Reading, PA, Wednesday, March 10, 2021 – Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) is recognizing over 1000 REACH Rewards chapters across the United States for their efforts to bring the life-changing benefits and opportunities of PTK membership to even more students on their campuses in 2020. Phi Theta Kappa’s REACH Rewards program recognizes and rewards Phi Theta Kappa chapters that excel in membership development.

“Being a REACH chapter is more important this year than ever before as Phi Theta Kappa worked to support community college students in completely unfamiliar circumstances,” PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner said. Although this is a chapter award, it demonstrates that students are more focused on their futures than ever before, and their colleges are providing the opportunities to get them there — even amid a global pandemic.”

A full 91 percent of Phi Theta Kappa members will complete an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college, compared to just 38 percent of students nationally. Members have access to $48 million in scholarships — $1 million in competitive scholarships through the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and more than $46 million in transfer scholarships to over 850 four-year colleges. They can search for these scholarships and others, as well as transfer-friendly institutions and career pathways, on PTK Connect™.

“Reading Area Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa Chapter, Alpha Sigma Rho was thrilled to learn that we have been identified as a REACH Rewards chapter. Students are invited to join Phi Theta Kappa when they have earned 12 college-level credits with a GPA of 3.6 or higher. In 2020, 125 RACC Students accepted membership in the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Members who choose to participate in our local chapter have the opportunity to hone their research skills through our annual Honors in Action project as well as other chapter activities,” says Danelle Bower, RACC professor of Social Work/Sociology and Phi Theta Kappa advisor.

Students who excel academically at RACC have the opportunity to join Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year colleges. In addition to recognizing scholastic achievement, Phi Theta Kappa also provides members opportunities for scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship. To learn more, call 610-372-4721.

Reading, PA – The Foundation for Reading Area Community College has received a generous $7,000 donation from First Priority Bank, a division of Mid Penn Bank. This contribution will support Reading Area Community College (RACC)’s Dual Enrollment/Pathway Programs. Under the RACC Dual Enrollment Program, current high school students can begin their post-secondary education and start earning college credits from multiple programs at the college. RACC has collaborated with seventeen area high schools to offer college credit for college-level courses students take at their high school. The courses taught at the high school must cover the same competencies as courses taught at RACC.

“With the average student debt around $30,000, we continue to offer solutions for our students to manage their college debt, save time, and better prepare them for the expectations of college-level course work. Even during these uncertain times, what is best for the students is at the center of everything we do,” says RACC President Dr. Susan D. Looney.

Mid Penn Bancorp Inc., headquartered in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, has been serving the community since 1868. Mid Penn has 39 retail locations in the state of Pennsylvania and total assets of more than $2 billion. Its footprint includes Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fayette, Lancaster, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties. The bank offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services to meet the banking needs of the communities it serves. To learn more about Mid Penn Bank, visit www.midpennbank.com.

To learn more about the Dual Enrollment/Pathway Programs at RACC, call 610.607.5127. To learn more about giving opportunities with The Foundation for Reading Area Community College, call contact foundation@racc.edu or 610-607-6239.

Fall in person classes start August 24. More information...

READING, PA – Reading Area Community College Board of Trustees Chair, Mr. Guido M. Pichini recently completed his first year as a President of the United States-appointed member of the Commission on Presidential Scholars, an eminent group of distinguished citizens charged with selecting and honoring the nation’s top graduating high school seniors. 

Established in 1964, the Presidential Scholars Program recognizes and honors the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. A panel selects scholars who demonstrate exceptional accomplishments in academics, the arts and an outstanding commitment to public service. Pichini will join more than a dozen other commissioners who work in education, medicine, law, social services, business and other professions. 

“It is a privilege to honor these students who have shown excellence in their academics as well as their artistic and technical endeavors,” says Mr. Pichini. “They serve as role models for all young people.”

During a decades-long career of public service and educational capacities, Mr. Pichini has served as council member in the Borough of Wyomissing Hills, and four terms as Mayor. As a member of the President’s Council at Alvernia University, and presently as a member of Alvernia University’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Pichini has served as a member of the Council of Trustees of Kutztown University (serving three terms as Chair). He served on the Board of Directors of the Kutztown University Foundation, and as President of the Pennsylvania Association of Councils of Trustees. He presently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Reading Area Community College, on the Reading Area Community College Foundation Board, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the PA Commission for Community Colleges. Mr. Pichini served twelve years as a Governor of the PA State System of Higher Education, serving five terms as Chairman of the Board. In 2016, Mr. Pichini was honored by being named Chairman Emeritus of the PA State System of Higher Education Board of Governors. Guido served as a member of the executive committee and co-chair of the education committee of the PA Workforce Investment Board. Mr. Pichini also served as a commissioner on the PA Post-Secondary Education Commission.

Learn more about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Programs.

Reading, PA - On June 18, 2020, RACC was presented with the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award by Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) at the American Association for Respiratory Care Summer Forum.

In selecting programs for this recognition, the CoARC Board used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2019 Annual Report of Current Status (RCS).These programs were required to: have three or more years of outcomes data; hold accreditation without a progress report; document RRT credentialing success of 90% or above and meet or exceed establish CoARC thresholds for CRT credentialing success, attrition and positive (job) placement.

“Our Respiratory Care Program inspires graduates to reach their career goals. Our faculty and administrators have continually aspired to higher levels of achievement in both graduate and overall Program outcomes,“ says RACC President Dr. Susan D. Looney. “We extend a special thank you to our graduates, clinical affiliates, and faculty and staff for your hard work in achieving this goal. We achieved this award together.”

To learn more about RACC’s respiratory care Associate in Applied Science Degree program, visit racc.edu or call 610.372.4721