One College Avenue - Pennsylvania College of Technology

He finds today’s students moreinquisitive than those of his generation andcherishes the surprises that wait atthe off-ramp of classroom detours.“You have an outline of where you wantto go in a particular class; then you’resuddenly onto this dialogue that you didn’texpect,” Zimmerman said. “It reminds meof my parents, who introduced us to newthings, then stepped back and asked, ‘Well,what did you think?’”Socratic exchanges were routine forhis faculty heroes, during his student daysand after he became their colleague. ToZimmerman, the college will forever be“a place where the emphasis is on goodteaching.”His gold standard is an erudite group ofWACC professors who quickly proved thathands-on education and academic rigorcould walk hand-in-hand. Their names areamong the most revered in campus history,recipients of what is now the Veronica M.Muzic Master Teacher Award: Daniel J.Doyle, Ned S. Coates, Peter B. Dumanisand James E. Logue. Doyle taught historyand sociology; the other three, English.(Muzic, the pole star who has accuratelyguided so many students, is a formerEnglish professor, academic vice presidentand provost.)“Jim, particularly, elevated the school tosomething akin to academic sophisticationand professionalism. It was an auspiciousend to the notion we were anything but a‘real’ college, the idea that all academicsare elitists,” Zimmerman recalled. “It wasan affirmation of a college education beingavailable to everyone, of telling students,‘It’s not about your background.’”The possibilities and accessibilityof community college were embracedby Daniel L. Brooks, instructor ofarchitectural technology, who holds twodiplomas from the institution: an associatedegree in architectural technology (1980,WACC) and a bachelor’s in residentialconstruction technology and management(2008, Penn College).“The whole technology piece is differentnow, revolutionizing everything we do,and the facilities are definitely different,”he said. “But students today have the sametypes of goals. Many, then and now, comefrom humble circumstances – it’s a strugglefor their families. This college representsreal opportunity for them, as it did for me.”The faculty triumvirate of Joseph G.Mark, Lloyd C. Cotner and William H.Ealer “certainly gave us a core educationthat was well-respected. I applied to 12architecture schools and was accepted atevery one,” said Brooks, who ultimatelychose the University of Maryland. “All ofthem had a clear realization of what wewere learning here.”“Joe Mark was an incredible influence,showing that extra encouragement, thatinterest in my personal life,” he said. “I seethat with my colleagues, reaching out tostudents. It’s not just ‘I gave a satisfyinglecture, now I’ll give a test.’ There’ssomething about the human contact.”Brooks said that “Penn Collegeapproach” pervades campus, from theclassroom to the dining hall.“The women on the pizza line at PennCentral seem to know every student byname. No, not just their names, but whatthey like to do and what’s going on in theirlives. They’ll ask, ‘Did you get your carfixed?’ or ‘How is the skateboarding?’ It’samazing how many people here go outof their way to make these connectionsmatter.”“From the time I was a student, Iwanted to teach here,” Brooks said. “Ican remember walking behind the ACC,thinking, ‘I really like it here.’ Some placesjust sort of click. I enjoyed my time atMaryland, but it didn’t have that ‘home’feel to it.”Like Zimmerman, he recognizes therigor of a Penn College education, andknows that the institution – even withits working-class roots and open-dooradmission policy – isn’t a consolationprize for students who can’t cut itsomewhere else.“I’m so impressed with this year’scrop of freshmen,” he said. “I’m teachingstudents that could go anywhere elsefor their education, but they chosePenn College.” »“He was a father figure toso many of his students –and I was no exception.”Rich WeilminsterJames LogueJoseph MarkWinter 2013 9