Concrete students 'work' their way across campus

When Penn College faculty say “Look around: Concrete is everywhere,” they’re not exaggerating. And those who traverse Penn College’s campus can’t go far without crossing work done by students in Penn College’s concrete classes – just in Fall 2025.

The fall Concrete Construction and Decorative Concrete classes taught by Franklin H. Reber (instructor of building construction technology) and Joe F. DiBucci (instructor of building construction technology: concrete and masonry) poured over 10,000 square feet of sidewalks, entrance areas and bike rack pads with a brush finish.

That includes a complete replacement of the concrete at the Bush Campus Center’s eastern entrance, plus sidewalks and handicap corners leading to other areas of the building.

The classes also installed sidewalks in front of and alongside the Breuder Advanced Technology & Health Sciences Center, as part of General Services’ renovation to that area.

A Decorative Concrete class did another 2,800 square feet of stencil and stamp work outside the Victorian House, as well as a pad for the Belle Springs golf course in Mackeyville.

The Concrete Construction class is taken by students pursuing associate degrees in building construction technology and concrete science technology. Decorative Concrete is part of the concrete science technology curriculum and can be taken as a core applied arts elective by students in other majors.