WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Board of Directors today (Dec. 12) approved faculty emeritus status for Robert M. Vaughn, who taught welding at the institution for nearly four decades.
Vaughn retired in August after 39 years of service to Penn College and its immediate predecessor, Williamsport Area Community College.
Vaughn’s nominating documentation noted the many roles he played in addition to serving with distinction on faculty, including “advisor and mentor to the students, as well as other faculty members, in and out of the classroom.”
He was also instrumental in the development of the welding associate and baccalaureate degrees, including numerous individual classes to support those majors. Vaughn also provided leadership during welding lab expansions including the most recent renovation that has nearly doubled the size of the welding facility.
“We are grateful for Robert’s pervasive commitment to our students and college,” said Michael J. Reed, vice president for academic affairs and provost. “His high expectations, coupled with care and support for students, have helped to establish an excellent culture within the welding program that will continue for the foreseeable future.”
Vaughn held various positions with the American Welding Society, including acting division director, section chairman and national chairman of higher education. Additionally, Vaughn provided technical support for the AWS-accredited welding shop at the college.
Vaughn was the recipient of many honors from AWS, including District and Section Educator Awards, as well as an Image of Welding Award. He also assisted in the startup and was a member of Penn College’s Mu Xi Chapter of Phi Mu Delta national fraternity.
“Mr. Vaughn possessed the very ability every educator strives to achieve, the ability to change people’s lives,” his nominator wrote.
Penn College offers a bachelor’s degree in welding and fabrication engineering technology, associate degrees in welding technology and metal fabrication technology, and a certificate in welding.
For information about those majors and other programs offered by the college’s School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520 or visit www.pct.edu/icet.
For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.