NEW MILFORD, Pa. — Despite Lackawanna College's main campus being in downtown Scranton, the college's School of Petroleum and Natural Gas is currently located in Susquehanna County near New Milford. By this time next year, students will be working in a lab more than double the size of the current one, in a new home.
"Here, unfortunately, we have outgrown this space. We want to bring more equipment in for more hands-on learning, and our lab is full to capacity," said Sue Gumble, director of the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Construction is now underway on what will soon be the college's new School of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The location change means a move from Susquehanna County to Wyoming County. The new center will be in the Tioga West shopping plaza in Tunkhannock.
"We're out of physical space at this location, and also the geographic location of our new Tunkhannock facility is more centrally located, so it's a lot easier for students all along our corridor to access," said Erica Barone Pricci, Lackawanna College provost.
School officials say the job placement rate for students who graduate from this program is more than 95 percent, and students are getting really good-paying jobs. Because of the way the oil and gas industry is in this area, the college wants even more students to have the opportunity to enroll.
"We don't have enough students for the job openings. That's why we're moving to a different location, so we can offer this program to more people to be able to fill the jobs that the industry needs," Gumble explained.
The program currently can hold about 60 students, but in the new location will be able to accept 100. The new facility will offer other majors, like business, too.
"We are so excited to get to a larger location that allows us to expand our student pool in the way that we serve our community," the Provost said.