Central Penn College Unveils New Surgical Technology Education Center

When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered many doors in the midstate in 2020, it sent the health care sector into overdrive.

Central Penn College leaders reached out to their health care partners during this unprecedented crisis to see what training and staff they needed most urgently, and the answer was clear:  they needed surgical technologists—those who assist surgeons before, during, and after surgeries, sterilizing instruments, handing them tools and keeping operations flowing smoothly, from preparation to recovery.

With the assistance of a host of community partners, Central Penn College stepped up to meet that rising demand at a critical time, and they continue to expand and enhance their health care offerings today. That focus culminated in an eagerly anticipated ribbon-cutting for a new Surgical Technology Education Center (STEC) Wednesday at the college’s campus, at 730 Valley Road in Summerdale.

Many supporters helped to make the day possible, college officials said. While the college already had talented faculty and equipment at the ready, they needed a dedicated space to train students in real-world settings. In stepped Doug Tilley and TKS Architects, who donated his professional services to help renovate a former storage building on the Central Penn College campus. UPMC provided a grant to support expanding the training options of future surgical technologists. A $1.4 million grant from the Cumberland County Commissioners also delivered much-needed support.

Thanks to these vital partnerships, the STEC building was unveiled today, with a state-of-the art Virtual Reality Lab named in honor of UPMC.  Another classroom is named in honor of the Cumberland County Commissioners, while another is named in loving memory of Michael Delaney Tilley, who passed away colon cancer and is the beloved son of architect Doug and Cinde Tilley.  

To an audience that included more than 60 faculty members, board members, donors, students and staff, College President Linda Fedrizzi-Williams said, “Thank you for believing in higher education, thank you for believing in Central Penn College and thank you for supporting our students.”

Other officials attending the ribbon-cutting included state Rep. Patty Kim, Rep. Dave Madsen, Rep. Sheryl Delozier, Cumberland County Commissioners Kelly Neiderer and Jean Foschi, West Shore Chamber CEO George Book, East Pennsboro Commissioner George Tyson, and Hampden Township Commissioners Nate Silcox and Sherri Chippo.  

Among the new state-of-the-art features in the 4,335-square-feet Surgical Technology Education Center (STEC) are:

• a Virtual Reality classroom,
• an operating room (OR) simulation room with a double ceiling-mounted light,
• a scrub room with a double-bowl hospital-grade scrub sink, 
• a storage area for the OR, one classroom lab and two classrooms, 
• a kitchenette, conference room, student study area, two offices for instructors, and restrooms.

With a lab that simulates a working operating room, instructors can craft real-life scenarios, giving students an irreplaceable opportunity to gain a relevant base of hands-on knowledge, Fedrizzi said.  The Virtual Reality lab helps students assist in surgeries they would have probably never witnessed until they were working in the field, helping them anticipate the needs of the doctors and excel in this career. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the job outlook for surgical technologists will grow by six percent between 2021 and 2031.  

“We endeavor to always have our fingers on the pulse of the local workforce,” Dr. Fedrizzi Williams said. “It’s an honor to work with area business and healthcare leaders to help expertly and expeditiously meet their workforce needs, so that we can serve the community together.”

Central Penn College also offers related degrees and certificates in in-demand fields that include medical assisting, phlebotomy technician, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, dental assisting, and expanded function dental assistant, along with strong business programs.  

To explore this and other programs, please visit centralpenn.edu.  Naming opportunities are still available in the new STEC Building.