UNC to Celebrate 10th Annual Welcoming Scranton United Neighborhood Centres of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) is inviting the community to celebrate the 10th Annual Welcoming Scranton on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UNC’s CEDAR Center. The free, family-friendly celebration will be held in conjunction with UNC’s South Side Farmers Market. For a decade, Welcoming Scranton has brought together longtime residents and newcomers to celebrate the cultures, traditions and people that make up the Scranton community. The event is part of the national Welcoming Week celebration and promotes connection, cross-cultural understanding and a sense of belonging for all. “For 10 years, Welcoming Scranton has created a space where newcomers and lifelong residents can come together to celebrate the many cultures and traditions that make our community stronger,” said Lisa Durkin, UNC President and CEO. “We’re proud of how this event has grown over the past decade and the connections it continues to create across our community.” Throughout the day, attendees can enjoy live music and performances, as well as free face painting and ice cream for children, student-led crafts and activities, a pop-up health clinic and opportunities to connect with local community partners. Welcoming Scranton is free and open to the public. Free activities and ice cream are available while supplies last.
Johnson College Receives Grant for After School STEM Experience Program Johnson College received a $10,000 grant that will support the college’s After School STEM Experience Program, which introduces middle school students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics through engaging, project-based activities. The After School STEM Experience Program will serve 100 seventh- and eighth-grade students from economically disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds in Lackawanna County, including students from NativityMiguel School, Old Forge, Scranton South, Scranton West, Carbondale Area, Susquehanna Community and Lakeland school districts. Held three days a week for four weeks at participating schools, the program allows students to explore robotics, 3D printing, electric circuits, computer programming and computer numerical control (CNC) machining. These experiences strengthen critical-thinking and problem-solving skills while introducing students to engineering and advanced manufacturing concepts. “We’re grateful to the PPL Foundation for investing in the future of our community,” said Dr. Katie Pittelli, president and CEO of Johnson College. “This grant allows us to introduce students to new ideas, technologies and career possibilities at an important stage in their education. By encouraging curiosity and building practical skills, we’re helping young people see new possibilities for their future while strengthening the pipeline of skilled professionals our region depends on.” The program reflects Johnson College’s commitment to expanding educational access and preparing future generations for technical careers that support regional workforce needs. By partnering with local school districts, the college reaches students who may not otherwise have access to STEM enrichment outside the classroom. School principals and guidance counselors help identify students with an interest in these fields, ensuring the program reaches those who will benefit most. Johnson College also provides institutional support to help make the program possible.
Clubhouse315 hosting Boots & Brews Music Fest on September 12 Clubhouse315 in Wilkes-Barre is hosting the Boots & Brews Music Fest on Saturday, September 12. Doors will open for the event at 2:00 p.m. and the music will begin at 3:00 p.m. The event will feature food trucks, corn hole, an indoor game room, face painting, giveaways, artisan vendors, line dancing, frozen drinks, a full bar and more. There will also be a “Hole In One” golf simulator competition with cash prizes ranging from $500 to $10,000. The music festival is a family-friendly event that people of all ages can attend. Everyone is encouraged to wear their best country gear. Lawn chairs are also permitted. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Kids ages 5 and under are free.
Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre hosting belly dancing workshop on Sunday Steamtown Hot Yoga & Barre in Scranton’s Lace Village will host a belly dancing workshop on Sunday, September 13 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. No experience is necessary for the workshop, and attendees are invited to bring a friend or family member along. Attendees will explore various movements with Philadelphia-based dance performer and instructor Amalia. The room will not be heated for this workshop. Tickets are $30 per person. You can register for the workshop by clicking here.
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.
