Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Saint Francis University Opens Aviation Education Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/05/24

Saint Francis University in Loretto, Penn., recently held a Blessing and Dedication ceremony for its new Aviation Education Center at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, according to a news release. The building’s opening coincides with the inaugural year of the university’s FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program. The program’s goal is to boost regional workforce development in the aviation vertical.

“The FAA certification and this state-of-the-art facility represent significant achievements for both Saint Francis University and the regional community,” said university president Fr. Malachi Van Tassell, TOR. “We are eager to support critical workforce development through our partnerships and the Aviation Education Center.”

The Aviation Education Center will play home to the school’s aviation education and training programs. The new AMT program is the only FAA Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school in the county, the news release reports, and addresses the local and national need for maintenance workers.

Local news reports that the space currently provides a hangar converted into a classroom, a single-propeller aircraft, and a 1,500-pound CF34 jet engine. Funding came from a $500,000 state grant, $1 million in Appalachian Regional Commission funds, and $70,000 from Cambria County for the facility’s structural needs.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.