Officials from three of the University of Pittsburgh’s campuses, partner representatives and community members on Monday celebrated the launch of a new name, logo and messaging for what was Pitt-Titusville’s Education and Training Hub.
Those attending Monday’s brand launch saw the grand unveiling of the new logo and name – the Education and Training Center at Pitt-Titusville. In addition, new campus signs were uncovered.
“This is a very exciting day,” said Dr. Stephanie Fiely, executive director of the ETC. “Our new name, logo and messages will help us enhance the way we talk about all of the exciting things that have been happening and will continue to happen here.”
Some of those exciting initiatives include renovations, Rick Esch, president of Pitt-Titusville, discussed on Monday, which include new spaces where students can learn, creative and collaborate. Renovations to the J. Curtis McKinney II Student Union are underway, Esch said, and will include adding an art gallery, a new machine workshop, a makerspace, an industrial maintenance and workforce development lab, and a digital arts lab and studio.
“We are grateful to all of you who have supported the hub -- now ETC -- and are committed to its advancement, which is an important resource in the region,” Esch said.
Also offering remarks was Dr. Joseph McCarthy, interim provost and senior vice chancellor for the University of Pittsburgh who has been named Pitt’s new provost and senior vice chancellor pending official approval by Pitt’s Board of Trustees. “The rebranding here at the Pitt-Titusville campus is really indicative of what we have done with all of our regional campuses. The regional campuses are aimed at serving the Commonwealth and helping to supply the workforce needs for the Commonwealth. The rebranding is really leaning into that fact. We really want to emphasize our partners and our collective value.”
Beatrice Szalas, principal and chief collaborator for Red Cactus Marketing, the firm that was hired to develop the new materials, discussed some of the research that was used in developing the new creative, which included input from ETC partners and community members within a six-county region.
Red Cactus developed a fresh brand foundation that includes a new name, along with a log, tagline and other communication and marketing tools to help tell the partnership story more effectively.
“In our quest for a name that resonates with the mission and values, we envisioned a logo that would not only pay homage to the proud Pitt heritage but also stand as a beacon of hope and opportunity for students, partners and the community alike,” Szalas said.
Joanna Papada, vice president of external and government relations and one of the partners of ETC from Manchester Bidwell Corp., took part in the rebranding project from the inception.
“We were all individual organizations when we first came on campus, and this will now make us more than the sum of our parts,” she said. “We’ve merged missions in this process, which creates more opportunities for our students and the community as a whole. To give you an example, our BCAT medical assistant students are better positioned to move into Pitt-Titusville’s nursing program should they desire to do so. Pitt-Titusville has done a really good job of extending academic credits from learning at Brockway, so students can transfer immediately into their nursing program. ETC is an exciting example of how higher education is adapting to meet the needs of their community.”
State Rep. Robert Lee James, who represents the 64th District, stressed the importance of meeting community need from a legislative perspective.
“In my job at Harrisburg, we are very concerned about economic development,” he said. “This part of the state has an out-migration issue. The Education & Training Center provides opportunities for students of any age, both traditional or those in the existing workforce looking to upskill for better pay, which will ultimately help address retaining talent right here in Crawford County, PA.”
The Education & Training Center has a new website that will soon be live and that can be found at ETCGoSucceed.org. ETC will continue to inform the community and region of the new name, logo, and student offerings starting with a six-county-wide billboard display campaign, digital marketing tactics, radio spots, and social media.
ETC offers affordable and accessible programs from a unique partnership model. The ETC model incorporates a university, a community college and technical school certificate offerings to the region. These career-focused programs directly address many in-demand, employer needs, creating favorable impact on economic development regionally.
“A well-prepared workforce helps to strengthen our community and ultimately benefits all of us in the region,” Fiely added.
ETC is composed of five partners. The University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering Manufacturing Assistance Center offers Basic Machining and CNC Programming and Operations courses. Brockway Center for Arts & Technology, a subsidiary of Manchester Bidwell Corp. provides the Clinical Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy program. Northern Pennsylvania Regional College offers course that lead to five associate degrees, including business administration and social sciences. Pitt-Titusville offers an associate degree in nursing.
“The campus has proudly served the region for over 60 years. and ETC looks forward to help the region Go…Succeed!” Fiely emphasized.