Clarion University–Venango Campus to Host Community Celebration

            Clarion University–Venango Campus invites the public to a community-wide celebration that will be held on Wednesday, September 6, from 5-7 p.m., to celebrate the opening of Michael F. and Joyce I. Hughes Hall, the third student apartment building of the campus’ planned seven-building complex, and the renovation and expansion of the Robert W. Rhoades Center. The event will be held in the parking lot of the Venango Campus student apartment complex at 1954 West First Street in Oil City.

            Parking for the event will be available at Penelec, 1600 West First Street, and Venango Catholic High School, 1505 West First Street. Shuttle service between the event and the parking lots will be provided.

            Hughes Hall was made possible primarily through donations by the Edward V. and Jessie L. Peters Charitable Trust and the Jessie L. Peters Charitable Lead Annuity Trust.  Additional support was provided by Hank and Beverly Suhr and the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur William Phillips Charitable Trust.

            The first two buildings, Edward V. and Jessie L. Peters Hall and Elizabeth S. Black Hall, opened in fall 2004 and have been highly popular with the students.  Each have two stories and house sixteen students.

            Hughes Hall is three-storied, housing 20 students, and includes a community center where apartment complex residents can gather for study or recreation.

            Like the first two buildings, Hughes Hall was designed by Ligo Architects and developed by Whalen Contracting, Inc. of Franklin, and owned and managed by the Clarion University Foundation, Inc. All of the apartments are full for the academic year.

            The apartments are fully furnished and include upscale amenities. Rent covers all utilities, including heat, air conditioning, internet access, cable television, local phone service, and off-street parking. The final complex, when completed, will house 132 students. Academic year and extended academic year leases are available. First priority is given to students from beyond commuting distance.

            The Venango Campus has seen significant growth in recent years and enrollment is at an all-time high. In the last five years, new degree programs have been added to the growing array of associate degrees offered at the campus, including criminal justice, industrial technology, respiratory care, and administrative technology, as well as several one-year certificate programs. A regional center for historical scholarship, the Barbara Morgan Harvey Center for the Study of Oil Heritage, and the Venango Vision Regional Leadership Institute were launched in the past year.

            For more information, contact Jerri Gent, Director of Marketing and University Relations, at 814-676-6591, extension 1215.

            Clarion University-Venango Campus, located in Oil City, PA, is the oldest regional campus in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.   The campus provides high-quality educational programs and personalized services to help students succeed.  Students can begin any of Clarion University’s 90+ bachelor’s degrees at the Venango Campus, earn an associate degree, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in select areas, obtain a one-year certificate or participate in a variety of professional development and personal enrichment courses.  The campus is home to Clarion University’s School of Nursing and Allied Health and its Department of Applied Technology.  Clarion University-Venango Campus is committed to serving the needs of the community.

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