President Yudichak embarks on new era at Luzerne County Community College

NANTICOKE — Sitting in his office overlooking the Luzerne County Community College campus, new President John Yudichak recalled a conversation he had with his father nearly 50 years ago.

Yudichak, 54, began his tenure as LCCC’s eighth President on July 1, taking the helm of the largest and most accessible institution of higher education in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“We were sitting on our front porch in Plymouth Township,” Yudichak said, talking about his father, Joe Yudichak. “I noticed a building being built across the river — it was LCCC.”

Yudichak noted the structure was going up in the middle of otherwise barren land, and he was surprised to learn that it was a community college under construction.

“I knew, even at that young age, that some major change was coming to the area,” Yudichak said. “I remember that I thought how great it would be to someday work there or in higher education somewhere.”

Yudichak would go on to become a state lawmaker for 24 years — 12 in the House of representatives and 12 more in the state Senate.

During that time, Yudichak compiled an extensive record of leadership, business and educational experience which, along with his knowledge of the needs of the area, he feels all will help LCCC continue its mission of providing a high-quality education to the community.

Yudichak’s journey began on Kosciusko Street at Greater Nanticoke Area High School, then to Penn State University and on to Harrisburg and the state legislature, eventually returning him just up Kosciusko Street to LCCC.

“I’m just getting acclimated, but I do know we have a great staff and faculty here,” Yudichak said. “My plan is to meet them all, and I look forward to working with them to keep LCCC moving forward.”

Yudichak said LCCC will always be “affordable and accessible” and it will continue to offer students a quality education.

“Over the next 10 years, we will be sure to re-design and adjust to meet the needs of students and to offer what is needed in the ever-changing workplace,” Yudichak said. “That’s our main challenge — but we have a great team that has the expertise and the experience to meet all challenges ahead.”

And Yudichak said everyone at LCCC knows that the college must keep up with technology as it is constantly changing.

Yudichak said the other main focus is to assure that LCCC is financially stable well into the next half century. He noted that many colleges and universities, locally and across the nation, have seen declining enrollments, but LCCC has grown. He feels LCCC is well-positioned to sustain that growth.

“I’m the new member of the team here and I will make it a point to meet everyone and learn what each of them does and what their needs are,” Yudichak said. “I guess my job is to be the chief empowerment officer.”

Yudichak said he will always be looking for partnerships in the community and for all grant funding that is available.

“We have ‘community’ in our name,” he said. “LCCC has helped significantly improve the quality of life in NEPA.”

Yudichak said he will also continue what his predecessor, Tom Leary, has done — always hire the most qualified person for every position.

“And LCCC’s senior leadership will always be a part of the hiring process,” he said.

A new era at LCCC

Yudichak said he is encouraged by LCCC’s continued push to innovate and add cutting-edge programs that will further solidify LCCC’s reputation as the largest, most accessible and highest value institution of higher education in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The College recently unveiled several new programs, classes and initiatives that will provide a unique, high-quality education.

“When students attend Luzerne County Community College, they know they are getting a quality education and are on a clear pathway to career success,” Yudichak said. “Our graduates are in high demand in the workforce and well positioned to pursue another advanced college degree because of the quality of our faculty and staff who deliver exceptional educational programs and offer comprehensive, supportive student services.”

Some of the newer programs offered or in the works include:

• Advanced Manufacturing, a certificate program first offered last fall.

• Game Art & Design, a certificate program that currently has 14 students enrolled.

• Cyber Security and Networking, an Associate of Applied Science degree.

• Networking and Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, a certificate program that’s currently in development.

• Public Health, an Associate of Science degree that was first offered last fall.

Additionally, LCCC offers a wide range of programs in other high-demand fields such as health sciences, early childhood education, education, manufacturing and computer information systems.

LCCC recently unveiled the new Marcella Nagorski-Waldow Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, which ensures the college’s early childhood education and education majors get to teach in a real classroom before earning their degree.

Besides education, Yudichak said students in other programs get real-world experience before leaving LCCC.

To help students get a jump start on their college careers, LCCC offers an Early College program, which gives high school students a chance to earn college credit while they are still in high school.

“Even before graduating high school, students who participate in this program learn what it’s like to take a college-level course and get an early start on their college career,” Yudichak said.

To date, students in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Dauphin, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties have earned college credit through LCCC.

LCCC’s Early College enrollment in Fall 2023 was 1,021 students — compared to 493 in Fall 2019, a 106% increase.

“The popularity of our Early College program shows how students in our region want to get their education early so they are college and workforce-ready,” Yudichak said.

LCCC’s enrollment figures have been steadily increasing since 2020. Additionally, Yudichak said LCCC is close to getting the Hispanic Servicing Institute (HSI) designation. To get that designation, a college needs to have a 25% Hispanic population. Currently, the college has a 24% Hispanic population.

“For more than half a century, LCCC has been the place where students can go to get a quality education at an affordable price,” Yudichak said. “I am proud and honored to work with the great faculty and staff at LCCC, along with an exceptional Board of Trustees, to continue an education tradition that ensures students are successful in their collegiate careers, their jobs, and in their communities.

LCCC’s success in meeting the needs of the region and the state is evident in where graduates go after leaving the College. About 84% of LCCC graduates work in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and 99% remain in Pennsylvania to live and work.

“LCCC offers classes at the main campus in Nanticoke and at its seven centers,” Yudichak said. “That means that no matter where you live in Northeastern Pennsylvania, you will have access to an affordable education.”

The College’s seven centers are: Scranton Center, Wilkes-Barre Center, Northumberland Regional Higher Education Center in Shamokin, Greater Susquehanna Center in Watsontown, Hazleton Center, Berwick Center and Pittston Center.

LCCC has the lowest tuition in the area, being 50% to 75% less than other colleges and universities in the region. The LCCC Board of Trustees recently approved a $5 per credit tuition increase.

“The funding we receive from the state will be used for different programs and initiatives we have at LCCC,” Yudichak said. “Whatever funding is decided on by lawmakers will be used responsibly and carefully. We are grateful for the state’s financial commitment to community colleges like LCCC.”

ABOUT PRESIDENT YUDICHAK

John T. Yudichak is the eighth President of Luzerne County Community College and the eighth child of Joe and (the late) Sally Yudichak.

Age: 54

Residence: Swoyersville

Family: four daughters: Sarah, 18, heading to Syracuse University; twins, Anna and Evelyn, 16; Grace, 12.

Education: A graduate of Greater Nanticoke Area High School and Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School, Yudichak earned a master’s degree in American Studies and a bachelor’s degree in English from Penn State University.

Salary: $195,000

Yudichak Family Fund: Established in 2000 to support public libraries, education and youth programs.

Resume highlights: Prior to his service at LCCC, Yudichak served as a Senior Advisor to GSL Public Strategies Group, a government consulting and communications firm that serves corporate and non-profit clients throughout the U.S.

As a State Senator, Yudichak said he earned a reputation as an effective consensus builder who accomplished notable community and economic development projects that propelled northeastern Pennsylvania to be named the number one region for job creation and private business investment by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

In the House, Yudichak worked on many notable projects for Luzerne County Community College, including the Public Safety Training Institute, the LCCC Walk of Honor, the Joseph A. Paginate Culinary Institute, and the Francis S. & Mary Gill Carrozza, R.N. Health Science Center.

Yudichak said he worked with local organizations like the Earth Conservancy to reclaim thousands of acres of mine-scarred lands. He also advocated for the construction of the $90 million South Valley Parkway that set the stage for national developers like NorthPoint Development to invest $1 billion in private capital and create 10,000 new jobs in the South Valley of Luzerne County.