Students at Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College can enhance their studies on both campuses.

A cross-registration program between the two schools permits students to complete courses and activities that are not available at their home institution. Examples of subjects that a Penn College student might take at Lycoming include music, religion and theater. Lycoming students can choose from an array of hands-on courses at Penn College, from high-level computer programming classes to polymer sciences to culinary arts.

“Cross-registration gives students the opportunity to significantly increase the variety of options to fulfill core elective credit requirements, as well as open electives,” said Maria N. Piselli, Penn College’s registrar. “Recent collaboration between faculty members at both institutions has resulted in students from similar programs being able to expand their knowledge on topics that relate directly to their career goals. As the collaboration between the two institutions increases, we’d love to see growth in the number of students taking advantage of these opportunities.”

A handful of students have taken advantage of cross-registration during the past few years. The program is available to full-time students who have completed at least one semester with a minimum GPA of 2.5.

“Lycoming College appreciates Pennsylvania College of Technology students and welcomes them into our classrooms,” said Jilliane Bolt-Michewicz, Lycoming’s registrar. “Penn College students may find that many of Lycoming’s offerings complement their main courses of study very well. Courses in criminal justice and political science may be of particular interest. Lycoming also has a robust music program, and Penn College students have enjoyed participating in our band, choir and music lessons over the years.”

One of those students is Zachary J. Geffre, of Williamsport. A plastics & polymer engineering technology major at Penn College, Geffre earned 12 credits at Lycoming through cross-registration and played in the orchestra, concert band and jazz band.

“I would absolutely encourage other students to pursue opportunities through cross-registration,” Geffre said. “The experience allowed me to augment my education by adding more opportunities to study music that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

Geffre represented the colleges the past two years at the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival. Both times, he was awarded the first-chair spot for double bass. Geffre is set to graduate from Penn College on May 13 and has accepted a full-time position as an extrusion engineer with Terumo Medical Corp. in Elkton, Maryland.

Collaboration between the two schools also includes a tuition-exchange program. To support employee recruitment and retention, full-time employees at Penn College and Lycoming, as well as dependent children or spouses/partners, may seek a first degree at the other institution tuition free. The program supports up to three students at each college per year.

On May 13, Jordan M. Kinley, daughter of Ken J. Kinley, assistant professor of electronics at Penn College, will be the first tuition-exchange recipient to graduate, earning degrees in mathematics and actuarial science from Lycoming.

As a high school student, Kinley completed three math classes at Penn College, and she credits faculty and staff at the school for encouraging her to pursue mathematics as a major.

“Unfortunately, Penn College does not offer a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. However, with the creation of the tuition-exchange program, I was able to reap the benefits of the passion that evolved with my interactions at Penn College,” she said.

Following graduation, Kinley will work as an actuary for a financial services company near Indianapolis.

For more information about cross-registration, visit http://www.pct.edu/lycoming.

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. Visit http://www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.