By Dan Lufkin, Ed.D., president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College
Published on Aug. 23, 2026, in PennLive
As our students prepare for the fall 2026 semester at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, I am honored and privileged to be entering my first full semester as president of your community college.
Since arriving in the area earlier this summer, I have witnessed the transformational impact that the College - led by dedicated employees who make the student experience what it is - has each and every day on our students. HACC students are problem solvers, lifesavers and lifelong learners, and they often manage their commitment to education while working multiple jobs, raising children and taking care of loved ones. I find inspiration in them daily.
As I step into my new role to lead, support and guide this great institution, our students and their successes will remain at the center of the College’s decisions and priorities. One of my main goals as HACC’s president is to understand people, perspectives, experiences, pain points and aspirations for the College. I want to learn what our stakeholders believe are our top strengths and where we have opportunities to improve.
During my first year in this role, I will work collaboratively with my colleagues to evaluate HACC’s program offerings and ensure they align directly with workforce and industry needs. HACC graduates must be served through dynamic programs that enable them to find meaningful work or attain additional education. We will continue to provide the training our students need to enter the workforce as your nurses, engineers, educators and HVAC professionals.
I arrived at HACC during a pivotal chapter in its history and, candidly, a volatile time across higher education in our country. In this ever-changing environment, I assure our partners and community members that HACC is not closing any of our five campuses. Instead, in the interest of being good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we are taking steps to ensure that our buildings and spaces are well utilized. As higher education continues to evolve, we will change with the times to be certain that we are serving our students well. As part of these efforts, we will continue to offer classes in a variety of modalities to meet our students where they are along with the hands-on learning for which HACC has long been known. Students are the reason we are here.
I remain committed to putting HACC on strong and sustainable footing to ensure we can serve the Central Pennsylvania community for decades to come. This means building and maintaining a responsible and balanced budget across a range of enrollment and state funding scenarios, protecting our reserves and reducing debt. Responsible stewardship is not a one-time process; it’s a necessary long-term commitment to financial sustainability.
All of my priorities will be completed through an open and inclusive process that encourages input from our students, employees, alumni, donors, Board members and others. I look forward to continuing my visits to the communities we serve and to learning more about how we can accelerate our impact throughout our service region and beyond.
Investing in our students and their successes directly impacts the communities that we call home. HACC is more than a college. It is a gateway to opportunity, careers, transfer pathways and transformational change, and we look forward to serving students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences for years to come.
To learn more about HACC and how you can enroll in classes, please visit hacc.edu. For accurate information related to HACC’s 2026-27 budget, please visit hacc.edu/Budget2026.