The Greater Susquehanna Center of Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) in Watsontown has seen a 60 percent increase in students over the last year.
Officials from Luzerne County Community College and other educational leaders in the Valley provided the update to members of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday. The meeting was held via Zoom.
“The majority of our students are in the associate’s program for nursing consideration,” said Melissa Day, the director of the centers at Watsontown and Berwick. “I am today in the newly renovated lab for those students who are taking anatomy and physiology. I am happy to see that we have 16 students in that second anatomy and physiology lab. It tells us that many of our students in that nursing consideration program are nearing completion and hoping to move into the program itself.”
As of Feb. 2, the Watsontown campus has 48 students who are taking 284 credits. This is a 60 percent increase in students and a 91 percent increase in credits compared to Spring 2021 enrollment. The college campus, which opened in September 2019, is located at the former Watsontown Elementary School owned by the Warrior Run School District.
Overall, across all of Luzerne, 50 percent of students are first generation as of Fall 2021. During 2019-20, 64 percent of first-time, full-time students received a Pell grant. For the same time time period, 43 percent of all students at Luzerne received a Pell grant, according to Susan Spry, the associate vice president of academic affairs for Luzerne.
Day said the Berwick campus sees more traditional students fresh out of high school while Watsontown sees more non-traditional students.
“We see a number of students who have a clear indication that they want to go into health care,” said Day. “We’re looking to support them through that process.”
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit’s (CSIU) Executive Director John Kurelja and Chief Outreach Officer Dr. Bernadette Boerckel also spoke of the Milton-based facility’s accomplishments as well as its relationship with the Watsontown campus of Luzerne.
The CSIU received two rounds of PAsmart Advancing Grants. Each grant was $500,000. The grant program name is CS SYSTEM for Growth I and II. The most recent grant, awarded in April 2021, was intended to develop and expand a sustainable computer science and STEM pipeline (established in the first grant, which build a thriving STEM Ecosystem), focusing services on underserved students in Northumberland County, especially students from low-income families, students with disabilities and female students, said Boerckel.
LCCC, they said, is a partner in the grant tasked with facilitating a process to identify the skills and competencies needed for employment; align secondary and post-secondary Luzerne County Community College courses; develop or modify courses that embed industry-recognized credentials when possible for 30 adult learners; map out courses for recognized industry credentials and/or local labor market needs; develop or modify credit courses for 20 K-12 teachers to integrate CS into their classrooms; and offer courses for dual enrollment for 20 secondary students.
This portion of the PAsmart Grant also includes funds for student tuition and equipment to support the Watsontown campus. LCCC is partnering with CSIU on a part of the total grant. The total funding covers the work of the STEM EcoSystem as well, said Boerckel.
“We have and will continue to partner with LCCC in our Adult Education and Direct Care Worker Heroes Programs,” said Boerckel. “In this capacity, we match the trainings and services that LCCC offers at all of their branches with the needs of our program participants, allowing them to gain the credentials, trainings, certificates and degrees needed to gain or improve employment.”
Boerckel added, “It is always a priority for the CSIU to listen to the needs of the districts in our area, our institutions of higher education and our local employers, and to provide opportunities for collaboration and connection. The advisory board for LCCC, is an excellent example of how school, business and community leaders can work together to break down silos, serve our student population and shape the future of our local economy.”
In May, Susquehanna University and LCCC signed an agreement that will offer guaranteed admission for LCCC students to pursue their bachelor’s degrees at Susquehanna.
Bob Garrett, the president/CEO of the Chamber, said Watsontown is a perfect location in relation to the future Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation project.
“It’s no secret. The reason why we’re there is there’s a highway being built,” said Garrett. “That thruway with its criss-cross of 1-80 will be a major thoroughfare in places like Milton and Watsontown. Luzerne got in while the getting was good, has established and is growing.”
The partnerships between Luzerne, the Chamber, CSIU and all other partners is a “strong, strong chain,” said Garrett.
“It’s often said a chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” said Garrett. “We have no weak links.”
