Graduate Receives Prestigious Maxine Williams Scholarship
The GACTC is proud to announce that DorieSue Walker, a recent graduate of the Medical Assistant Diploma program, has been awarded the Maxine Williams Scholarship, a national honor recognizing outstanding medical assisting students. The Maxine Williams Scholarship Fund, established in 1959, provides educational assistance to deserving students pursuing careers in medical assisting. The fund is named after Maxine Williams, a founder of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and its first president. Supported entirely [...]
Celebrating the 2025 Practical Nursing Graduates
View All Photos The GACTC graduated 30 students from the full-time Practical Nursing program on August 14, 2025. Graduation activities included a pinning ceremony on August 12th and commencement, held on August 14th, at the Altoona Area High School. The “pinning ceremony,” a symbolic welcoming of new nurses into the profession, can be dated as far back as the 12th century, and became standard in the United States by 1916. During the ceremony, students [...]
The GACTC Enhances Health Programs with Acquisition of Anatomage Table and Announces Vacancy for Health & Medical Science Teacher
The Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center (GACTC) is proud to announce the recent acquisition of an e Table—a state-of-the-art virtual dissection tool that provides students with an advanced, interactive learning experience in human anatomy and physiology. The Anatomage Table is widely recognized as one of the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization systems available. It allows students to explore full-body, 3D models of the human body, providing an exceptional level of engagement and realism in [...]
Alex Thompson Places 11th Nationally in SkillsUSA Competition
Alex Thompson, a recent graduate of Tyrone Area High School and completer of the Powersports & Equipment Technology program at the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center, has achieved remarkable success at the national level in SkillsUSA competition. Alex's journey to national recognition began with a first-place finish at the district competition in January, which advanced him to the SkillsUSA State Competition in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where he again earned first place in April. His gold [...]
GACTC celebrates graduates from postsecondary diploma programs with ceremony on June 17, 2025
View All Photos On June 17, 2025, the GACTC celebrated the accomplishments of 70 adult students that successfully completed several postsecondary career-training diploma programs with a ceremony at the Altoona Area High School auditorium. Graduates, GACTC administration, staff, faculty, Joint Operating Committee members, families, and friends attended to recognize the graduates' accomplishments. Mrs. Nicole Zernick, Executive Director, provided congratulatory remarks to the graduates. Several graduates shared messages to the graduates and attendees, including: Hunter [...]
Healthcare career fair held for postsecondary health sciences students and alumni
On June 12th, a healthcare career fair was held at the GACTC for current adult health sciences students and alumni, including students and alumni from our practical nursing, medical assistant, and phlebotomy programs. Twenty eight employers attended to promote their organization’s open positions. GACTC students have been preparing references, resumes, cover letters, and growing their professionalism skills, which they were able to put to good use at the career fair. Employers that attended represented [...]
