Penn College Johnson Controls scholars tour facility

Six Pennsylvania College of Technology students were invited recently to tour Johnson Controls Airside Center of Excellence in York.

The students are recipients of scholarships from Johnson Controls Inc., made possible through a $100,000 gift to the college’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning academic program for 2023-24. The majority of the grant, part of Johnson Controls’ Community College Partnership Program, was used for student scholarships, while the remaining funds were earmarked for the purchase of equipment and student participation in professional development opportunities, like the one provided by the company’s Airside Center of Excellence.

The manufacturing, training and support center includes a 285,000-square-foot manufacturing area.

“The tour provided Johnson Controls scholars insight on the process of building standard and custom commercial air handling systems,” explained Jason W. Killinger, associate professor of HVAC technology. “Before entering the fabrication facility, scholars were provided with a presentation that showcased trending technologies JCI uses to help curb energy consumption, predictive maintenance, and equipment replacement by coupling data-driven analytics from existing buildings to help end users reduce their carbon footprint.”

Penn College Johnson Controls scholars making the visit were Gabriel N. Bloom, of Reynoldsville, and Christopher B. Delo Jr., of Milford, both pursuing associate degrees in heating, ventilation & air conditioning technology; as well as Marc S. Balsan, of Dresher; Daniel A. Clifton, of New York, New York; Ian T. Mwaura, of Swatara; and Fabien D. Saintelus, of Stroudsburg, all pursuing bachelor’s degrees in heating, ventilation & air conditioning engineering technology.

“While Johnson Controls has had a nice presence on Penn College’s campus over the years during Career Fairs and classroom visits, it’s equally important to us as a company that students be able to visit our facilities, as well,” said Joe Emrich, market general manager – Central PA for Johnson Controls. “Touring students through a site not only offers industry exposure and the chance to see their labs come to life, it also gives them an idea of what it might be like to come work for Johnson Controls after graduation.”  

Penn College is one of 10 grantees in the 2023-24 cohort of Johnson Controls’ $15 million Community College Partnership Program. All of the recipient colleges were recommended by Johnson Controls employees and are in communities where the corporation has a presence.

The company, a Penn College Corporate Tomorrow Maker, is recognized as a member of the Visionary Society on the college’s Donor Wall ($100,000 to $499,999).

Penn College offers a bachelor’s degree in heating, ventilation & air conditioning engineering technology and an associate degree in heating, ventilation & air conditioning technology. To learn more about the HVAC degrees, call 570-327-4520.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.