By Joie N. Marhefka
I have been teaching biomedical engineering technology (BET) at Penn State New Kensington for the past 10 years. Those of you who know me well or who have talked with me in the past year probably already know this, but our campus will be closing in the summer of 2027. I am deeply saddened by this and the impact that it will have on all of the members of our wonderful campus community and on the broader community. The good news, for me, the local HTM industry, and folks interested in getting into the HTM field, is that our BET program will be moving to the Penn State Greater Allegheny campus. The program we’ve built at Penn State New Kensington has a strong legacy, and we are committed to carrying that forward into this next chapter. As I navigate the next couple of years, I am trying to focus on the opportunities that this move presents.
The thing that I’m most excited about is that we’ll be getting a newly renovated lab. I have been actively involved in the planning process. We are incorporating the latest technologies and carefully thinking through configurations that will work best for our classes and labs. I am excited to see the new lab and am confident that it will be a great space for our students to learn. Along with the building renovations, I am working to update the medical equipment in the lab, giving our students the chance to work with a wider variety of modern devices. As we update the lab and equipment, we are also taking the opportunity to refine our curriculum to align with the evolving needs of the HTM field.
This move also gives us a chance to build new partnerships with additional hospitals and companies, while maintaining our current relationships. It is about a 45-minute drive between the campuses, and there are several hospitals near the new location where we have not placed interns previously. Beyond internships, we hope to work with these hospitals to provide tours and other learning experiences for our students. We have already started building these relationships. We will still be close enough to our existing partners to continue to work with them as well. Overall, we are increasing the number of locations where our students can learn, complete internships and build their professional networks. I am hopeful this will lead to more opportunities for our graduates as well.
Along with new partnerships with hospitals and employers, this move offers a chance to expand our recruiting efforts. Over the last few months, I have been visiting high schools and attending career events near both campuses. This has been a great opportunity to talk with more students and increase awareness, not only about our program, but about careers in the HTM field. I plan to continue these efforts with a goal of growing our program and preparing more students for careers in HTM.
In addition to teaching my classes, preparing for this move has kept me quite busy over the past few months. I imagine the next 18 months or so will be even busier, and my emotions will certainly be mixed. I am focusing on the positives and am optimistic that we will grow the program and create new learning opportunities and spaces that will prepare our students for HTM careers. While this transition is not without its challenges, I truly believe it will position our program – and our students – for an even stronger future.
Students who join us over the next few years will have a unique opportunity to help shape the culture, traditions and learning environment of the program in its new home. We are currently enrolling students at Penn State Greater Allegheny for fall 2026. Check it out at tinyurl.com/vmhsv9de and tell your friends!
Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D., is an Associate Teaching Professor and the Biomedical Engineering Technology Program Coordinator at Penn State New Kensington.
