Building Construction Articles

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.

Pennsylvania College of Technology competitors earned gold medals in three competitions at the 2025 SkillsUSA Championships, held June 25-26 in Atlanta. More than 6,800 students – all champions at the state level – competed in 114 categories. The college brought home gold in TeamWorks, Technical Drafting and Welding Fabrication.

Penn College concrete science technology faculty shared their specialty with 110 children on June 2, teaching individual sessions to all four fifth-grade classes during Career Day at the Allentown School District’s Central Elementary STREAM Academy.

A home on Fifth Avenue hosted its first backyard picnic to close out the first of two years of service learning at the site. The Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity home is being built largely by Penn College students on land donated by the college. The three-bedroom structure, started in Fall 2024 and expected to be completed in Spring 2026, will provide a safe, sustainable home for a deserving family.

Alumnus Jeffrey L. Erdly, a longtime benefactor of Pennsylvania College of Technology with a distinguished career in the construction industry, was recently presented with an award by ASTM International, recognizing an ASTM member who has made significant professional contributions to the field of building technology and/or to multidisciplinary technical problem-solving in the construction industry.

Ernie Dojack, of Concrete Countertop Solutions, recently provided information and live demos to concrete science technology students enrolled in a Decorative Concrete class. Dojack, who has 15-plus years in the industry, showcased the difference between cast-in-place concrete countertop systems and precast concrete countertop methods and products.

An additional Pop-Up Employer Information Table has been added to Thursday's schedule at Penn College. Earlier, Friends in Action's appearance was announced. Now, TRINSEO will also be on campus looking to recruit students. Residential construction and polymer engineering students are encouraged to visit.

On Monday evening, Ellyn A. Lester, assistant dean of construction & architectural technologies at Pennsylvania College of Technology, appeared on WVIA-TV’s “Women Building the Future,” an episode of the “Keystone Edition: Business” program.