It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as chair of the Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundation Board. In this role, I have the opportunity to work alongside an exceptional group of board members, college leadership, alumni, donors, and community partners who share a common purpose: expanding access to the life-changing applied technology education that defines Penn College.

As a business professional in this community, I have watched Penn College evolve into a nationally recognized institution with a global impact. What began as an important regional asset has become one of the country's premier institutions for preparing the highly skilled workforce that drives our economy forward. At a time when employers across nearly every industry are searching for talented professionals, Penn College is equipping students with the technical expertise, work ethic and problem-solving abilities to meet that demand.

These students are more than future employees. They are the engineers who will design our infrastructure, the healthcare professionals who will care for our families, the manufacturers and technologists who will fuel innovation, the business professionals who will create opportunity, and the skilled leaders who will strengthen our communities. They represent the future of America's workforce.

Serving on the Foundation Board provides a front-row seat to the remarkable opportunities available to Penn College students. They are competing in national competitions, traveling the world, interning with industry leaders, and in many cases nobly serving our country in uniform while pursuing their education. Every day, they are developing the skills, discipline and confidence to solve real-world challenges and make meaningful contributions from the moment they enter the workforce.

Yet behind many of these success stories is something equally important: opportunity.

Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the profound difference scholarship support makes in students’ lives. For many, a scholarship is more than financial assistance – it is the reason they are able to attend Penn College at all. It removes barriers, opens doors, and allows talented individuals to pursue careers that will benefit employers, families and communities for generations to come.

Because of your generosity, that opportunity continues to grow.

In 2025-26, 21 new scholarships were established through the generosity of alumni, businesses, families and friends of the college. Even more encouraging, the number of students receiving scholarship support continues to rise.

Every scholarship awarded represents more than financial aid. It represents a student discovering his or her potential, an employer gaining a highly skilled professional, and a stronger workforce prepared to meet the evolving needs of our nation. Your generosity is creating lasting opportunities – not only for today's students, but for the industries and communities that will rely on them tomorrow.

Thank you for believing in Penn College and for investing in the people who will build, innovate, heal, manufacture, design and lead. Together, we are removing barriers, creating opportunity, and strengthening the workforce that will shape the future.

On behalf of the Penn College Foundation Board, thank you for your partnership, your generosity, and your unwavering commitment to our students. Together, we are building a stronger future – one student, one scholarship and one opportunity at a time.