Penn College Honors Juneteenth with ‘Strength Through Collaboration’
Williamsport, PA – Pennsylvania College of Technology held its second annual Juneteenth “Lunch & Learn” on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, celebrating the theme of “Strength through Collaboration.” The event, held in Penn’s Inn, drew a substantial audience of college employees, students, and community members.
Nate Woods Jr., special assistant to the president for inclusion transformation, guided the gathering.
The event focused on the need for collaboration to foster change, achieve progress, promote equity and justice, and ensure quality education.
Penn College President Michael J. Reed offered opening remarks, followed by a soulful rendition of “A Change is Gonna Come” performed by Tamaka F. Carter, a financial aid support specialist and business administration student.
President Michael J. Reed offered remarks during the event.
Attendees viewed a short documentary exploring the historic collaboration between President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, a partnership that produced a pivotal moment in history. Woods then led group discussions centered around the event’s central theme.
Event presentations aimed to reflect powerfully on topics like workforce diversity, the creation of a sense of belonging, and access to training, education, and employment. Kielie Hillegass, a UPMC human resources retention generalist, and Ethan Lindermuth, a UPMC onsite health educator, discussed how the healthcare system is working to address disparities, particularly those affecting people of color. (A1C testing was offered on-site to all participants.)
Tamaka F. Carter performs during the Juneteenth event.
Beth M. Bittenbender, executive director of operations/special projects for Workforce Development at Penn College, and Alison A. Diehl, executive director of the college’s Clean Energy Center, spoke about breaking down barriers to quality employment and addressed alternative routes to careers through pre-apprenticeships and the “Building Green Futures” program.
Beth M. Bittenbender (left) and Alison A. Diehl discuss employment equity.
Uptop Cuisine provided a delicious meal, featuring fried chicken and waffles, collard greens, and peach cobbler.
A delicious meal was served at the Juneteenth event.
Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Celebrations known as “Jubilee Day” began in Texas one year later to mark the anniversary, with the term “Juneteenth” emerging in the late 1890s.
Kielie Hillegass and Ethan Lindermuth discuss evolving healthcare initiatives.
“Juneteenth reminds us that America’s noble ideals of liberty and equality did not include everyone,” Woods shared. “Juneteenth is an invitation for all Americans to pursue the full expression of freedom for all people.”
