Westmoreland County Community College holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Student Achievement Center

September 27, 2019 Youngwood, Pa.

Westmoreland County Community College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony September 27 for its new Student Achievement Center at the Youngwood campus.

A renovation of Founders Hall, the new 120,000-square-foot Student Achievement Center fosters individual and collaborative learning resources. It is also home to a comprehensive support services environment for the college community. The center’s primary focus is on helping students, faculty and staff achieve the greatest level of success in all of their endeavors.

“Through the Student Achievement Center, we’re providing our students with a vibrant learning community that fosters collaboration and conversation,” said Dr. Tuesday Stanley, president, Westmoreland County Community College. “Our primary focus is on our students and with this new area, we are able to expose them to the learning resources we offer in an accessible and comfortable environment. The entire area is dedicated to providing our students with the best learning environment possible.”

"We need a workforce that satisfies the demands we have in the region," said Chad Amond, president and CEO of Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. "The community college focuses on educating students to fill the growing needs of our local businesses. It is a key part of their mission."

Westmoreland President Tuesday Stanley presided over the ceremony attended by business and community leaders and elected officials. Faculty and staff from the college also attended the ribbon cutting.

Speakers at the event included Westmoreland County Community College President Dr. Tuesday Stanley, Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson, Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas, Westmoreland County Community College Board of Trustees Vice Chair Chad Amond, Westmoreland County Community College Educational Foundation Chair Joseph Trimarchi, and Director of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Southwest Regional Office Jessica Walls-Larelle.

During the program, Douglas Weimer, college trustee and Hempfield Township supervisor, presented Dr. Stanley with a proclamation on behalf of the township supervisors. The proclamation acknowledged the new Student Achievement Center “is the cornerstone for the foundation of an ongoing ambitious project to restructure an amenity our community cannot do without.”

Special guests in attendance included Westmoreland County Community College Board of Trustees members Gene Ciafre, Barbara Ferrier, Bridget Johnston, William Kerr, Larry Larese, Ron Ott, Jess Stairs and John Wright; Don O’Brien representing Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli; Educational Foundation members Jeff Astley, Terry Wiltrout, Buck Helfferich and Judy Scheeren; Kevin Pahach, former trustee; Kristin Thatcher, Agora School; Patty and Bill Benton and Jack Cherubini, donors; Jason Reynolds and Mike Lordi, Elliott Company; Andrea Bortoluzzi and John Rae, First Energy; Chelsey Timms, First Commonwealth Bank; Christina Sutter and Tarah Small, Kennametal; Representatives from Pheple Credit Union; Susan Vargo, PNC; Karen Hackman and Helena Derr, S&T; Kathy Johnson, Ellen Smail, Jim Smail, Lindsay & Karl Schneider, Kelly and Taylor Smail, and Loni Smail, Smail Auto Group; Bob Teeter and Natalie Rega Nichols, Teeter Associates; Jim Kosinski, Tower Engineering; Donnie Jones and Tyson Baker, Turner Construction; Frank and Cindy Lucente, Tom and Paula Steiner, Carlene and Ron Williams, Debbie Terlizzi, Cindy Loughran and Cheri Noel, friends of the college; Margaret Kernicky; and Jim Myers.

CannonDesign was the architect and Turner Construction and Hudson were the contractors.