About HACC
Dr. Ski

Ski's Bio

John J. "Ski" Sygielski, Ed.D, became the seventh president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, in July 2011. His previous appointments include president of Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, and president of then-Lord Fairfax Community College (now named Laurel Ridge Community College) in Middletown, Virginia. He began his professional career as a teacher in a Chicago inner-city school followed by a stint as a corporate trainer for two Fortune 500 companies. He transitioned to a community college career at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he began his community college administration and college teaching career.

Currently, Ski is a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, serving as chairman, the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania’s Workforce Investment Board and Harrisburg’s Recycle Bicycle, Inc. A member of the Harrisburg Rotary, he is the past chairman of the board for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and served on AACC's 21st-Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges.

He earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy, two master's degrees in business and a doctorate in education, as well as an honorary associate degree.

Ski, and his husband, Steve Perrault, are residents of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he is an avid bicyclist and the only member of his working-class family to graduate from college.

His Timeline

2022

Elected chairman of the board of the Broad Street Market Alliance

2020

Elected to the board of the American Association of Community Colleges for the second time

2019

Chairman of the Board of the PA Commission on Community Colleges

2018

Elected to the board of Recycle Bicycle of Harrisburg

2017

Elected vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Community Colleges

2016

Appointed to serve on the Governor of Pennsylvania workforce investment board and advisory committee to educate and inform the governor, educators, business leaders and legislators on the topic of workforce, economic development and manufacturing programs and services.

2015

Received the Harrisburg Kwanzaa and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major awards for partnership development activities within the city’s African American community

Selected to participate on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Board on Education and Workforce

Elected to serve on the board of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce

2011

Became the seventh president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College

Selected to participate in the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges

Selected to participate on the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges

2010

Elected chairman of the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges

Received the Phi Theta Kappa Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction for providing leadership to this society at two institutions of higher education

2008

Became president of Mt. Hood Community College

Awarded an honorary associate’s degree from Lord Fairfax Community College (VA)

2003

Became president of Lord Fairfax Community College (VA)

1999

Became the first vice chancellor for workforce and economic development of the Virginia Community College system

1996

Graduated with a doctorate in education with highest honors from Northern Illinois University

 

Digitally YOURS, Dr. Ski is very involved on social media. You can connect with Dr. Ski on social media to stay up to date on HACC happenings and issues that impact HACC and our students.

Please click on the links below to follow Dr. Ski on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn or send Dr. Ski an email.

 

Dr. Ski publishes an e-newsletter, the Ski Gram, to share the latest HACC news and achievements of students and employees.

If you would like to be WOWed by all of the HACC happenings, please read on:

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