HARRISBURG, Pa. – HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, shares recent news with the community.

HACC’s Treasure Hunt for Tuition Giveaways Changes Lives

HACC launched HACC’s Treasure Hunt for Tuition Giveaways on July 14, 2014. The College hid 10 $1,000 tuition giveaways in its 10-county service area for any member of the community to find. The 10 counties were Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York. 

Each weekday from July 14-25, 2014, one tuition giveaway was hidden in one of the 10 counties. To kick off HACC’s Treasure Hunt for Tuition Giveaways each day, the College shared a clue around 8 a.m. on its collegewide Facebook page and Twitter (@HACC_info) account. Clues were shared until the treasure was found.

The tuition giveaways are changing the lives of individuals. The recipients of the tuition were thrilled to find the treasures. Some of the recipients are current students, while others are joining HACC for the first time. Many of HACC’s students pay for their own tuition, and the tuition giveaways gave them additional support.

The following individuals claimed a HACC treasure. For more details about each winner, please visit www.hacc.edu/treasurehunt.

• Dauphin County: Tiffany Mutzabaugh
• Lebanon County: Jaclinn Wagner
• Schuylkill County: Cynthia Deitzler
• Franklin County: Alexander Egner
• Juniata County: Jenna Mock
• York County: Aimee MacKenzie
• Perry County: Christian Woodard
• Adams County: Dustin Zeller
• Lancaster County: Miranda Lou Henne
• Cumberland County: Christopher Fry

HACC Faculty Win 2014 Desire2EXCEL Collaboration Award for Zombie Course

Eight HACC faculty members were awarded the 2014 Desire2EXCEL Collaboration Award for the College’s online- and classroom-taught blended course called “Zombies in Contemporary Culture.” Faculty members across five disciplines and seven specialties collaborated to build a multidisciplinary course centered on surviving a “Zombie apocalypse.”

Faculty members used the online integrated learning platform, Brightspace, to link several technologies, including podcasts, discussion boards, virtual classroom space and Skype™ chats. The course featured a main narrative across a variety of subject matters including literature, microbiology, mythology, philosophy and psychology. Using the technology allowed faculty to design engaging academic content and helped to nurture collaboration among students and faculty.

HACC’s award-winning team includes:

• Rick Albright, Ph.D., interim associate dean for academic affairs
• Jason Beaudin, assistant professor of English and humanities and chair of the Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence
• Kathleen Conley, assistant professor of library and information resources
• Nicole L. Ernst, associate professor of geospatial technology
• Matthew Harris, chair of assessment and assistant professor of humanities
• JuliaGrace J. Jester, Ph.D., interim department chair for social sciences
• Cynthia Schanke, instructional technology analyst for the Lebanon Campus and Virtual Learning
• Dave Wartell, coordinator of the Center for Design and Instruction

The Desire2EXCEL Awards are given to individuals, groups or organizations that display creativity in empowering students to achieve their academic goals. The awards are given by D2L, the EdTech company that created Brightspace.

Note to editor: Photo attached; additional photo and caption available at newsroom.hacc.edu.

Caption: HACC faculty members received the 2014 Desire2EXCEL Collaboration Award for the College’s online- and classroom-taught blended course called “Zombies in Contemporary Culture.” Pictured are:

• Back row (left to right): Dave Wartell, Rick Albright, Matthew Harris
• Front row (left to right): Jason Beaudin, JuliaGrace J. Jester, Kathleen Conley

HACC Foundation Board Adds New Member, Names Officers

Dennis Benchoff of Lancaster is the newest member of the Board of Directors of the HACC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established in 1985 to raise private and corporate revenues in support of HACC.

Benchoff, an adjunct mathematics instructor at HACC’s Lancaster Campus since 2001 and a decorated military veteran, will serve on the HACC Foundation Board through June 30, 2017.

He was deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Materiel Command in Alexandria, Virginia, when he retired in August 1998 after 36 years on active duty. Also, Benchoff serves on the following boards:

• Board of the Army War College Foundation, which administers scholarships and other support to U.S. Army War College students and their families
• Board of the Lancaster Chapter of the Military Officers of America Association, which raises funds to provide scholarships to local high school seniors who have relatives who have been veterans

Officers elected to three-year terms: James E. Grandon Jr., owner of Grandon Real Estate Inc. and president and owner of G&L Construction Company, will serve as chairman, and Niles Benn, Esq., of the Benn Law Firm will serve as vice chairman of the HACC Foundation Board. John J. “SKI” Sygielski, Ed.D., HACC president, will serve as secretary, and John M. Eberly, HACC vice president of finance, will serve as treasurer. The officers will serve through June 30, 2017.

Terms renewed for five directors: The following directors will serve on the HACC Foundation Board for an additional three-year term through June 30, 2017:

• Donald Enders Jr., president and CEO, Colonial Park Realty Co., doing business as Enders Insurance Associates
• Norma Gotwalt, former chairman of the Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission
• Nicholas Hughes, former chief financial officer (CFO) and part owner of TV Host, Inc.
• Sheryl Simmons, CFO and treasurer of School Board Services, LLC
• Frank Sourbeer, president of Wilsbach Distributors

Note to editor: Photo and caption available at newsroom.hacc.edu

It’s Time for YOU to Experience HACC!

New students can experience HACC and learn about HACC's admissions process, transfer and career programs, financial aid options and more! Visit the “New Students” section of www.hacc.edu.

About HACC

HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, offers more than 150 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to nearly 20,000 students at campuses in Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York and through online classes. In addition, HACC serves more than 29,000 students in noncredit workforce development, public safety, adult basic education and continuing education programs offered at all campuses and off-site locations in many communities in Central Pennsylvania. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit www.hacc.edu.

About the HACC Foundation

The HACC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established in 1985 to raise private and corporate revenues in support of HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College. In fiscal year 2013-14 alone, the HACC Foundation contributed close to $2.2 million to the College in scholarships, special programs and facilities and provided financial assistance to 1,345 students.

Contributions to the HACC Foundation are accepted in the form of unrestricted gifts to augment endowed funds, contributions to existing or new scholarship programs or award funds, support for academic and workforce programs, sponsorship of special events and cultural programs and contributions made in honor or in memory of individuals. In addition, the Foundation holds annual events, including the Frank J. Dixon Tournament for Scholarships at HACC, and various scholarship award ceremonies. The HACC Foundation is gratefully YOURS.

For more information on the HACC Foundation, visit http://www.hacc.edu/HACCFoundation or the College’s YouTube channel.

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