Penn College

TC Energy’s $25,000 donation benefits Penn College Baja event, welding program

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Baja vehicle was victorious at the Baja SAE Rochester 2022 endurance race. The college is hosting the international competition May 16-19, and a donation from TC Energy will help fund construction of the course on which off-road vehicles designed and built by 100 collegiate teams will vie for top honors. Credit: Chris Leigh, Penn College. All Rights Reserved.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A $25,000 donation from TC Energy’s Build Strong social impact program will help with construction of a racecourse for Baja-type vehicles participating in an international event to be hosted in May at Pennsylvania College of Technology. The donation also will fund materials and equipment for the college’s welding program.

The donation includes $20,000 in funding to help build a 1.1-mile course for the Baja SAE Williamsport competition, set for May 16-19 at the college’s Heavy Construction Equipment Operations Site in Brady Township, Lycoming County.

The event is expected to feature 100 collegiate teams that will design, manufacture and build a single-seat, off-road vehicle to survive various challenges, including a four-hour endurance race, the competition’s toughest test.

TC Energy’s donation includes another $5,000 for instructional use in “pipe alley” in the college’s welding lab. Welding & Metal Fabrication is the largest program cluster at Penn College, with more than 350 students enrolled.

“We are grateful to TC Energy for their continued support of our welding students and for their generous sponsorship of the Baja SAE Williamsport competition,” said Loni N. Kline, senior vice president for college relations/chief philanthropy officer. “Our students benefit greatly from this partnership with TC Energy, and this gift will impact and elevate their experience in the lab and on the racetrack when the Penn College Baja SAE team competes in May.”

“TC Energy is proud to support the development of future energy problem-solvers through our partnership with Penn College and investments in trades and STEM programming at colleges across the country,” said Trevence Mitchell, manager of social impact at TC Energy. “We are rooting for all of the students competing in the May Baja competition and excited to contribute to the college’s ‘pipe alley.’”

For more about giving opportunities at Penn College, visit www.pct.edu/give, email collegerelations@pct.edu or call 570-320-8020.

For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education and a special mission affiliate of Penn State, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

Last Updated February 13, 2024