Building Construction Articles

Pennsylvania College of Technology and Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity joined the city and county on Thursday to dedicate a new home that, after two years under construction, will soon welcome a family.

Students in Concrete Construction classes have spent the semester practicing their craft through real-world challenges – meanwhile helping the college and the community.

State and local officials gathered at a Habitat for Humanity home that is under construction just north of campus on Friday to tour the nearly complete project, built largely by students in Penn College’s construction and architectural technologies division, and to highlight the state’s Housing Action Plan to alleviate a shortage of homes in Pennsylvania.

Thirteen students, joined by three faculty members, an assistant dean and two alumni, just wrapped up an impactful four days at World of Concrete, an international trade show that encompasses 700,000 square feet inside and outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. Among highlights, faculty members Franklin H. Reber, instructor of building construction technology, and Joe F. DiBucci, instructor of building construction technology: concrete and masonry, were interviewed on the Coatings Coffee Shop sound stage.

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.

Ellyn A. Lester, assistant dean of construction and architectural technologies, recently received a Pennsylvania Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania. The awards honor 50 socially responsible citizens from across the commonwealth whose work and leadership make a meaningful impact in their professions and their communities.

Students in the Masonry Principles class, taught by Scott A. Bierly, instructor of building construction technology, recently applied their hands-on skills at the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center. Two sections of the class spent time at the campus – near Montgomery – to replace the bottom portion of two timber columns at the entrance of the center’s main building.

Work at a Habitat for Humanity home being built largely by students on Fifth Avenue, just north of campus, continues to progress. The college and Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity staff hosted a cookout and open house at the site on Thursday, inviting those who worked on the home over the past three semesters to see the current progress.

UPMC and Pennsylvania College of Technology are deepening their longstanding partnership with a shared vision: to make northcentral Pennsylvania a destination for world-class education, cutting-edge health care and a thriving workforce. As part of this commitment, UPMC is contributing $500,000 to support the renovation of the Carl Building Technologies Center on Penn College’s main campus. In recognition of this investment, the new entrance to the facility will be named the UPMC Annex.

Penn College’s concrete science technology major is hitting the world stage, thanks to recent posts by World of Concrete, an international trade show that attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year. World of Concrete recently posted a video of Penn College students' experience at the trade show – one of the world's largest – on its website and social media channels.