News

Reading, PA – On Tuesday, September 19, Vice President Kamala Harris marked National Voter Registration Day by participating in a moderated conversation with actress Annie Gonzalez at Reading Area Community College (RACC), a Hispanic-serving institution in Reading, PA. This campus event will be the third stop on the Vice President’s month-long college tour.

Vice President Harris’s “Fight for Our Freedoms" College Tour is a high-energy national swing to mobilize thousands of young people in the ongoing fight for fundamental freedoms and rights. She is set to visit around a dozen campuses including HBCUs, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, state schools, and additional Hispanic-serving institutions. At each stop, the Vice President will focus on key issues that disproportionately impact young people across America – from reproductive freedom and gun safety to climate action, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality, mental health, and book bans.

 “It is truly an honor to have Vice President Harris visit our beautiful campus. I am very proud to have such an opportunity to showcase the great work that our faculty and staff do for our students and the Berks County community,” says RACC President Dr. Susan Looney. 
  
The Vice President’s college tour officially kicked off this week with stops at Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University. It is a continuation of her dedicated work to energize, engage, and partner with young people throughout the country. She has already been to 13 college campuses this year after visiting 14 schools in 2022. Vice President Harris also regularly meets with young leaders wherever she goes – from climate leaders in Colorado to gun safety advocates in Virginia.

Reading, PA – Chairman of the Board for the Foundation for Reading Area Community College (RACC), Gary Moyer, and Executive Director of the Foundation for RACC, Anthony (Tony) DeMarco, recently welcomed five new members to the Foundation Board. The Foundation for RACC has a long history of strong community support; having tremendous impact on student success within the region. In 2022, the foundation was recognized as an Outstanding Foundation by the Berks County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Alex Goodman, Sharon White, Daniel Laws, Sandra Focht and Peter Rowley were all elected unanimously to serve the Foundation and have provided superb leadership during their first months with the Foundation for RACC.

"The Foundation for RACC continues to build a powerful board befitting the largest institute of higher education in Berks County," says Tony DeMarco. "We are thrilled to bring on such influential leaders who will advocate for our college.

Alex Goodman serves as the Wieland-Heyco human resources director at the Reading location. She attended Skidmore College and received her MBA from Alvernia University. She has returned to the Foundation Board after a brief departure to pursue a position out of the area. Alex served on the 50th Anniversary Committee, which managed one of the most successful nonprofit events in Berks County history. She is currently a member of the Miller Center Advisory Council, and believes in RACC's core values and mission in building a stronger community through education.

Sharon White and her husband Brad, are longtime leaders of the John Paul II Center for Special Learning. Sharon was a longstanding member of the John Paul II Gala Committee, which is one of the finest nonprofit events in the region. Sharon has been an active participant of the RACC Golf Tournament, and is looking forward to help fundraise for the Foundation. Sharon is a respected speech therapist who has counseled many students in our region.

Daniel Laws is the founder, president and CEO of DaBrian Marketing, one of Reading's leading digital marketing and digital analytics companies. Daniel is always looking to help the students of Reading succeed. He takes his role as a community leader and a voice of diversity in Berks County very seriously. Currently, Daniel is one of three co-chairs of the Digital Analytics Association's (DAA) Philadelphia Chapter. He is a member of the Forbes Agency Council and is a member of the local Vistage group. Daniel is very involved in Berks County youth sports where his children are active participants.

Sandra Focht, has her Masters of Science in Biology and is a retired college educator. She is a local philanthropist who believes strongly in the mission of the Foundation for Reading Area Community College. Sandra has been active in the RACC Golf Tournament and Miller Center for the Arts events, and has developed a strong relationship with RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney. Sandra's husband, Michael Focht, is the retired president of Tenet Healthcare Corporation.

Peter Rowley is the senior vice president, commercial banking regional manager for Tompkins Community Bank. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and served as an associate vice president at M&T Bank before joining Tompkins. Pete was named a 2022 40 Under 40 honoree by Lehigh Valley Business Journal. Pete is an established community leader who has served such notable non-profit organizations such as Prospectus Berco, the United Way, Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County, Leadership Council at Alvernia University and the John Paul II Center for Special Education. He lives in Sinking Spring with his wife, Rachel and twin sons, Connor and Lucas.

The Foundation for Reading Area Community College was created to raise, invest and manage private funds for the benefit of the college. The Foundation supports RACC's mission to build communities of learning to encourage educational growth by providing scholarship funding for all students with demonstrated financial need and for emerging initiatives that serve to further enhance the college's programs and facilities. To learn more about the Foundation for Reading Area Community College, visit racc.edu/about-racc/foundation or call Tony DeMarco at 610.607.6251.

The RACC bookstore is open for in-person shopping and to pickup purchases made online.

Store hours are located at the bottom of the page on the bookstore website.

When possible please make purchases online. Online orders will be ready for pick up within 24 hours and shipments will be sent out with in one business day.

Additional accommodations will be made when necessary for students. Please contact the bookstore to make additional accommodations.

Students may contact the bookstore by calling 610-607-6229 or by visiting our contact information page.

The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment.

The League’s Innovation of the Year Awards were devised as a way to recognize significant innovations at board and alliance member colleges. These innovations reflect significant achievements and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded.

The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community. This year, the winners from Reading Area Community College are:

• Carol Bean-Ritter, professor, social sciences/human services
• Joey Flamm Costello, instructor, communications, arts and humanities
• Linda Cuesta, information center/events manager
• Craig Fenn, professor, STEM
• Sarah Hess, manager, Foundation for RACC
• Margie Kerbel, professor, foundational studies
• Jane Mahoney, enrollment services coordinator/communications specialist 
• Anh “Emmie” Nguyen, associate professor, business division 
• David Pennypacker, library technology and access specialist
• Megan Schappell, house manager and box office coordinator, Miller Center for the Arts
• Sandra Strause, executive administrative assistant to the president 
• David Sweeley, dean of assessment, research and planning
• Judy Vecchio, manager, training and workforce development

Ordering your books for your summer classes.

If you have financial aid, you can now use it to order your textbooks on-line through the Barnes and Noble RACC Bookstore. Textbooks will be shipped to your home at no charge as the physical store is closed.

Click here to order your text books

• Click on TEXTBOOKS
• Click on FIND TEXTBOOKS
• Choose SUMMER for the term 
• Enter each course that you are registered for and it will indicate what books you need
• Add items to your cart and then proceed to checkout
• Create an account if you do not have one
• Choose financial aid in the payment step

To check to see how much financial aid you have for books, log into myRACC and click on Self-Service. Then click on My Bookstore to see available funds.