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Mifflin and Juniata counties Outreach units collaborate to launch workforce development initiative By Celena E. Kusch
David Filson is heading the Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension center in Lewistown.	Penn State and the Greater Lewistown Corporation have launched a pilot program to improve lifelong learning opportunities for residents of Mifflin, Juniata and surrounding counties. In close collaboration with Mifflin County and Juniata County governments, Penn State and the Greater Lewistown Corporation opened a Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension Center serving the Juniata Valley. David Filson, county extension director for Mifflin County, is director of the new center, located in Lewistown. “The Penn State Outreach Center promises to open exciting opportunities for partnership and education that will benefit the community, as well as the University,” said Dr. James H. Ryan, vice president for Outreach and Cooperative Extension. “As the Commonwealth’s land-grant institution, Penn State is committed to collaborating with Pennsylvania communities, delivering University teaching, research and service to meet the needs of all citizens. Nationwide and within the Commonwealth, workforce development needs stand as a barrier to productive businesses and families.” Dr. Patricia A. Book, associate vice president for outreach and executive director, Division of Continuing Education, added, “Through our existing campuses, extension centers, technology transfer sites and this innovative new Outreach Center, Penn State is committed to providing lifelong learning and skill development to Pennsylvanians across the state and certainly in this region. The center will provide education that will better enable Mifflin and Juniata County residents to compete in today’s changing economic environment and provide access to resources for lifelong learning.” Last year, community leaders approached Penn State about developing an enhanced presence in Mifflin and Juniata counties. Following a comprehensive needs analysis study conducted at Penn State by James E. Fong, director of the Outreach Office of Marketing Research, with the support and encouragement of local and state government officials and the Greater Lewistown Corporation, Penn State and the Greater Lewistown Corporation agreed to develop the center as a new model for extending and expanding outreach services in this community, particularly in the area of workforce development. The new Outreach Center is providing formal courses for existing employees and skills training for adult learners who want to increase their employability. By maintaining the strong Cooperative Extension tradition in the area and adding the programs and services of Continuing Education and other Penn State outreach units, the Outreach Center will be able to deliver a wide range of services and programs. Filson, who is responsible for all outreach programs delivered through the site, believes the center will offer more opportunities for networking with individuals, organizations and businesses in the community while mobilizing University resources and expertise to respond to local needs. In addition, Outreach and Cooperative Extension administrators see great benefits in opening the new location, noting that Penn State can now house a wide array of educational opportunities in one permanent site with customized and cutting-edge learning facilities. The Outreach Center has the facilities and flexibility to provide Continuing Education credit and noncredit courses, certificate programs, Technology Transfer programs, undergraduate and graduate courses and Cooperative Extension programs. Such programs might include in-service training for area teachers, professional updates for health care providers, management development courses and much more. The center will also contribute to making life better for area youth who would like to enter higher education part time by enrolling in introductory undergraduate credit courses, such as college writing, economics or psychology. “With Penn State’s Outreach Center, individuals, families, organizations, businesses and the community-at-large can look forward to a greater range of resources than they have ever experienced before,” Filson said. “Penn State will continue to provide the highest quality extension programming throughout the region. The new center will enhance our ability to marshal University resources and expand outreach program offerings. Whether or not they are directly enrolled in the new programs the center will offer, Mifflin and Juniata County residents will see the benefits through their neighbors, their co-workers and their families. I see the center as a way to link people in the community with University resources that can meet their needs.” Filson also maintains an extension office in Juniata County, allowing him to continue his physical presence in both counties. “Penn State is extremely optimistic about the center’s success,” Dr. Ted Alter, associate vice president for Outreach and director of Cooperative Extension, said. “The community has embraced this partnership with universal support. From county commissioners to business leaders, Penn State administrators to state legislators, everyone has enthusiastically endorsed the project. There’s a real sense of community involvement in this initiative.” “The Greater Lewistown Corporation is proud to represent the community sponsors who are providing the space for the new Outreach Center,” said Gerald Hummel, president of the Greater Lewistown Corporation and president of the Juniata Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. “Penn State’s location of a community facility in the revitalization district of Lewistown is the culmination of a broad-based effort to bring to our area the significant education, training and community-building resources that are associated with Penn State. We are excited about the benefits Penn State can bring to make a brighter future for all who make their homes in our two-county area.”