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
Advocate for Technical Education Enrolls at Penn College
Jan. 19, 2012 - 9:45 a.m.
A Montgomery County teenager, headed for Penn College's heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis major this fall, is calling attention to the sought-after careers represented by technical education – careers, he believes, that too many people take for granted. According to an
article
in the Upper Dublin Patch, Gabriel B. Wasserman, of Fort Washington, a student at Eastern Center for Arts and Technology in Willow Grove, is using his senior project to spread the word. "The students graduating with degrees in engineering, diesel repair, nursing and other degrees that may require some technical education are employed almost the day after they get out of school," he says. "It’s these jobs that are in demand. Replacements for these kinds of jobs are falling short, and the reason why is the lack of knowledge about the benefits of going to career and technical schools.”
Home Team Wins Equipment ‘Rodeo’ During College Open House
Nov. 3, 2011 - 5:18 p.m.
A team of Penn College students recently won the 29th Precision Heavy Construction Equipment Rodeo, the third straight year in which overall honors were retained by the host institution. The crowd-pleasing competition, which drew 52 participants from five schools in Pennsylvania and New York, was held Oct. 23 during a collegewide Open House. The “rodeo” is sponsored by student members of the Service and Operation of Heavy Equipment Association and is held on a recreation field at the Schneebeli Earth Science Center near Allenwood. As a stubborn morning fog surrendered to a sunny autumn afternoon, Penn College students – all of them majoring in heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis – swept two events and placed in three others on their way to overall victory.
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.
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
Recent Grad Easily Answers Celebrity's 'Who Ya Gonna Call?' Question
Sept. 22, 2011 - 11:32 a.m.
To even the most casual television viewer, it's common knowledge that a familiar quiz show allows its contestants to seek outside assistance when in a jam. One player's answer – when faced with the pregame stumper, "Who can I turn to?" – was as close as a recent Penn College alumnus. Headed for the hot seat on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" commercial spokesman/working-class hero Mike Rowe asked that he be accompanied by a scholarship recipient from his mikeroweWORKS Foundation. "Because I was in North Jersey and the filming was in New York City, they chose me to go," said Andrew C. Reisinger, who was awarded a $500 tool scholarship from the foundation last year. He has been employed by Foley Inc., northern New Jersey's Caterpillar dealer, since his May graduation with a degree in heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis from the college's School of Natural Resources Management. Just how much money Rowe won for his foundation won't be known until the show airs, probably in November, but he clearly was happy to share Monday's experience with Reisinger, whom he thanked online for "being one of our country's skilled tradesmen."
Photos provided by Andrew C. Reisinger
Student Awarded Scholarship, Then Meets Iconic Benefactor
April 29, 2011 - 10:30 a.m.
It’s not every day that a cultural icon gives an online shout-out to a college student, but, in fairness, Andrew C. Reisinger is no ordinary young man. Respectful of his parents, grateful for his education and unfailingly polite, it’s no surprise that he’d be a national “poster boy” for success in the skilled trades. A photograph and article about the Stockholm. N.J., resident, soon to graduate from Penn College with a degree in heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis, are featured on the website of Mike Rowe, creator and host of the widely watched "Dirty Jobs" series on the Discovery Channel. Reisinger recently was awarded a $500 tool scholarship from The mikeroweWORKS Foundation and, as good fortune would have it, won some face time with his benefactor while attending an unrelated Las Vegas event with his family.
Schramm Establishes Second Scholarship Fund at Penn College
Jan. 31, 2011 - 10:42 a.m.
A Pennsylvania company that gained international recognition during the rescue of trapped miners last year in Chile has established an endowed scholarship fund at Penn College. The Schramm Inc. Endowed Scholarship will provide a permanent source of financial support for students enrolled full time in the college’s associate-degree major in heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis. Schramm Inc., based in West Chester, manufacturers and supplies specialized mobile hydraulic drilling rigs for a wide range of applications in the drilling industry worldwide and has identified heavy equipment field service technicians as one of its greatest hiring needs. Schramm is a regular visitor to the college’s career fairs and currently employs eight Penn College graduates. In addition to the new endowed scholarship, since 2006, Schramm has provided annual funding for another scholarship at the college that makes awards to students in several other majors that are in high demand at the firm.
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.”
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