Northern Pennsylvania Regional College

The roots of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College begin with a group of four highly motivated and engaged professionals working with postsecondary education in Northern Pennsylvania. Dr. Richard McDowell, Dr. Fran Grandinetti, Ms. Deborah Pontzer, and Ms. Helene Nawrocki saw the need for accessible and affordable postsecondary options for young people and adults in the more rural areas of northern Pennsylvania. Senator Joseph Scarnati saw the value of these efforts and supported a feasibility study of postsecondary education needs in this region. Following the study in 2009, Senator Scarnati aided in establishing the Educational Consortium of the Upper Allegheny (ECUA) to find a process through which smaller communities can be provided postsecondary education in an effective and efficient manner without pulling students away from their communities. Moving forward, this project involved identifying and connecting with higher education partners that could provide classes using a media-based, real-time education model with an affordable tuition rate. Operating as the Rural Regional College of Northern Pennsylvania, the legislation was enacted in 2014 and incorporated into the PA Public School Code as Article XIX-G in July 2016. A College Plan was written and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the college was officially established in May 2017. Since, the name of the college has been updated to the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College and following a few semesters of engagement with a community college, the ECUA released a request for proposals seeking a new partner. After reviewing submitted proposals, Gannon University was selected and established the initial portfolio of degree programs for the College. A few years later, the College, operating as the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, was established in May 2017. NPRC is on track to be an independent institution by the conclusion of 2019.