Member Company News
Johnson College to Host Regional College Fair
Johnson College is hosting the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre College Fair on Tuesday, November 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center Gym on the College campus.
This public event will give attendees the chance to learn more about local colleges and universities, connect with admission representatives from across the region, and have questions about everything from academics to campus life answered.
Participating schools include Johnson College, Kings College, Lackawanna College, Marywood University, Penn State Scranton, University of Scranton, Luzerne County Community College, Wilkes University, and more to be announced.
To register for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre College Fair, visit Johnson.edu/collegefair or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.
Scranton Intermediate and NativityMiguel School of Scranton students from Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM afterschool programming joined a national celebration of afterschool programs called Lights On Afterschool on October 20, 2022.
The sixth through eighth-grade students showed their support of the National Afterschool Alliance’s Lights On Afterschool event by participating in challenges that used littleBits electrical circuits to illuminate their projects. The first set of students used the littleBits to demonstrate Morse Code through lights. The second set of students participated in an architectural design and drafting challenge using Legos and littlBits circuitry to create structures that incorporated a lighting component. The projects encouraged them to communicate with each other while expanding their knowledge in both STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and history.
Through Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM program, students are exposed to careers and fields they might not have previously known about. They are given the opportunity to engage in STEM-related learning in a way that promotes innovation, creation, problem-solving, and many other essential skills. Students complete projects using a variety of modern robotic, electronic, and engineering equipment that is provided to them by the College.
Additionally, students learn about the steps they can take to expand their STEM education, including Johnson College’s Dual Enrollment and Industry Fast Track programs. Through these programs, students are eligible to earn college credits while they are attending high school.
To learn more about Johnson College’s Innovation and Creation STEM programming, contact Tim Frank at (570) 702-8963 or tfrank@johnson.edu.
About Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. The Lights On After School event is used to draw attention to the opportunities and support that afterschool STEM programming provides to students including academic support, job and college readiness, opportunities for hands-on learning, and so much more. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
About Johnson College
Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s premier technical college, offering 17 associate degrees and 4 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-teacher ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on instruction. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email
WHEN: Saturday, October 1, 2022, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Johnson College Campus
Outside of Health Science Technology Center and inside Moffat Student Center
DETAILS: Johnson College will be hosting an inaugural Fall Fest to kick off the Fall season. This free-admission event will feature something for everyone including artisan, craft, and food vendors, live music by The Hometown Boyz, family games and crafts, a scavenger hunt, and program displays. Concurrently, Johnson College will be holding its first-ever cornhole tournament, which will begin at 12 p.m.
CONTACT: Doug Cook
Sr. Director, Communications and Marketing
(570) 702-8920
Abigale Sutton
Communications Manager
(570) 702-8928
Johnson College Earns 2022-2023 Military Friendly ® School Designation
Johnson College announced today that it has earned the 2022-2023 Military Friendly ® School designation.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly ® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard.
The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly ® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“Johnson College remains committed to helping our servicemen and women and their families further their education,” said Bill Burke, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs at Johnson College. “The College’s dedicated staff assists with needs specific to military students. We provide dedicated space as well as priority scheduling and registration for our service members and veterans.”
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.” - Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.
For more information about Johnson College’s Veteran Student Services, visit https://johnson.edu/future-students/veterans/.
About Military Friendly ® Schools:
The Military Friendly ® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
About Johnson College:
Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a supportive environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s only technical college, offering 17 associate degree and 4 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-instructor ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on learning. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email
PFNonwovens and Smart Plastic Technologies announce an exclusive partnership to develop nonwovens using SPTek ECLIPSE™ technology
This partnership aims to enhance the sustainability of hygiene and medical nonwovens, which are integral components of personal and professional health care products.
PFNonwovens and Smart Plastic Technologies announced that they have signed an exclusive joint development agreement for the use of Smart Plastic’s patent-pending SPTek ECLIPSE™ technology in PFNonwovens’ hygiene and medical nonwoven products.
Tonny de Beer, Chief Product, Technology and Sustainability Officer of PFNonwovens commented “We are very excited for this joint development partnership with Smart Plastic Technologies. Our initial work together has already shown that we can use the ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology on pilot-scale equipment. Now, our focus is to optimize the formulation for nonwovens to ensure performance and meet end-of-life goals.” He added “Nonwoven fabrics have become a critical part of everyday life, and this technology has the makings of a breakthrough solution. Diapers, Fem Care and Adult Incontinence products are integral to how we care for ourselves and for each other. The pandemic has reinforced once again how nonwoven gowns and face masks save and protect lives. At the same time, it is imperative to find better solutions to deal with the post-use nonwoven waste and associated environmental problems. We envision that SPTek ECLIPSE™ enabled nonwovens will be a high-impact solution.”
Jay Tapp, President & COO of Smart Plastic, added “Smart Plastic and PFNonwovens are aligned on developing environmentally-responsible solutions as we transition to a more sustainable economy. SPTek ECLIPSE™️ bio-assimilation is a proven technology that has been used commercially across several industries both in the USA and around the world to significantly reduce the impact plastic has on the environment. Our strategic partnership with PFNonwovens represents an important step in Smart Plastic’s mission to reduce plastic waste and help prevent further damage to the environment.”
Smart Plastic’s SPTek ECLIPSE™ enables the bio-assimilation of polypropylene and polyethylene polymers at the end of a product’s guaranteed life span in terrestrial, marine, and landfill environments. The revolutionary ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology steadily reduces and modifies the polymer chains to enable the assimilation of these molecules by microorganisms, transforming the material into biomass, CO2, and water. The technology is FDA approved, 100% recyclable, and has already been commercialized by Smart Plastic Technologies in various industries.
Tim Murtaugh, CEO & Founder of Smart Plastic Technologies, also commented “We are very pleased to join forces with leading companies like PFNonwovens on our journey to create a legacy of true global sustainability. We are delighted to have an opportunity to build a strong working relationship with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sophisticated nonwovens.”
About PFNonwovens
PFNonwovens is a leading global producer of customized nonwoven fabrics. We make innovative products across multiple key markets:
Baby Care: delighting parents and babies alike
Medical: protecting medical professionals
Adult Incontinence & Fem Care: providing discreet protection and comfort
PFNonwovens is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, and operates five production plants worldwide: two in the Czech Republic, and one each in the United States, Egypt, and South Africa.
PFN’s mission is to lead in material innovation and break down barriers to sustainability. By combining state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities with best-in-class quality and customer-service culture, we develop and commercialize superior nonwoven fabrics that improve quality of life, deliver exceptional value, and a brighter future for our planet. We continuously advance to create the future of nonwovens for personal care and healthcare industries. For more information, visit www.pfnonwovens.com
About Smart Plastic
Smart Plastic Technologies is based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2016, Smart Plastic is revolutionizing the potential of plastic to improve the environment for future generations. Their flagship bio-assimilation technology, SPTek ECLIPSE™, enables polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene to completely bio-assimilate at the end of the guaranteed functional life span, resulting in zero microplastics. This represents a key and critical aspect of the company’s commitment to plastic lifecycle management. All Smart Plastic technologies are designed to alter the very nature of plastic for the benefit of both people and the planet. Proudly made in the United States, all Smart Plastic products are 100% recyclable, FDA approved, and purposely designed for the circular and regenerative economies. For more information, visit www.changetheplastic.com
