EDUCATION & TRAINING CENTER AT PITT-TITUSVILLE BREAKS GROUND ON $7 MILLION PROJECT IN J. CURTIS McKINNEY II STUDENT UNION AND GYMNASIUM

TITUSVILLE, Pa. – The Education & Training Center at Pitt-Titusville – ETC – started a building renovation to transform the current Student Union building into a multifunctional space that will meet the needs of partners, students, as well as serve economic development players in the region, for years to come.

“We are excited about the state-of-the-art changes that are coming to campus,” Dr. Stephanie Fiely, executive director, said. “The Student Union renovations will enable us to expand our program offerings and create student space for creativity and networking. It will allow us to bring the Manufacturing Assistance Center onto the campus where the machines and projects will be visible and give students an opportunity to utilize tools and machines within the new makerspace.”

Part of the seating area within the former gymnasium will be home to an art gallery. The art gallery will showcase student work through the programs offered by Manchester Bidwell Corporation in Titusville. In addition, there may be opportunities to showcase work from outside artists.

In the current racquetball court area, a machine workshop will be added for the MAC program. It will be known as the Peter C. Rossin Manufacturing Center. Windows will create the wall between the student lounge and the workshop, making the workshop visible to everyone walking by the space. In addition, MAC students will utilize a new second-floor classroom that will overlook this workshop.

“This newly renovated space will provide the ability for us to expand and use quality control and manufacturing automation equipment that our current space cannot accommodate,” Nathan Lucas, workforce readiness recruitment coordinator, explained. “Greatly needed programs are taking shape for students of all ages. Dual-enrollment programs are taking place this summer with Titusville Senior High School, as well as reskilling/upskilling programs for adult learners looking to pivot into a new workforce direction. We have something for all ages and all types of learners.”

“Having such an amazing educational resource for regional tool and die shops to utilize for training and upskilling will help us to further embrace traditional career and technical school and non-traditional students who otherwise would not get the traditional college campus experience,” Lucas added.

The newly renovated space will include a makerspace that will be available for all ETC partner students. Students will be able to use 3D printers, tools, and other types of supplies to create a variety of projects, including learning the additive manufacturing processes. Additionally, there will be an industrial maintenance and workforce development lab on the first floor of the building as part of Northern Pennsylvania Regional College’s offerings at ETC.

Joanna Papada, Manchester Bidwell Corporation’s vice president of external and government relations, said, “We are going to use the technology in the makerspace to really solve problems around the world. I have a partner in the Congo who works with children who have no limbs. He worked with a doctor at UPMC in Pittsburgh to build different types of prosthetics that can be created on a 3D printer. We are going to be sending children legs and arms from Titusville, PA back to the Congo. This is the value of what can be done right here on ETC at Pitt-Titusville’s campus.”

A fitness center and a lounge area where students can relax, study, and collaborate before, between, and after classes are also in the renovation plans.

This project includes funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, ETC partners, and support from donors through the capital campaign. Contractors for this project include Caliber Contracting Services, Inc., A&MP Electric, Inc., Rabe Environmental Systems, Inc., and Renick Brothers Construction Company. In addition to the $7 million building project, a $3 million HVAC project is already underway in areas that are not part of the larger building renovation.

The completion of this project is projected for the spring of 2025.

Throughout the renovation, McKinney Commons Dining Hall is accessible to the campus and the public through the courtyard entrance to the Student Union. Service for the dining hall continues weekdays through May 22nd and starts again in mid-August.