Allied Services Marks 50 Years of National Rehabilitation Week This year, Allied Services is celebrating National Rehabilitation Week from September 14-20, and will also celebrate 50 years of the observance. Allied Services in Scranton organized what would become Rehabilitation Week in 1976 as an opportunity to celebrate patient success stories and recognize the professionals helping individuals recover and rehabilitate from serious injuries and illnesses. The local observance continued each September and gradually expanded beyond northeastern Pennsylvania. Through the advocacy of Allied Services leadership and the formation of the National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation, the effort reached a national audience. The foundation helped recognize individuals who had benefited from rehabilitation while educating medical organizations and the public about the value of physical rehabilitation at a national scale. A major milestone came in 1993, when President Bill Clinton issued a presidential proclamation designating September 19–25 as National Rehabilitation Week, helping establish the observance on a national stage. From celebrating at the 1996 Paralympic Games to recognizing honorary national champions from Presidents Bush and Clinton to the first-ever hearing-impaired Miss America, Heather Whitestone, National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, founded by Allied Services, has always embraced overcoming disabilities and achievements through physical rehabilitation. Fifty years after its beginnings in Scranton, NRW continues to highlight rehabilitation’s ability to restore function, independence and quality of life for individuals recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, limb loss and other complex conditions.
Marywood University Earns Strong National and Statewide Rankings from Niche Marywood University has earned strong national, statewide and regional recognition in the 2027 Niche College Rankings, which evaluated more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the United States. Marywood earned notable placements across a wide range of categories, demonstrating the University’s strength in academics, value, student experience, and several of its signature programs. Among Marywood’s 2027 rankings are: #63 Best Catholic Colleges in America #7 Best Catholic Colleges in Pennsylvania #47 Best Colleges for Architecture in America #10 Best Colleges for Education in Pennsylvania #23 Best Value Colleges in Pennsylvania #30 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania A grade for Student Wellness Marywood also ranks #16 among the Best Small Colleges in Pennsylvania, the highest-ranked local institution in the category. The University earned additional high marks for Best College Dorms in Pennsylvania (#7), Best College Campuses in Pennsylvania (#23), Top Private Universities in Pennsylvania (#25), Best College Food in Pennsylvania (#25) and Colleges with the Best Academics in Pennsylvania (#27), along with positive placements in numerous other categories. Niche combines data from sources including the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation with enrollment and alumni earnings statistics, tuition and financial aid information, and more than one million student and alumni reviews. Marywood’s strong showing across academic, value, campus, and student experience categories reflects the University’s continued commitment to “students first”, providing students with an exceptional education and an environment in which they can thrive. To view Marywood University’s complete list of rankings, go to niche.com/colleges/marywood-university/rankings.
Johnson College offering free OSHA training at its Scranton campus Johnson College is now a Host Training Organization with the Mid-Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center (MAOTIEC). This new partnership will allow Johnson College and the Education Center to work together to provide certified OSHA training to employers and employees throughout the region. To celebrate this new partnership, Johnson College is offering the OSHA 7515 – Job Hazard Analysis course free of charge on Saturday, October 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its Scranton campus. The course covers OSHA guidelines for developing a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). Topics include the purpose and requirements of a JHA, the relationship between worker tasks and tools in the work environment, identifying job hazards before they occur and techniques for completing a Job Hazard Analysis. Students will also participate in activities focused on using a Job Hazard Analysis. No prerequisites are required for the course. Student materials, lunch and refreshments are included for in-person classes. Space is limited for this course, and those interested in it can click here to register.
University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery announces upcoming exhibitions The Hope Horn Gallery at The University of Scranton will present five exhibitions during its 2026-27 season, featuring works by acclaimed artists, educators and collectors while also hosting lectures, receptions and educational programs. The season opens Sept. 8 with “Joy in the Process: Selections from a Regional Collection,” a curated exhibition highlighting artists who have helped shape northeastern Pennsylvania’s arts scene. This curated exhibition features work by John Willard Raught, Graydon Mayer, Hope Cumming Horn, Predrag Djordjevic, Louis Pontone, Cliff Prokop, William Tersteeg and Karl Neuroth, among others. The curator’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. The exhibition will remain on display through Oct. 9. The next exhibition is “Peter Hoffer: Reflections Five Decades of Art,” opening Oct. 19. Hoffer, professor emeritus at Marywood University, has worked for than 50 years as an artist and educator. The exhibition features paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints and collages he produced. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Nov. 20. “Inscapes: Paintings by Leigh Pawling” is the next exhibition, which will open Feb. 1. Pawling, who maintains a studio in Kingston, is a painter who uses systems of mark-making to explore the symbolism of numbers, vertical lines, circles, the figure in motion and nature. Pawling’s artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, with a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Feb. 26. Next, opening March 8, is “Meditations: Drawings by J.M. Dunn,” an artist and art historian, and professor emerita at The University of Scranton. Dunn has spent a lifetime considering and creating relationships between words and images. Spontaneously produced with marker using an automatic drawing technique, this series is informed by Dunn’s study and understanding of Biblical narratives and Renaissance art. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through March 24. The final scheduled exhibition is “Jon Carsman: Painting and Place,” opening April 1. Carsman was born and raised in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Back Mountain region. He was a painter and printmaker known for his vibrant images of forest streams, village roads and urban neighborhoods. Included in the exhibition are acrylic and watercolor paintings representing Carsman’s work from the 1970s and 1980s. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 2, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through May 14. The Hope Horn Gallery is a facility devoted to fostering the arts in northeastern Pennsylvania with exhibitions and programs designed to complement the University’s curricula, encouraging campus and community collaborations, supporting regional artists, providing arts in education opportunities and showing students’ work. All exhibitions, lectures and receptions are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the Hope Horn Gallery’s webpage.
Joy World Wealth Partners hosting community blood drive Joy World Wealth Partners is hosting a community blood drive in memory of Lindsay Connor Stetson. The drive will be on Friday, September 11 from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. at 125 North Washington Avenue in Scranton. The company hosts this blood drive annually as a way for community members to come together and make an impact. You can make an appointment to donate blood by clicking here.
Geisinger Community Medical Center among seven Geisinger hospitals that received Gift of Life Donor Program recognition Seven Geisinger hospitals were recently awarded Titanium and Platinum Gift of Life Donor Program (GLDP) designations for their efforts to raise awareness and educate employees, patients and communities about the importance of organ donation through the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). Geisinger Community Medical Center, Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center received Titanium GLDP designations. Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, Geisinger Medical Center Muncy and Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital received Platinum GLDP designations. “Organ donation has the power to transform lives and give hope to patients waiting for a lifesaving transplant,” said Jason Mitchell, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer, Geisinger, and a member of the HAP Board of Directors. “These recognitions reflect the dedication of our teams to raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and supporting patients, families and communities throughout the donation and transplant journey. Every donor leaves a legacy, and we’re proud to help advance a culture that encourages people to consider giving the gift of life.” The annual HAP Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge encourages hospitals across the commonwealth to increase awareness of organ, eye and tissue donation. HAP partners with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the state’s two organ procurement organizations, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor Program, to support the challenge. A full list of winners can be found at haponline.org. To learn more about organ donation or to become a living donor, visit geisinger.org/transplant.
Quandel Enterprises, LLC welcomes Pat Hart as Corporate Director of Safety Quandel Enterprises, LLC has welcomed Patrick “Pat” Hart as Corporate Director of Safety, bringing an experienced construction safety leader, trainer and former first responder to the organization. Hart will lead Quandel’s safety and risk management program across the family of companies, providing strategic direction for safety culture, policies, training and risk management while working closely with safety representatives and operations teams across the organization. A strong field presence will be central to Hart’s leadership. He will work alongside safety representatives and project teams on jobsite audits and inspections, preconstruction safety planning, corrective actions and project-specific safety needs, while remaining visible and accessible to employees in the field. Hart joins Quandel with more than a decade of construction safety leadership experience. Most recently, he served as Safety Director for a Maryland construction firm, leading jobsite safety management, employee training, inspections, job hazard analyses, incident investigations and risk management initiatives. Training has also been a significant part of Hart’s career. An adjunct professor since 2018, he has taught OSHA, CPR, First Aid and AED courses and holds numerous safety and trainer credentials. These include Certified Health and Safety Technician (CHST), Construction Safety and Health Specialist and Advanced Safety certifications, as well as credentials covering OSHA 10 and 30, fall protection, confined spaces, scaffolding, trenching and excavation and other areas of construction safety. Before entering construction safety, Hart served with the Baltimore City Fire Department as a firefighter paramedic, EMT-paramedic and pump operator. His first-responder experience brings an additional perspective to risk assessment, emergency preparedness, training, and decision-making in the field. “Safety is part of how we operate and a responsibility we all share,” said Greg Quandel, President and CEO of Quandel Enterprises. “Pat brings the leadership, field experience, and ability to connect with people that will help us continue strengthening that culture across our organization. His background in construction safety, training, and emergency response gives him a unique perspective on how to identify risk, prepare our teams, and respond when it matters. He understands that safety must be both practical and proactive, supporting our teams where the work gets done and helping everyone take responsibility for their own safety and the people working beside them.” Hart’s leadership will support Quandel’s continued focus on strengthening safety across its companies and job sites and reinforce the organization’s longstanding commitment to Safety: First. Last. Always! and the responsibility shared by every employee to send people home safely at the end of each day.
Cornielle named August International League Pitcher of the Month Minor League Baseball has announced its monthly awards for August and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Alexander Cornielle was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Month. He capped off the month with an eight- inning shutout against Worcester to earn the weekly award as well. Cornielle has been getting stronger and more efficient with each month after beginning the season on the 60-Day Injured List. In August, he boasted a 1.50 ERA through five starts, totaling 25 strikeouts with just ten walks issued. The right-hander pitched 24.0 innings during this time, allowing just four earned runs. Cornielle is the only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher who has completed the eighth frame this season. The 25-year-old has lowered his ERA to 2.70 in 60.0 innings of work. He has made 14 appearances, 13 starts, with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, racking up 59 strikeouts compared to just 31 walks. He holds a .219 average against in Triple-A. Cornielle joins Brendan Beck as an IL monthly award winner in 2026. It marks the first time in team history that two players have been honored with a monthly award in a single season. Will Warren, Michael King, and Brandon Duckworth have also earned the distinction in their respective Triple-A time with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continues its series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at PNC Field. The RailRiders have just two more weeks before they wrap up for the summer. For more information on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders visit www.swbrailriders.com.
Registration open for Johnson College’s Women at the Workbench workshops Johnson College is now accepting registrations for its Women at the Workbench: Electrical and Carpentry Workshops, hands-on, one-day experiences designed for individuals looking to build confidence and develop practical skills in a welcoming and supportive environment. The Electrical Workshop will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while the Carpentry Workshop will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both workshops will be held at the college’s Scranton campus. The cost is $65. Registration is available at johnson.edu/workshops. For more information, contact the college’s WAVE team at wave@johnson.edu or 570-702-8979. Electrical Workshop:Participants will learn the basics of electrical work in a supportive, hands-on environment. Under the guidance of a skilled female electrician, they will explore essential skills such as working with outlets and switches. The workshop is designed for beginners and anyone looking to build confidence with tools and gain practical electrical skills. Carpentry Workshop:Participants will learn essential carpentry skills, including how to measure, cut and assemble materials while completing their own individual projects. The workshop is ideal for beginners and anyone looking to build confidence with tools while developing practical, hands-on carpentry skills. These workshops, offered through Johnson College WAVE’s (Workforce Advancement & Value-Added Education) department, offer more than just technical instruction. They provide an opportunity to step up to the workbench, gain practical, hands-on experience and walk away with something you built yourself, along with the confidence and skills to keep building. The workshop is open to participants 18 years and older. All are welcome.
The Wright Center expands commitment to accessibility across websites, documents and digital media The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education is strengthening its commitment to digital accessibility through a partnership with TechA11y, a Pennsylvania-based provider of AI-powered technology designed to help organizations continuously monitor and improve digital accessibility and compliance. Through the partnership, TechA11y has deployed its accessibility technology and services across The Wright Center’s primary website and affiliated digital properties, including TheWrightCenter.org, HealthyMOMS.org, TheWrightGraduation.org and other digital assets. The initiative also extends to The Wright Center’s PDF documents and digital media, providing a more comprehensive approach to making online information and resources accessible to people of all abilities. For The Wright Center, the initiative reflects both a desire to address accessibility requirements and a broader commitment to ensuring that patients, families, learners and community members can access important information and digital resources without unnecessary barriers. “Access has always been central to the work of The Wright Center, and today that has to include digital access,” said Paul Krzywicki, executive director of marketing and communications at The Wright Center. “Our websites and digital resources are important ways that patients, families, learners and members of our communities connect with our enterprise. We want those experiences to be welcoming and accessible to everyone. Our partnership with TechA11y gives us a continuous approach to improving accessibility as our digital content evolves.” Rather than treating accessibility as a one-time project, the partnership establishes an ongoing accessibility program across The Wright Center’s digital presence. TechA11y’s continuous compliance infrastructure monitors covered websites for accessibility issues, generates and deploys remediation, responds to changing and dynamic web content and documents remediation activity over time. The engagement also includes accessibility remediation services for PDF documents and digital media. The partnership includes accessibility services for: TheWrightCenter.org, The Wright Center’s primary digital presence; HealthyMOMS.org, supporting information and resources connected with the Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support (MOMS) program; TheWrightGraduation.org, supporting The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s graduation community; PDFs and other digital documents; digital media requiring accessibility remediation; and other digital assets. Digital accessibility presents an ongoing challenge for organizations because websites and other digital resources are constantly changing. New pages are published, documents are uploaded, media is added, third-party components change and users encounter content in different contexts. TechA11y was designed to address that environment as continuous compliance infrastructure rather than as a one-time accessibility audit or user-facing widget. The initiative reflects a shared view between The Wright Center and TechA11y that digital accessibility should be considered part of an organization’s broader commitment to serving its community. For individuals with disabilities, accessible digital resources can affect the ability to locate health information, learn about available programs and services, understand educational opportunities, access documents and media and interact effectively with an organization online. By integrating accessibility into the ongoing operation of its digital properties, The Wright Center is extending its commitment to access into the digital experience.
