Collision Repair & Restoration Articles

A long-term partner of Pennsylvania College of Technology is enhancing its commitment to the school’s collision repair and restoration program. PPG Industries Inc. – a global supplier of paints, coatings and specialty materials – recently renewed its paint sponsorship that began in 2003. The new agreement calls for PPG to double its annual investment over the next five years.

Pennsylvania College of Technology has named veteran educator Ali L. Lorson as assistant dean of transportation technologies. Lorson comes to Penn College from the Mifflinburg Area School District, where she served as nontraditional education coordinator. In that role, she provided leadership in the creation, execution and assessment of district services and programs, including growing post-secondary opportunities for students.

An organization dedicated to women in the collision repair industry has awarded a scholarship to a Pennsylvania College of Technology student. Izzy S. Povod, of Palm Coast, Florida, was one of 30 individuals nationwide honored with a Women’s Industry Network Student Tuition and Conference Scholarship Award. A Dean’s List student, Povod received $2,500 toward tuition and a $500 tool grant.

Pennsylvania College of Technology collision repair students are benefiting from the latest contribution from the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Through CREF, the college received a 2023 Benchmark in-kind grant of an automotive paint spray gun from Fuji Spray, a leader in the spray paint industry.

Ciocca Collision Center in Montoursville recently donated a Honda door outer panel to Penn College’s collision repair lab, and it has been put to good use. The door outer panel is a task collision repair students are required to complete in their second year in our program.

A trio of collision repair technology graduates from 2006 recently returned to campus to address students in the Collision Repair Operations class taught by Eric D. Pruden, instructor of automotive technology. Ryan M. Arnold, Lanessa (Satteson) Taylor and Gilberto Alicea “shared their experiences in the collision repair industry and encouraged the students to find their place in the industry,” according to Pruden.

Friday’s “Centre County Report” featured a story on Penn College’s Transportation Scholars program. The weekly broadcast -- produced by students in the capstone broadcast journalism course in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State – included an interview with Bradley M. Webb, dean of engineering technologies.

The West Branch Model A Restorers Club visited The Madigan Library recently to donate 14 books to support learning at Pennsylvania College of Technology. The local organization has a consistent presence on campus, including showcasing vehicles during summer automotive restoration camps.

Pennsylvania College of Technology is the recipient of a nearly $1.5 million federal grant to support students majoring in a transportation-related field. The National Science Foundation awarded $1,498,465 (grant No. 2221107) as part of its S-STEM program, which funds scholarships for academically talented low-income students.

A PPG Industries Inc. training instructor, renowned for his custom paint artistry, shared decades' worth of expertise this week with Penn College students, faculty and career and technical education instructors. Paul Stoll – who last visited campus during the Air Affair East showcase in May 2007 – began Wednesday with a basic airbrush class.