Serving Southern Luzerne County and the adjacent counties in Central and Eastern Pa.
Directions to Hazleton Center

Lackawanna College hosts board meeting

Lackawanna College’s Hazleton Center Advisory Board met with college administrators and staff for the board’s fall meeting at the center’s Hazleton facility, on the lower level of the J.J. Ferrara Philharmonic and Cultural Center.

Several new board members were introduced at the meeting. They are: Detective Kenneth Zipovsky, Hazleton Police Department, who also instructs for the college’s Act 120 Municipal Police Officers Training Program: Liz Gatti, retired art teacher formerly of the Hazleton Area School District, who also holds membership with the Greater Hazleton Art League and the Conyngham Valley Historical Society; Anita Zius, legal secretary for attorney Peter O’Donnell and academic tutor at Lackawanna’s Hazleton Center; and Jonas Nunez, student representative at large. Sherry Castrine, a phlebotomist who was also appointed to the board was unable to attend.

Dr. Ann Marie Stelma, vice president of continuing education at Lackawanna who oversees operations for the college’s satellite centers, said, “The college is delighted that so many talented individuals have agreed to share their insight and experiences to help enhance the services offered at the Hazleton Center.” In addition to the college site in Hazleton, Lackawanna also has centers in Towanda, Honesdale and a newly opened campus in New Milford.

During the meeting, new programs, such as nurse aide training to be introduced at Hazleton this fall, were discussed. Lackawanna College also has just undertaken a dual enrollment agreement with Weatherly Area High School, whereby students in this accelerated program can earn college credit while still in their high school classrooms. Thus, upon graduating high school, these students already have a college transcript with transferable credits.

Bridget Fitzpatrick, Lackawanna’s development director, outlined the ongoing effort to form an alumni association in Hazleton similar to the one at the main Scranton campus. The Hazleton area contains many Lackawanna College graduates, a vast percentage of whom were honor graduates.

Center Director Marianne Pindar spoke to the board about the planned relocation of the Hazleton center.

“Lackawanna College is poised to move forward with this new project,” she noted. “The Hazleton area community is ready for the growth potential this new facility will bring to the landscape.”

Beginning with the spring semester, the college will be housed in the former federal building at the corner of Broad and Cedar streets.

From: Standard Speaker - Tuesday, October 2, 2007