The legislature begins before the rescue of Penn State Campus – Pottsville Republican Herald

Hazle Twp. – In the first hour after the legislator asked a petition: “Do you support the closure of Penn State Schuylkill and Penn State Hazleton?” Signed more than 1,000 people.

After two days the number reached 3,600 and continued to climb the majority of the signatories who opposed the closure of the campus.

Six Republican legislators, which represented parts of the Schuylkill and Lucerne counties, started the petition on Wednesday, one day after the President of Penn State University, Neeli Bendapudi, said a committee will check whether the 12 smallest campus, including Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, should close.

“Our local delegation to the general assembly of Pennsylvania – Me and Reps. Jamie Barton, Joanne Stehr, Tim Twardzik, Jamie Walsh and Dane Watro – are in contradiction to the closure of our local campus of the state of Penn State”, David Argall of the 27th district. “In this case, this would endanger local jobs, damage the regional economy and make it more difficult to acquire a university degree in northeast pennylvania.”

This year Penn State offered buyout workers and is planning further budget cuts in the regional schools next year, which are called Commonwealth campus, where the enrollment drops. According to Bendapudi, the seven largest locations remain open. Regardless of recommendations, none of the other 12 other locations would be closed until after the school year 2026-27.

On Friday, Rep. Dane Watro spoke to four seniors at the Hazleton Area High School to visit Penn State Hazleton.

Angel Saladin and Jayson Uena said that the local campus gave them the chance to play College basketball. You and her teammates in Hazleton have practiced in the Penn State Hazleton gym because the rims are similar to those in the Mohegan Arena, where they should play a district championship game on Saturday.

Saladin wants to study in computer science and in the Urera in business subjects in which the Hazleton campus offers four-year degrees.

Paul Martinez Trinidad, who will be in the route team this year, will initially study business. “I like to learn new things. It could change, ”he said.

Aisha Feliz Sosa plans to take biology in Hazleton for two years and two years on the University Park campus. She wants to be a veterinarian.

“I love animals,” said Feliz Sosa, who has two dogs and a cat and also works as a babysitter for seven children, including two younger siblings.

Her teacher, Lauren Conston, said Penn State Hazleton offers opportunities such as two signings with which the students can still take college courses during the high school. In addition, the Hazleton College Access Fund of the Lucerne Foundation, which has started from three retired professors, offers a semester of College class and a mentoring to students who would be the first generation of their family who visited the college.

“Many children have parents who did not go to college, so they have no idea,” said Conston.

The consultant Megan Davis said Penn State Hazleton Schicke his consultant team to the high school to help the students fulfill applications for approval and financial support.

“It is invaluable,” said Davis.

Watro, who represents the 116th district, comprises the Hazleton and parts of the South Luzerne and North Schuylkill districts, said his daughter was junior at the Hazleton Area Academy of Science.

“I want her to stay here,” he said.

He wants Penn State Hazleton and Schuylkill to stay.

“I support every day,” said Watro.

Closing a campus, he said, would affect students who are his first problem.

Teachers and other workers on the campus would also suffer from closings, as would companies like a Jersey Mike's Sub, which were just opened on the other side of the street by Hazleton Campus, said Watro.

Penn State Schuylkill offers a program with health service providers in which the students shade medical staff for half days in the high school and half days and take courses on campus or Schuylkill Technology Center.

Nursing programs are popular on the Schuylkill and Hazleton campus, and graduates find jobs for health service providers such as Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Lehigh Valley's marketing coordinator, Michael Peckman, said that the local campus often determine whether students can or cannot or cannot benefit from the economy.

“How our community is growing,” said Peckman, “we understand that access to advanced health care, reliable workforce, new housing and available housing market, strong education systems and the availability of university formation help to tell our history in order to bring new specialists, business and industry to the region and help to help.”

Watro has associated itself with other legislators who represent the campus and the campus workers with other legislators.

He would also like to bring the Senate and House members to his district to negotiate a political hearing about the campus.

“I very much appreciate that they talk to me,” Watro said to the students. “When I have the hearing, I can share your stories.”

Originally published: February 28, 2025 at 4:01 p.m. EST