Through a collaboration with community colleges, Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities are providing free tuition to more than 30 students named to the annual All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.

The annual program is part of PASSHE’s emphasis on supporting community college students transferring into bachelor’s degree programs at state-owned universities.

“I congratulate each of the remarkable students named to the annual All-Pennsylvania Academic Team,” said PASSHE Chancellor Dan Greenstein. “Each student has achieved academic excellence and exemplifies the power and promise of public higher education and the expanding collaboration between State System universities and local community colleges.

“The State System universities are proud to work with community colleges so students can seamlessly transfer to a state-owned university. It’s part of our commitment to providing a high-quality education at the lowest possible cost that meets the needs of the workforce and allows students of all ages to focus on learning and preparing for a bright future.”

PASSHE’s collaboration with community colleges

Earlier this year the presidents of all 10 State System universities and 15 community colleges in Pennsylvania signed a pledge that strengthens their collaboration to help students achieve their educational goals, reduce student costs and bolster the workforce.

PASSHE universities also guarantee admission to any student who earns an associate degree from a community college in Pennsylvania. The student can transfer into a parallel program with full junior standing. Additionally, students who transfer to a State System university before completing their associate degree can use their university credits toward earning the associate degree from the community college where they started. Individual universities and community colleges also have further coordination agreements to support community college transfer students.

More than 12,000 community college students have transferred to State System universities in the past five years.

2023 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team

Many of the students receiving free tuition at PASSHE universities are pursuing careers in fields with worker shortages, from healthcare and STEM jobs to business, education, engineering and social work.

A few of the students are:

• Alexis Clawson, transferring to PennWest California with a goal of becoming a forensics investigator. Alexis volunteers at her daughter’s elementary school and is a member of its parent-teacher association.

• Olivia Collins, transferring to Slippery Rock University with a plan to be an accountant and eventually own her own firm.

• Gina Ditalia, transferring to Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with the desire to use her education to help formerly incarcerated people enter the workforce.

• Michelle Dixon, transferring to Shippensburg University with a goal to be a traveling construction engineer.

• Emma Hope, transferring to Kutztown University to study psychology with an emphasis on paralegal studies.

• Sydney Marie Hubbard, transferring to Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a long-term goal to attend medical school and become a physician.

• Jasmine Ramos, transferring to PennWest Edinboro, who will work as a case manager while earning a bachelor’s degree in social work with a goal to become a licensed clinical social worker.

• Amber Riley, transferring to West Chester University to study public health and build on her previous experience as a high school intern at the first veterinary oncology practice in the Delaware County region.

• Calista Trout, transferring to PennWest Clarion with plans to become a licensed professional counselor.

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Below are the PASSHE universities where All-Pennsylvania Academic Team students will receive free tuition:

Gina Ditalia (Luzerne County Community College) – Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg

Heather Blackman (Lackawanna Community College) – Commonwealth University-Mansfield

Maddison Tripp (Butler County Community College) – Indiana University

Sydney Marie Hubbard (Community College of Allegheny County) – Indiana University

Paige Klinger (Westmoreland County Community College) – Indiana University

Emma Hope (Lehigh Carbon Community College) – Kutztown University

Siobhan Houghton (Reading Area Community College) – Kutztown University

Emely Morban (Reading Area Community College) – Kutztown University

Jessica Wheeler (Community College of Allegheny County) – PennWest California

Elena Dupaly (Community College of Allegheny County) – PennWest California

Bridget Sluka Community College of Allegheny County) –PennWest California

Jacee Serak (Community College of Beaver County) – PennWest California

Emma Martz (Pa. Highlands Community College) – PennWest California

Alexis Clawson (Community College of Allegheny County) – PennWest California

Calista Trout (Westmoreland County Community College – PennWest Clarion

Jasmine Ramos (Harrisburg Area Community College) – PennWest Edinboro

Brianna DiGiacomo (Bucks County Community College) – Shippensburg University

Michelle Dixon (Harrisburg Area Community College) – Shippensburg University

Olivia Collins (Butler County Community College) – Slippery Rock University

Lucy Rabak (Community College of Beaver County) – Slippery Rock University

Kylee Fabo (Pa. Highlands Community College) – Slippery Rock University

Elivett Sanchez Ortiz (Community College of Philadelphia) – West Chester University

Abigail Thomas (Community College of Philadelphia) – West Chester University

Steven Feeney (Delaware County Community College) – West Chester University

Amber Riley (Delaware County Community College) – West Chester University

Megan Grant (Delaware County Community College) – West Chester University

Ariel Whaley (Delaware County Community College) – West Chester University

Colleen Santos (Lackawanna Community College) – West Chester University

Evangelique Myers (Lehigh Carbon Community College) – West Chester University

Taylor Bellegue (Montgomery County Community College) – West Chester University

Mark Petrik (Northampton Community College) – West Chester University

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