Sunday, July 1, 2018, Reading, PA­- Dr. Susan Looney officially became the sixth president of Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pennsylvania on July 1, 2018. She succeeds Dr. Anna Weitz, who retired on June 30, 2018 after 11 years of service as RACC's president.

Previously serving as senior vice president for academic affairs/provost at RACC, Dr. Looney plans to draw on that experience as she assumes the presidential role. "I look forward to this next chapter in the history of this great college," says Dr. Looney. "I truly believe that the student is not one of the reasons we are here, they are the only reason we are here."

The new president is a shining example of how opportunity, access, excellence and hope offered by the community college can changes lives. She earned her AA at Brookdale Community College and went on to earn a BS and MBA in business administration from Monmouth University, a JD from Widener University School of Law and an Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

"We are excited to welcome Dr. Looney as RACC's 6th president. With her years of experience as a community college faculty member and administrator, she is uniquely positioned to lead RACC into an exciting future," says RACC Board of Trustees Chair Mr. Guido M. Pichini.

In her 20 years as a full-time community college educator, eight as a faculty member and 12 as a senior administrator, Dr. Looney has worked in a variety of academic and administrative roles at Mohave Community College in Arizona and at Delaware Technical Community College. Throughout her career, she has been significantly involved in team building, budgeting, strategic planning, assessment, community engagement, and fundraising.

Dr. Looney joined the staff of RACC in 2014 as dean of instruction before moving to the position of senior vice president for academic affairs/provost in 2015. Throughout her tenure she has consistently demonstrated her deep commitment to the success of RACC students and has focused the staff on excellence, while using outcomes to inform next steps. "I am extremely excited and blessed for the opportunity to provide the experience and vision to lead RACC into an exciting and vibrant future."

To read Dr. Looney's presidential greeting and biography click here.

On June 25, 2018, Reading Area Community College (RACC) President Anna Weitz and DeSales University President Rev. James J. Greenfield, O.S.F.S., signed a dual admissions agreement outlining new academic pathways between their institutions for students wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree starting in the fall of 2018. 

The DeSales’ Dual Admissions, Core-to-Core agreement ensures the credits earned by RACC students who complete Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice will be accepted towards the core requirements at DeSales.

The agreement with DeSales University reflects RACC’s commitment to preparing students for their bachelor’s degrees in the sciences. DeSales’ state-of-the-art laboratories at the Gambet Center parallel favorably with RACC’s new science labs dedicated to the health sciences.

“We are pleased to launch this new agreement with Reading Area Community College,” said Fr. Greenfield. “This partnership will allow both institutions to promote our similar educational missions, particularly in the sciences as we use our laboratory learning spaces to prepare students for careers in science and healthcare.”

RACC students will find DeSales University a welcoming environment with a rich culture of student engagement, whether locally through Habitat for Humanity, or internationally, through study abroad projects. 

RACC students who sign a Letter of Intent to DeSales University before completing 30 credits with RACC are eligible to take a course with DeSales for free while still enrolled full-time at RACC. DeSales under this agreement, will offer a transfer scholarship equal to 50% of the tuition rate in effect at the time of matriculation when full-time student has a 2.75 GPA or above. 

“RACC is committed to making transfer as seamless as possible for students through building strong institutional partnerships,” says RACC President Dr. Anna Weitz. 

RACC also has dual admission programs with Albright College, Alvernia University, Bloomsburg University, Kutztown University, Elizabethtown College, LaSalle University, Millersville University, St. Joseph's University and Temple University.

For more information about this new community college partnership, please contact Jodi Corbett, Director of Academic Partnerships, 610.607.6219.

On June 20, 2018, Reading Area Community College (RACC) President Anna Weitz and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (KU) President Kenneth Hawkinson signed an agreement which will allow Kutztown to teach a Bachelor’s of Social Work program (BSW) at the Reading Area Community College campus starting in the fall of 2018. 
 
RACC graduates will be able to earn a Bachelor of Social Work from KU in two years through an accelerated program at RACC’s campus. In addition to Kutztown’s Bachelor level program courses, students will be able to take additional RACC courses to fulfill general education and electives required by the bachelor’s degree major. 

“Kutztown University is excited to partner with Reading Area Community College in this unique endeavor,” says Dr. Anne Zayaitz, KU provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “Our nationally accredited social work program is one of the cornerstones of our academic offerings, and we look forward to helping students at RACC interested in the major by offering classes on site in Reading.” 

The agreement frames a vital human services pathway formed by two Berks County public institutions of higher education, and addresses the projected workforce need for qualified social workers in the region. At the center of this agreement are the RACC AA in Social Work graduates who will be able to earn a Bachelor’s in Social Work right in the community where they live, work, and raise their families. 

“These students want to stay and serve the people in Berks County. The BSW at RACC’s campus helps them achieve their career goals while providing our community with well-trained social workers. RACC and Kutztown’s shared goal is to make students’ dreams attainable, and this is now made easier by offering the bachelor’s degree program on our campus,” says RACC President Dr. Anna Weitz.

For more information about the KU BSW program starting this fall at RACC’s campus, please contact Jim Garraway, KU’s Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions, 610.683. 4787 or Dr. Mary Rita Weller, Assistant Professor - Department of Social Work Kutztown University, 484.646.4270.

Five years ago, Esteffani Alcantra was living in the Bronx and was a patient outreach manager for a hospital system. She oversaw a team of 12, but the single mother knew that without a degree, chances of advancement were slim.

To give herself more time for school, five years ago Alcantra and her daughter, Amber, moved to Reading to live with Alcantra’s stepfather. She initially took a less demanding secretarial job and began working on a liberal arts associate degree from Reading Area Community College.

“I started working at the hospital at 19 and received three promotions, but when I asked for either another promotion or more money, I was told you hit a dead end because I didn’t have a degree,’’ said Alcantra, 30, who earned her associate degree in 2015 and her Bachelor of Applied Science in Technical Leadership (BASTL) from Bloomsburg University in May 2017.

Alcantra, who now works as a customer service representative for a plastics manufacturer, said she was attracted to the BASTL program for its flexibility – classes were online or at her community college – and the wide range of topics covered. At her current job, she’s used the practical skills such as web design and virtual tools to communicate with coworkers and clients in distant locations, as well as leadership training to help her resolve conflicts and better communicate with those at various levels in the company.

“The degree makes you a well-rounded leader because you get into accounting and management and other technical skills as well as intrapersonal skills and cultural diversity that you experience everywhere,’’ Alcantra said. “As a single mother of one and a full-time employee, the ability to take online courses and satisfy the Bloomsburg curriculum at RACC was definitely a determining factor.’’

In the future, Alcantra said she wants to pursue a masters in instructional technology and eventually move into a position where she is involved in training and development. In addition to being important to accomplish her career goals, she said advancing her education was something she needed to do for her daughter.

“I want my daughter to take after me and I have to lead the way,’’ she said. “As a parent and as a leader, you can’t just tell others what they need to do, you have to model the behavior you want others to show.’’

After consulting with employers who are looking for skilled managers, Bloomsburg University created its Bachelor of Applied Science in Technical Leadership program especially for individuals with associate degrees who are working and need flexibility. Up to 60 associate degree credits are accepted and half the BASTL classes are online and the rest taught at Bloomsburg’s partner institutions: Bucks County Community College, Community College of Philadelphia, Harrisburg Area Community College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Northampton Community College and Reading Area Community College, and the State System campus in Center City Philadelphia. Learn more.

June 13, 2018/Gibraltar, PA/National Heritage Areas Program

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area hosted the 20th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn. This is a 112-mile guided canoe/kayak trip from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row, with participants traveling 14-18 miles each day over the course of a week.  

This year’s Sojourn featured the inclusion of 10 students from Reading Area Community College who got to kayak in the Sojourn as a part of a mentorship program. Teamed up with seasoned mentors, the students paddled from Allegheny Aqueduct Park in Gibraltar to Pottstown Riverfront Park, while experiencing first-hand the historical evolution of the river.

Executive Director Elaine Paul Schaefer stated, “We were thrilled to have them join us. It is an important goal for our organization to reach out to and engage the next generation in our mission and work.” Given the program’s success, plans are underway for its continuation. Fundraising efforts have already begun with the auction of a coveted water trail sign.

Schuylkill River Greenways NHA was able to offer the student mentorship opportunity through a partnership with Make the Road Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization that works in Latino communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and community leadership.