000 from the Caterpillar Foundation and a number of its regional dealerships. “CAT continues to show a strong commitment to our students and their education,” said Mary A. Sullivan, dean of natural resources management. “These are tough times for some of our students and their families, and the opportunities CAT creates through sponsorships, scholarships, internships and employment are very much appreciated.” The longstanding relationship is evident in two dealer awards presented in conjunction with that contribution: Alban Tractor Co. Inc., Baltimore, and Ransome CAT, Bensalem, were given plaques acknowledging 15 years of participation in the Caterpillar Excellence Fund.
Penn College Diesel Instructor Latest ‘Pathfinder’ Honoree
Oct. 24, 2011 - 1:15 p.m.
An instructor in Penn College’s diesel equipment technology department has been honored by the college and Caterpillar Inc. with the annual Pathfinder to Excellence award. Justin W. Beishline, a faculty member in the School of Natural Resources Management, received the award earlier this month during an advisory meeting of Caterpillar officials and dealers at the college’s Thompson Professional Development Center. “It’s always gratifying to a faculty member to be recognized by students for the work that he does," said Mary A. Sullivan, dean of natural resources management. "Justin has been with us for a few years and is showing tremendous potential. He is dedicated to his students and to Penn College, and it’s great that his students recognize that.”
Construction Students Take In-House Road Trip for Safety Instruction
Oct. 12, 2011 - 4:56 a.m.
In a beneficial trip over the mountain (and across academic borders), about 70 freshmen from Penn College's School of Construction and Design Technologies traveled to the School of Natural Resources Management heavy equipment training ground Tuesday for an afternoon of insight. Students in site-preparation and safety classes – joined by construction faculty members Garret L. Graff, Harry W. Hintz Jr., Peter Kruppenbacher and Thomas J. Mulfinger – got a close-up look at the multi-ton machinery they'll encounter on the job. Heavy construction equipment technology students demonstrated a hydraulic excavator, track loader and other machinery from the campus' earth-moving fleet, as Budd L. Greevy, instructor of diesel equipment technology, explained the job-site advantages of each. Along with discussing those benefits, he stressed the need for safety when working on or around the massive, unforgiving vehicles. "You turn them off, you turn them on. These things have no conscience," he said, noting that human precaution is the most reliable defense against workplace tragedy. "They don't think, they don't cry, they don't grieve. I can't be more blunt than that." Greevy and his students also demonstrated use of a "trench box," which prevents the collapse of dirt walls onto excavation workers. The visit to the operations site was the latest in a series of beyond-the-classroom exercises planned by construction faculty. Upcoming classes will feature fire-safety and CPR instruction, Graff and Kruppenbacher said.
Caterpillar Simulator Students' Foul-Weather Friend
Oct. 7, 2011 - 2:15 p.m.
Despite the uncooperative weather conditions at the start of the semester, heavy construction equipment technology students were not hampered by rain. Students have been able to continue to maintain and improve their operating skill sets with the use of a second-generation Caterpillar Track-Type Tractor Simulator. Andrew Cardinal, with Caterpillar Corp., and Josh Colbert, from Cleveland Brothers, teamed up with Budd Greevy, a diesel equipment technology instructor at Penn College, to secure the loaned simulator to the students' benefit.
Simulators create an environment in which new operators can familiarize themselves with the controls and envision real-life situations, while providing a safe and economical setting for training. In addition to the fuel savings and safety, Greevy enjoys the opportunity to provide direction and immediate feedback to students. Novice and seasoned operators alike benefit from the use of simulators at a training site. Beginners have the opportunity to apply the theory learned in the classroom, while veteran operators advance and master the skills to increase productivity. “I didn’t have any 'dozer experience and it was unnerving to me to do this type of work with no previous experience," said student Eric J. Buckley, a heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis major from Lebanon. "The CAT simulator made me much more comfortable when I finally climbed into the seat of an actual 'dozer."
Photo by Carol A. Lugg, coordinator of matriculation and retention, School of Natural Resources Management
Equipment Donation Marks Cleveland Brothers’ Continued Support
Dec. 3, 2010 - 12:00 p.m.
An area Caterpillar dealership, honored earlier this year for its 15-year support of Penn College, has made another contribution to the School of Natural Resources Management. Randy Fetterolf, a corporate recruiter in the Bellefonte office of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co. Inc., recently facilitated the donation to the school of a diesel particulate filter – a system to reduce exhaust emissions and to help bring diesel engines into compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emission regulations. “As emissions requirements become more stringent, testing and controlling emissions becomes more central to the curriculum as our programs continue to meet or exceed industry standards,” said Claude T. Witts, instructor of diesel equipment technology at the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center near Allenwood.
Mini Excavator Donated to Penn College's Earth Science Center
Nov. 29, 2010 - 1:36 p.m.
The recent donation of a mini excavator will benefit a variety of academic majors within Penn College's School of Natural Resources Management. Jon Hume, the Case New Holland product specialist who arranged for the donation, delivered a 2007 E27B mini excavator and an Isuzu engine to the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center near Allenwood. The E27B is a low-time, rubber-tracked machine featuring a Yanmar Tier IV engine – compliant with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission regulations – and a hydraulic “thumb” that enables it to move and stack material.
Caterpillar Continues Support of Penn College Students
Nov. 10, 2010 - 2:44 p.m.
One of Penn College’s most enduring corporate collaborations continued with a recent donation of $107,000 from the Caterpillar Foundation and its four-member coalition of dealers. “For more than 15 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been a partner with Penn College’s School of Natural Resources Management,” said Mary A. Sullivan, the school’s dean. “They continue to offer support in the form of scholarships, student sponsorships, training and equipment, and we anticipate a long and productive relationship with CAT.”
Penn College Diesel Students Again Experience Hybrid Technology
May 25, 2010 - 3:21 p.m.
The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New York Inc. recently loaned another of its Kenworth hybrid trucks to Penn College’s School of Natural Resources Management to be used as a teaching tool in the diesel equipment technology major. “The hands-on experience for our diesel students with this level of technology is truly priceless,” instructor Mark E. Sones said. "Having these vehicles and systems for a lab situation provides us ‘real-world’ exposure to the unique approach to safety and service required by the hybrid vehicle systems.”
Vocational Students Visit ESC Heavy Equipment Areas
April 29, 2010 - 9:40 p.m.
About 40 students in the Equipment Operation/Maintenance Technology program at the Venango Technology Center in Oil City got an extensive tour of Penn College's Schneebeli Earth Science Center on Thursday. The high school students and their instructor, Mike Irwin, visited the heavy equipment training site, led by Ryan W. Peck, laboratory assistant for diesel equipment technology. Heavy construction equipment instructor Chris S. Weaver then took them on a tour of the facility's 48,000-square-foot diesel and heavy equipment labs. After grabbing a quick lunch in Nature’s Cove, the students settled into the industry classroom for brief presentations by Jim W. Green, assistant director of financial aid at the college, and Melissa M. Stocum, coordinator of matriculation and retention for the School of Natural Resources Management (who also provided the photo at left).
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