September 2013 - Rosedale Technical College

September 2013
State Representatives Visit Rosedale Tech
On August 27, members of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives held a meeting at Rosedale Tech. RTI’s President and
Director, Dennis Wilke invited Rep. Dom Costa to visit the
school. Rep. Costa extended the invitation to other area state
Representatives so that they could return to their districts with
first-hand knowledge on how facilities such as Rosedale are
helping to combat the growing skills gap.
mation on what type of education and training one needs to
succeed in these fields. After the visit, nearly all remarked on
how impressed they were with Rosedale’s professionalism as
well as the quality of training and facilities. Plans are already
being made for a return trip.
The group congregated at the Ben Wilke Training Center, home
to the Diesel Technology program, for an interactive tour of the
building. Participants also toured the Phil Chosky Training Center home to the Electrical, HVAC, Automotive and General Education areas. Student representatives from Rosedale’s programs of study: Ben Hertweck (Diesel), Jeremy Martin
(Electrical), John Niederriter (Automotive) and Jacob Magdich
(HVAC) assisted during the tours. Their input was well received
and helped to give the guests a real idea of what a day in the life
of a Rosedale student is like.
Following the tour, a meeting was held back in the Ben Wilke
Training Center to discuss the increasing demand for skilled
tradespeople in their respective districts. Many high paying
careers in the industries in which Rosedale offers training are
returning to the area. The tour and meeting allowed for the
Representatives to go back to their constituents with infor-
Pictured Above (L- R): Rep. Nick Kotik (D-45, Allegheny County),
Rep. Jesse White (D-46, Allegheny, Beaver & Washington County),
Rep. Adam Ravenstahl (D-20, Allegheny County), Rosedale Tech
President Dennis Wilke, Rep. Chris Sainato (front)(D-9, Beaver &
Lawrence County), Rep. Erin Molchany (D-22, Allegheny County),
Rep. Dom Costa (D-21, Allegheny County), and Rep. William Kortz
(back)(D-38, Allegheny County).
Rosedale Technical Institute & Precision Manufacturing Institute
A N N O U N C E
Management Partnership
In an effort to combat the growing skills
gap, Meadville’s Precision Manufacturing Institute (PMI) and Pittsburgh’s
Rosedale Technical Institute, recently
established a management partnership.
PMI is a non-profit technical training center that blends
knowledge and technology to support advancements in manufacturing.
Founded in 1987, manufacturing employers have trusted the
value of PMI’s training for their current employees for years.
They also turn to PMI to hire those new to the field upon graduation. PMI offers hands-on training in the high demand fields of
CNC Operator and Machinist, Mechatronics, and Welding. Students take advantage of state-of-the-art training equipment in a
clean and professional environment.
Formed over 60 years ago, Rosedale
Tech offers training in Automotive,
Diesel, Electrical and HVAC technologies as well as in Truck Driving. Graduates of each program are in extremely
high demand as evidenced by their nearly 90% overall job
placement rate.
Leading the new partnership is Dennis Wilke. A 1987 graduate
of Meadville High School, Dennis serves as President and Director of Rosedale Tech. “We are looking forward to this joint
venture. The opportunity for growth in education and training
in the trades is extremely exciting. Students in these fields
have chosen to enter high demand careers and this partnership will certainly expand their options,” Dennis said.
The Inside Scoop
Rosedale Tech voted one of the
BEST Places to Work…. 4 Years in a Row!
For the past four years,
Rosedale Tech has participated in the Pittsburgh
Business Times “Best Places
to Work” survey with great
success. More than 150
companies compete for the
prestigious award.
President and Director, Dennis Wilke states:
To me, being a great place to work means that people feel appreciated, feel like their work is meaningful and that
they are part of a successful team. We work hard every day to try to meet those three goals. Recognition by the
Pittsburgh Business Times for four years in a row is a good indicator that we are on the right track. ”
Rosedale Tech
NAMED
Military Friendly School
2 Years In A Row!
Victory Media recently named Rosedale Tech a 2014 Military
Friendly School. Rosedale Tech is recognized in the top 20 percent
of colleges, universities, and trade schools in the country that are
doing the most to embrace America’s military service members
and veterans to ensure their success on campus.
The list was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven
survey of more than 10,000 schools nationwide approved for VA
tuition funding. Each year schools taking the survey are held to a
higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology,
criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from schools across
the country.
This is the second year in a row that Rosedale Tech has been presented with this award.
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W E L C O M E
August 2013 New Students
Automotive Technology: Richard Ammer, Billy Cash, Jeremy
Crissman, Christopher Eisengart, David Fielder, Austin Fine,
Nathan Freiss, Tony Fulton, Christopher Good, Thomas Hamler,
Adam Holben, David Hunt, Karl Lyons, Theodore Malingowski,
Matthew Mient, Michael Mills, Tommy Paige, Robin Plater, Allen
Plut, Ryan Powell, London Purter, Patrick Rourke, Christian
Schaefer, Kevin Taggart, Aric Walters, Reginald Weems,
Warren Wilson.
Diesel Technology: Brandon Bell, Thomas Bridges Jr., Antonio
Butera, Michael Cox, Patrick Erickson, Edward Findley,
Cody Gallik, Austin Graul, Kyle Halfhill, Daniel Hampshire,
Nicholas Henry, Craig Hickey, Brian Irlbacher, Daniel Janosko,
Joshua Johnston, Matthew Kopp, Hunter Kovach, David Lambie,
Andrew Lauffer, Joshua Leist, Michael Loris, Russell McKenzie,
Paige Meyers, Jordan Miller, Jared Mooney, Saide O’Neil, Justin
Reese, Shawn Rodgers, Anthony Rumsey, Justin Shaw,
Damien Sisco, Stevan Slater, Derek Staley, Colin Suierveld,
Jonathan Vescio, Adam Widmer, Shane Wood.
HVAC Technology: Hunter Curl, Gerald Jacoby, Zachary Keller,
Dillon Krise, Brian Lukens, Jacob Magdich.
Truck Driving: Brian Foley, David Hollis, Kevin Miles, Anthony
Sabatino, Matthew Wright.
The Circuit
The Inside Scoop
LOOK
Into Your
FUTURE
Rosedale Tech recently teamed up with several area employers
who hire our graduates to give those interested a look inside potential careers after an education and training at RTI. Educational
Outreach Representative, Sean Barrett, visited Cleveland Brothers/CAT dealerships in Cranberry Township and Erie. Visits to
Motta Heating and Cooling as well as Rohrich dealerships and
several others are also in the works and will be announced.
High school students interested in exploring a hands-on career in
the trades are invited to take part. The experience allows the student to see first hand examples of possible career paths that have
been taken by graduates of Rosedale. Parents are also encouraged
to attend as Sean is on hand to answer questions.
Robbie Eggleston (left) from Erie McDowell High School and
his father Rob (center) tour the Cleveland Brothers/CAT
dealership in Erie, PA with CAT representative, Matt Fowler.
The following students have accepted employment with the
subsequent companies. RTI grads have found employment in
all levels of the HVAC, Electrical, Diesel, Automotive, and Truck
Driving fields within several different industries.
Student Name
Employer
Program
Michael Lang
Swift Transportation
Truck Driving
Manuel Vinas
Frank Zuk, Inc
Diesel
Kenneth Fagan
Eichenlaub Inc
Diesel
Jeremy Kleemook
Penske
Diesel
Mary Bielich
Shadyside Honda
Auto
William O’Neil
TradeSource
Electrical
Jamod Kelley
Vitran
Truck Driving
Edward Gonzales
Wright Automotive
Auto
Matthew Komaniak
G.E.M. Electric
Electrical
Edmond Mancini
Mancini’s Transmission Auto
David Quallich
Wright Automotive
Auto
Brian Coleman
Penn Waste Systems
Truck Driving
Aaron Snider
Debo Moving and Storage Truck Driving
Bryan Kobertz
Power of Bowser
Diesel
Raymond Marshall
Monro Muffler
Auto
Stephen Sikora
Wright Automotive
Auto
David McCullough
Wright Automotive
Auto
Joshua Johnston
Goodyear Auto Center
Auto
Aaron Crable
Fayette Honda
Auto
Matthew Nelson
Glassmere Fuel Service Diesel
Ryan Butterworth
South Park Mitsubishi
Auto
Christopher Cunningham Sun Chevrolet
Auto
Jeffrey Mast
JCM Communications
Electrical
Zachary Cooper
Point Park University
Electrical
Robert Seaton
Independent Mechanical Inc. Electrical
Logan Cypher
Service On Site
Diesel
Michael Flook
Beaver County Dodge
Diesel
Scott Platek
Dorsey’s Auto Service
Auto
Michael Terreri
Penske
Diesel
Visits
RTI
Divisional Recruiter of TBC Retail Group Mike Carley paid a visit
to Rosedale Tech to speak with students about career opportunities. The members of the TBC Retail Group include Tire Kingdom,
NTB, Merchants Tire & Auto Center and Big Tires.
Numerous students
showed interest and
have already started
pursuing jobs with NTB.
Mike spoke with the Automotive students about part-time and
full-time positions as well as benefit plans, opportunities for
advancement and how to move forward in obtaining a position.
Thank you Mike for
taking the time to visit
Pictured L-R: Mike Carley and RTI Student
with our students!
Services Coordinator John Fostyk
The Circuit
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The Inside Scoop
Celebrating SUMMER!
Once again the annual student picnic and softball game was held at Fairhaven Park, Kennedy Township. Four teams of students as well as the faculty and staff team competed in
the softball tournament. In the end, it came down to a team comprised of diesel and
automotive students versus the faculty and staff team. The faculty and staff team won
by a very small margin. Nine teams also competed in the basketball game and there were
numerous other games available including volleyball, corn-hole and ladder ball.
Winners of the
Rosedale Tech
Basketball
Tournament
Diesel and Automotive Students came very close to
beating the Faculty and Staff.
Evening students enjoy their “picnic” courtesy
of Steel Toe Station.
The Faculty and Staff played hard and pulled out the win
against the Diesel/Auto Students .
Keeping It Clean
While the majority of Rosedale Tech students were
at home with family or on vacation during the two
week summer break, a few students were hard at
work, making sure their school was clean, organized
and in prime condition to welcome back students.
This summer break, “work study”students Zach Helble (HVAC),
Caanan Tsuris (HVAC), Scott McCollough (Auto) and Robert King
(Diesel) deep cleaned both buildings. Everything from power washing to scrubbing floors, desks and chairs was completed. They also
managed to clean the air ducts, patch holes, strip and wax floors,
and paint new safety lines in the shop areas.
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They were incredibly busy but moved quickly through the entire
cleaning list to meet their deadline. Thanks guys for putting so much
hard work into cleaning the school!
Pictured L-R: Scott McCollough, Robert King, Zach
Helble and Caanan Tsuris.
The Circuit
SUCCESS Stories
Having an Education PAYS!
Wanting to provide his students with a real life example of Rosedale
Tech success, Auto Instructor Brian Winter decided to invite
Rosedale Tech graduate Gary Dunworth back to speak to his class.
Gary graduated in January 2013 and like all students, had his fair
share of challenges throughout his training.
Gary was happy to come back to RTI to share some of his wisdom
with Brian’s Automotive students. He talked to them very candidly,
encouraging them to work hard now because it will pay off later. He
said to stay focused and not let personal matters interrupt career
training. He also encouraged the class to never sacrifice quality for
quantity; not to rush through work but to get it done right the first
time.
Gary is currently employed at Rohrich Mazda and said that the reason he chose Rohrich is because they honor continuing education,
which is important to him. He also attributes the majority of his
success to Rosedale Tech.
Auto graduate Gary Dunworth (center) with Brian Winter’s
Automotive Class.
Due to his educational training and job performance, Gary has advanced quickly.
Congratulations on your success, Gary!
HVAC Grads Go to Work
Rosedale’s first HVAC Technology class to graduate was noticeably
absent from the recent graduation ceremony. They had good excuses; all were working. One example is Brandon Garvey. Garvey completed Rosedale’s HVAC technology program on May 23. Less than
two weeks later, on June 3, he began his career in the field as a technician with Climatech. He is currently on an extended job at the GE
Transportation Plant in Erie, PA. Some of Brandon’s duties include:
servicing and cleaning chillers, replacing semi-hermetic compressors,
cleaning and maintaining cooler towers and more. “Every day, it’s
really been something different,” he said.
The hiring process was very straightforward. As a student, he travelled along with Climatech technicians so there was already a base
relationship between the two parties. Instructor Wayne Walker
Automotive Students Setting the Bar High
gave his recommendation. “It was exactly what I was looking for.
It’s hard to believe it only took a year and a half. Going to school
definitely paid off,” Brandon said. He went on to say that he’s realizing the value of his education not only in job placement, but also in
the quality of his work. “I see guys that have been in the field much
longer than me making mistakes. It’s clear they didn’t get the kind
of training that I did,” he said.
In the next week or so Brandon will return to the Pittsburgh area
where he anticipates taking on more regular service calls. Also
working at Climatech is Rosedale graduate Slater Kady. The two
have yet to work together but that could change with Brandon coming back to Pittsburgh.
Congratulations and good luck to both!
electrical repairs. The students completed work on a total of 48 vehicles in the short six week shop period: 39 of those vehicles had
problems directly related to their A/C systems.
Instructor Dave Sladky’s Automotive A/C class recently received
lessons in time management and customer service as well as gaining Mr. Sladky stated, “I was most impressed with the professionalism
of the students and how seriously they took their work. They
experience in diagnosing A/C systems.
worked on each and every vehicle as if it were their own.”
To make sure his class had plenty of work this term, Mr. Sladky decided to post flyers offering faculty, staff and outside individuals the
opportunity to make an appointment to have their automobiles A/C
system repaired.
The students were responsible for scheduling the appointment, diagnosing the vehicle and explaining to the “customer” what exactly
was going on with their vehicle. The students encountered many
different scenarios while fixing the vehicles. Some of the vehicles
simply required additional refrigerant, while others required major
The Circuit
Dave Sladky’s Automotive Class-Keep up the good work guys!
Page 5
What’s Going On ?
Automotive Team
Standard Air & Lite Donates
Races
Equipment and Time to HVAC Students
to a New Level
Wayne
Walker’s
HVAC
team
installed a
new
system
for the
Ben Wilke
Training
Center.
Rosedale Tech Automotive students are
in for a fast-paced addition to the automotive shop this coming year. Over the
summer, a few Automotive and General
Education Instructors got together and
came up with an idea for a Rosedale
Tech race car. They envisioned a combination of a Chevy Nova and New Generation GTO.
Over the past year and a half, Rosedale Tech’s HVAC program has been growing at a
steady pace. The department has fully functioning condensing units, furnaces, hydronic
heat and refrigeration labs, just to name a few.
Brainstorming became reality when Instructors Mark Simoneau and Brian Winter found and acquired a 1969 Chevy
Nova. “The Nova definitely needs work,
but that is where the GTO comes in”
stated Winter. “The end result will have
the appearance of the Nova with the
functionality of the GTO.”
The best part about the project is the
hands-on aspect for the students. Every
class will have the opportunity to work
on the vehicle, even the classes that
aren’t “typical” to this type of vehicle
modification, such as the automotive a/c
class. After all, if the vehicle will be driven to high school visits, career fairs, car
shows, races and various other special
events – a/c is a must!
The suspension class will be the first class
to work on the car. They will be in
charge of tearing out the existing suspension as well as measuring, fabricating,
and installing a new one. The next class
will be engines and transmissions, followed by some external body work along
with electrical work. The final class will
work on engine diagnostics (driveline
and engine performance). In the end,
the automotive program will have a custom SCCA (Sports Car Club of America)
road rally car.
If you are interested in participating as a
sponsor for the Rosedale Tech Race Car
please contact Mark Simoneau or Brian
Winter at 412-521-6200.
Page 6
One of the companies that was critical in developing these labs through their donation of
equipment and supplies was Standard Air & Lite, a Carrier Equipment distributor. They
donated two furnaces, a heat pump, dozens of control boards, an economizer and most
recently an entire packaged heating and cooling system for the student lounge in the Ben
Wilke Training Center.
In addition to the generous equipment donations, Standard Air & Lite Technical Trainer,
Rick Lander recently visited Rosedale and spoke to the HVAC students. Rick trains the
field personnel of Carrier dealers within a 200 mile radius of Pittsburgh.
A huge thank you to Carrier Equipment, Standard Air & Lite and Rick Lander for the generous donations of time and equipment!
LIGHTING UP Ben Wilke Training Center
Electrical Technology students in Mike
Breskovich’s class recently brought light to
several areas of the Ben Wilke Training
Center. Two overhead backlights in the
rear of the building, overlooking the parking lot, were removed and
replaced. The facility’s outside
front lighting was also serviced.
ing, now is the time to take care of electrical issues” Mr. Breskovich said.
Students and staff appreciate the improvements to the facility.
They used dusk -to- dawn photo
cell technology to elicit the
most efficiency. Several faulty
units were bench tested in the
class to determine what was
causing failure.
“We want to take advantage of
good weather and extended
daylight while we have it. With days
getting shorter and winter fast approach-
Pictured above: Mike Breskovich’s
BRIGHT Electrical Class!
The Circuit
What’s Going On ?
JORDAN MYERS WINS School Bus Race at Lernerville
The first of two scheduled school bus races held at Lernerville
Speedway took place on July 30 and featured Diesel Technology
instructor, Rob Murphy, and 2013 graduate of Rosedale’s Diesel
program, Jordan Myers. Both drove buses that were rebuilt by
Rosedale students under Rob’s instruction. Myers’ was an old A.J.
Myers bus, first revamped while Jordan was enrolled as a student
last year. Rob’s bus was purchased by RTI from the Montour School
District and became a project for this year’s students. Jordan, now
a shop manager at A.J. Myers Bus Company, and some of his fellow
employees added a new head and a few other small things to their
bus for this year’s races. Going the extra mile with Rob to ensure
RTI’s bus would be ready in time were the following: Krystal Knauff,
Chris Barnes, Jordan Frank, Ben Hertweck, Mark Acre, Ed Braham
and Kody Seiders. These students sacrificed their time over the
summer break to lend a hand.
The two battled neck and neck for the lead during the first four or
five laps. “We definitely had the best two buses running out
there,” Jordan said. Unfortunately for Rob, a tube connector blew,
forcing him to exit the race without finishing. “We anticipated that
potentially being an issue. When it went, I knew exactly what it
was,” Rob said. He is confident that planned modifications and
extra restraints will resolve the problem for future races.
RTI student Jordan Frank “test driving” the bus
In mid-September, they will again do battle at Lernerville. Jordan
hopes for similar success but knows that Rob and the Rosedale bus
will bring all he can handle. “We joke and talk trash but definitely
respect each other. It’s really friendly but still competitive,” he
said.
This winter, Jordan plans to invest quite a bit of time and money
into his bus to increase power and performance. When asked for
Prior to Rob’s mechanical issue, they were running first and second specifics, he replied, “No way, I’m not giving any details. I know
with a sizeable lead on the rest of the pack. “Going in, I was pretty (Mr.) Murphy reads this. It will have to be a little surprise for next
sure it was either going to be him or me that won,” Jordan said. It year,” he said laughingly. Rob also alluded to some planned enturns out he was right. With Rob out of the way, Jordan went on to hancements for his bus, but he too is keeping the specifics close to
win the checkered flag easily.
the vest for the same reason.
Honest Work
Every morning, Pittsburgh native Lisa Wholey
drove past Rosedale Tech on her way to work.
Lisa was in need of major work on her car and not
knowing much about Rosedale, spoke to her husband about possibly taking her car in and letting
the students work on it. She placed a call to Karen Horne, Tool
Room Manager, to schedule her car for service. That was four years
ago and Lisa has been bringing her car in ever since.
Most recently, Lisa’s 1999 Toyota Camry broke down and she had to
have it towed to the nearest local auto center. She received a discouraging call informing her that the engine was beyond repair and
she had to either replace it or purchase a new vehicle. Stressed
out, Lisa called Karen and asked if she could drop her car off at
Rosedale to get a second opinion.
About a week after dropping her car off at Rosedale, Lisa received
the call that the vehicle could be fixed in just a few days. Not only
did the students repair the engine, they also replaced the timing
belt, water pump, and serpentine belt.
Lisa stated “Instructor Jeff Kaplon and his class did an excellent job
on the vehicle and I am very appreciative of their hard work.” She
went on to say “Rosedale Tech trains their students to do HONEST
work, I know they’ll do a great job every time.”
Tool Room Manager, Karen Horne and Instructor Jeff Kaplon’s
Automotive Class
The Circuit
Though the students are unable to accept payment for their work,
Lisa thanked them by bringing in a delicious lunch!
Page 7
AUTOMOTIVE-AST Degree
TRUCK DRIVING -Diploma
ELECTRICAL -AST Degree
Adam C. Beichner
Brian R. Coleman Sr.
John C. Brown
Erik J. Benton
Ava L. Hanner
Thomas R. Ralston
Matthew C. Blazier
Keith D. Hughes
Denton L. Shively
Ryan P. Butterworth
Jamod S. Kelley
Meleik S. Carry
Richard R. Kuhn
ELECTRICAL- Diploma
Aaron A. Crable
Michael A. Lang
Daniel R. Fetkovich
Christopher Cunningham
Aaron M. Snider
Jeffrey O. Mast
Edward A. Gonzales
William Wofford III
Seth Homison
Erik M. Johnson
Joshua A. Johnston
Matthew D. Lesondak
David M. McCullough
Daniel Moffett
Sadie M. O’Neil
Scott M. Platek
Timothy E. Ralston
Anthony S. Rumsey
Stephen R. Sikora
Justin S. Smith
Anthony J. Tomassi
Aaron M. Winters
HVAC -AST Degree
DIESEL-AST Degree
Brandon L. Garvey
Elmer E. Bittinger II
Glenn S. Kady Jr.
Brandon J. Cartwright
Joseph H. Leacock
Michael J. Flook
Dalton T. Kim
John A. Macik
Patrick J. Metcalfe
Matthew R. Nelson
Kevin M. Rock
Michael J. Terreri
Matthew R. Toro
Manuel A. Vinas
Ryan A. Wallace
Matthew A. Whetsell
AUTOMOTIVE -Diploma
Mary M. Bielich
DIESEL-Diploma
Michael J. Fabiann
Kenneth R. Fagan
Edmond E. Mancini
Jeremy R. Kleemook
Raymond A. Marshall
Derek J. Smail
David P. Quallich
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The Circuit
Rosedale Tech celebrated graduation on
August 9th at the Doubletree Hotel in Pittsburgh-Greentree. Fifty-nine graduates, as
well as hundreds of family and friends,
came out to acknowledge the graduates’
accomplishments.
The Circuit
Page 9
Getting To Know YOU!
From Administration to
Automotive Tech
Automotive Technology student Dana
Rudolph has always wanted to work on
vehicles. After finishing high school, she
was encouraged to pursue a career as an
administrative assistant instead of her
dream – working in the automotive field.
Dana remained in the administrative field
for over 15 years. Her most recent position as QAQC (Quality Assurance/Quality
Control) Coordinator for Pocket Nurse
Medical Supplies afforded her experience
and skills in high level customer service
and quality control. After eight years with
Pocket Nurse Medical Supplies Dana’s
department was eliminated and she found
herself unemployed.
She visited the local Career Link Center,
where she learned that it was not too late
to go back to school. In fact, due to her
department being closed, Dana qualified
for WIA (Workforce Investment Act)
Financial Assistance.
Dana enrolled at Rosedale and began classes in February, 2013. She described her
experience at Rosedale as “a lot more
challenging than she originally thought.”
She stated: “the most challenging part is
putting together the diagrams and the
book aspects with the physical shop
work. The most helpful thing has been
all of the hands-on shop experience.”
When Dana was asked what her favorite
subject/field was she said: “I can’t pick,
it’s all new and very exciting!” Dana
looks forward to graduation in May 2014.
She hopes to one day run her own shop
and combine her automotive training with
her customer service experience.
Page 10
VETERAN PROFILE: PATRICK SMITH
Some students enter Rosedale with experience in their area of study. Diesel Technology
student, Patrick Smith, is one example. Unlike most, his start came on foreign soil. Smith
joined the Air Force and just two months later was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in
Rhineland-Palatinate, a state of Germany. While serving there for four years from 20072011, he was also able to travel the continent to places such as Luxembourg, Paris and an
area outside of Berlin. “It really ended up being a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Patrick
said.
On base, he worked as an Aerospace Ground Equipment technician, where he repaired
and serviced generators, flood light setups, heaters, hydraulic stands and much more.
“I was basically a jack-of-all-trades” he reported. On top of the invaluable life lessons
Patrick received, his work in the military also provided a considerable knowledge base entering Rosedale’s Diesel Technology program, specifically in hydraulics and electrical.
Patrick said his transition to Rosedale from a life in the military was smooth. “I get along
and respect all of my instructors. (Brandon) Danser and (Mark) Simoneau specifically,
with their veteran backgrounds, had the same mentality and I could easily relate,” he
said. Diesel instructor Mark Simoneau once worked in a similar capacity during his time
serving with the Air Force. Patrick is also taking advantage of the financial benefits he’s
been afforded for his service to be used for educational purposes. He has been very impressed with Rosedale’s Financial Aid team, specifically Mike Basulto. “Any issue that
came up, Mike resolved it immediately. He’s really helped me out,” Patrick said.
In May, Weavertown Environmental Group gave a presentation to the Diesel students on
possible careers within their company. After meeting with one of their reps during the
visit, Patrick was encouraged to inquire about an open position. It has since led to a job
offer at their facility in Cecil, PA where he recently started. Congrats on the exciting early
start to your career and thank you for your service!
An Invitation To Learning!
In August 2012, Automotive student Walter Clarit Sr. proposed
to Shelina, his girlfriend of three years. They started wedding
planning immediately; picked a date, booked a venue, secured
a photographer and Shelina found the perfect dress. One
major task was left to do and that would be Walter’s responsibility...the invitations.
General Education Instructor Kara Chan had Walter in her
Computer Concepts class and remembers him becoming overwhelmed by the details and cost of invitations. Kara
Mr. & Mrs. Clarit Sr.
recommended Walter create his own invitations to save time and
married on
July 20th, 2013
money. With Kara’s help, Walter learned how to layout the invitations in a word document and then print them on stationery.
The final product was a professional looking invitation at a third of the cost. Walter said
he will always be grateful for Kara’s help and that to his surprise, many lessons learned at
RTI can be applied to everyday life….even wedding planning!
The Circuit
Achievements
July & August 2013 Awards
Instructor’s Choice - Cumulative perfect attendance after one full semester.
Automotive: Joshua Cantine, Cody Morgan, Jamal Smith, Cameron Ireland, Mikel Phillips, Joseph Thiem, Scott McCollough, Soud Miah,
Brendan Stefano, Justin Long, Gino Morena, Joshua Raybuck, Nicholas Wragg
Diesel: Jeremy Notzen, Travis Mariano, Patrick Smith, Christopher Bogats, Charles Braham, John Elling, Ryan Francis, Philip Wilson
Electrical: John Mottiqua, Philip Ford, Tyler Snodgrass, Christopher Brown, Carl Klauscher, Matthew Robison, Michael Thornton
HVAC: Brian Deroner, Peyton Harr
President’s List - Cumulative GPA of 3.4 or Higher after at least one full semester.
Automotive: Christopher Whiddon, Joshua Cantine, William Herndon, Dempy Smith, Kraig Stahlman, Bradley Frank, Cameron Ireland,
Justin Logan, Daniil Novitchi, Matthew Patton, Mikel Phillips, Ryan Allen, Karl Polonoli, Steven Schrecengost, Christopher Stewart, Brandon Stumpf, Jonathan Yoho, Kenneth Eckles, Brendan Gilmer, Soud Miah, Denis Rader, Brendan Stefano, Jarod Wilkinson, Justin Long
Diesel: Dante Alston, Jeffrey Garner, Dennis Saputo, Andrew Shaffer, Christopher Kulow, David Smith, Michael Farrell, Jordan Frank,
William Goerl, Benjamin Hertweck, Patrick Malsch, Jared Meyer, Joseph Sawinski, Thomas Spano, Christopher Bogats, Nicholas Bowser,
Charles Braham, John Elling, Richard Kaposy, Patrick Kelly, Ned Sweigart, Patrick Armstrong, Nicholas Fields, Logan Irvine-Hose
Electrical: Christopher Baker, Eric Rodgers, Wayne Valocik, Cody Boyde, John Calcara, Michael Dieteman, Jessica Jones, Gary Martin,
John Mottiqua, Matthew Porto, Cody Rossi, Shane Thompson, Matthew Earley, Tyler Snodgrass, Von Stevenson, Matthew Robison,
Zachary Koontz ,Tyler Stiner, Joseph Full, Michael Guckes, Anthony McCullough
HVAC: Peyton Harr, Justin Wilson, Dustin Moore, Payton Riggins, Russell Tomkins
Rosedale Ace - Cumulative GPA of 4.0 after at least one full semester.
Automotive: Benjamin Bjerke, Cody Morgan, Michael Scrima, Jamal Smith, Timothy Bell, Joseph Thiem, Michael Abraham, Nicole
Anderson, Zach Brown, Billy Fife, Jamie Graves, Scott McCollough, Jared Uhrin, Carmen Zambrano, Perry Copeland, Gino Morena, Keith
Phillips, Joshua Raybuck, Richard Stasko, Nicholas Wragg
Diesel: Jeremy Notzen, James Shoup, Travis Mariano, Patrick Smith, Paul Caputo, Ryan Francis, Shane Powers, Darren Reed, Stefan Ulik,
Daniel Graber, Philip Wilson
Electrical: Gary Lowden, Jeremy Martin, Matthew Meyers, Bryer Schrock, Philip Ford, Richard Koenig, Christopher Brown,
Carl Klauscher, Michael Thornton, Joshua Sutherland
HVAC: Raymond Baburich, Brian Deroner, Patrick Reap, Evan Treadwell, Canaan Tsuris
Student of the Month: Auto: Joseph Thiem, Christopher Whiddon, Cameron Ireland Diesel: Jared Meyer
Electrical: Zachary Koontz, Gary Lowden HVAC: Peyton Harr
Helping Hand Award: Cody Morgan, Adam Midler, Aaron Snider, Dana Rudolph, Kelsey Chermer
Extra Effort Award: Dayne Pavelko, Jeremy Martin, John Mottiqua, Payton Riggins, Zach Helble, Chris Brown, Philip Wilson,
Raymond Gegick
Most Improved Award: Michael Marino, Shawn Salisbury
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Page 11
SUMMER BREAK
PANAMA
Automotive Instructor Brian Winter, his wife Brooke and his
one and a half year old daughter Sophia traveled to Panama
(Central America) this summer break to visit family. Brian’s
mother moved to Panama ten years ago for work and was delighted to have her family in town for eight days. The family
traveled to Juan Hombron beach on the Pacific Coast to watch
the sunrise. They also visited the towns of El Valle, Anton, the
Canal museum in Casco Antiguo of Panama City, the Mira Flores
Loch and historic Panama City. This is Brian’s second trip to visit
his mother in Panama and he is sure they will be visiting again
soon.
Brian Winter in Panama with wife Brooke
and daughter Sophia
MEXICO
HVAC Instructor Wayne Walker and his 18 year old
daughter Rachel visited Mexico over break. Rachel recently graduated from Fort Cherry High School and decided that she wanted to vacation in Mexico to celebrate.
Wayne and Rachel flew into the Cancun airport and visited Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Tulum and XCaret for the ten
days they were there. They did everything from zip-lining
and snorkeling to visiting the Mayan Ruins and the Mayan
Palace.
Wayne Walker and some friends he met in Mexico
Also visiting Mexico was Diesel Technology student Tim Davis. A few days before students were due in class, Tim and his
wife Julie boarded a non-stop flight from Pittsburgh to Cancun, Mexico where they vacationed for four days. Their time was
mostly spent poolside relaxing or eating at one of the all-inclusive resort’s six restaurants. The two made it back in time for
the first day of class early Monday morning.
JAMAICA
Automotive Instructor Dan Svitko and his wife Ellen spent
five beautiful days in St. James, Jamaica this summer. They
indulged in an all-inclusive resort where the main activity
on their agenda was relaxation. Dan said it was exactly
what he needed to recharge and get ready for class.
Dan Svitko enjoying some sun by the pool in Jamaica
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The Circuit
Faculty & Staff
Alaska Is For LOVERS!
Maintenance Supervisor Tim Weleski and his wife Cindy recently celebrated
their 40th wedding anniversary with a spectacular two week trip to Alaska.
RTI Attends
Mopar Nationals
The majority of their time was spent in the town of Seward, with stops in Soldotna, Sterling
and Anchorage. Avid outdoor enthusiasts, Tim and Cindy spent a lot of time fishing for
salmon, halibut, rockfish and black sea bass. “The fishing was above and beyond what I’d
expected. We did well every day,” he said. They also panned for gold (with good success)
and while whale watching, saw humpback, killer and blue whales as well as dolphins.
Other wildlife seen on the trip included moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and caribou. “Everyone on the trip also saw a grizzly bear but me. That’s one of the reasons I
have to go back next year,” Tim said with a laugh.
The Weleskis saw amazing sights of natural beauty throughout their trip. One thing they
didn’t see though was darkness. During this time of year, that part of the Northern Hemisphere never experiences a real “nighttime”. Tim remembered how the sun would dip
below the horizon
around midnight
but the level of
light never
dimmed below
that of dusk.
Mark Simoneau and his
’68 Dodge Dart
Hydraulics Instructor Mark Simoneau
attended the Mopar Nationals in
Columbus, Ohio August 9th – 11th.
The event hosts everything from a car
cruise to drag racing, a swap meet and
a burn out contest.
Mark brought with him his 540 hp 1968
Dodge Dart (Mopar) to show and participate in the cruise. The Dart was
partially constructed and fine-tuned by
Rosedale Tech students last year. Mark
received a lot of interest about the vehicle and was proud to show off everyone’s work.
Congratulations on
your anniversary
and may the journey continue for
many happy years
to come!
SUMMER
PROGRAMMING
The passion for technology runs in the family as Nick Wilke, son of
Rosedale Tech President Dennis Wilke, spent his summer in the science
and technology program at South Fayette Middle School & High School. Students continued work
on a project that was started last summer, developing electronic flash cards.
The flash card program will use pen based technology, where you will use a pen or a stylus on a
tablet instead of a keyboard and mouse on a computer. The program will be Windows based, so
Nick Wilke works on making
when finished, instructors will have the ability to create PowerPoint presentations and turn them electronic flash cards at the
into flash cards for the students. The team is also working on adding video and audio to the flash summer science and technology
cards. The program is a great way for students to learn more about programming and coding.
Nick Wilke is very excited about being involved in this form of cutting-edge technology.
The Circuit
program at South Fayette Middle
School.
Page 13
What’s NEW ?
Rosedale President Dennis Wilke Elected to PAPSA Board of Directors
Rosedale Tech is a long standing member of the Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators (PAPSA), an organization representing more than 320 private career colleges and schools in the
Commonwealth before the legislature, state agencies and professional associations. At this year’s annual conference held in Harrisburg, it was officially announced that RTI President and Director,
Dennis Wilke, was elected to PAPSA’s 13 member board of directors.
Every two years, each of the participating schools cast a vote to elect
roughly half of the board’s new members on a rotating basis.
Nationally, the PAPSA organization is considered to be one of the
leaders of its kind. Representatives from other states will often
attend conferences and other training sessions held in Pennsylvania
to learn about the most current practices and procedures in the
world of career colleges. One of PAPSA’s current goals is to highlight the often overlooked positive impact that technical schools like
Rosedale have on the state of Pennsylvania. They also host seminars
and other training discussions on the best admissions, education,
career services, marketing and administration practices throughout
the state, year-round.
“I am very excited to be on the board of directors,” Dennis Wilke
said. One of the
main reasons he
decided to accept
the nomination
had to do with the
departure of
Dick Dumaresq,
PAPSA’s executive
director. PAPSA
flourished during
his 28 year tenure. “It’s important to me to get another good executive director. I look forward to being part of the hiring process,”
Mr. Wilke also said.
Among Dennis’ duties as board member will be to serve on several
committees that focus on such things as legislative outreach, professional development, member recruitment and others. He will meet
with the board four times a year as well. His appointment may be in
the blood as Dennis’ father, Ben Wilke, served in the same capacity
for MAPSA (Maryland Association of Private School Administrators)
years ago.
RTI is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution and Employer. ACCSC Accredited Institution, and NATEF ASE Certified.
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The Circuit