Laurel Highlands Workforce & Opportunity Center Graduation-June 22, 2024
This past Saturday we graduated nine students with certifications as Clinical Medical Assistants at the Laurel Highlands Workforce and Opportunity Center located on Donahoe Road in Greensburg PA. As you know the center was founded by my wife and I, having been inspired by the amazing story of Bill Strickland. After reading his book “Make the Impossible Possible, One Man's Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary”, we became members of what we affectionately call the Bill Strickland movement. If you haven’t read his book, take time to read it, I am sure you will be inspired by him as well.
Mr. Strickland served as our commencement speaker for the graduation. Like so many other Americans that have achieved greatness he's a giver not a taker. He's a community leader, the former president of the Manchester Corporation and Bidwell Training Center located on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, where he served as CEO for 50 years. He's a winner of the MacArthur genius award, the Strong Men and Women's award, he was the Pittsburgher of the year in 2007 and he won the Goi Peace award in 2011. Bill applauded the students hard work over the 28-week training program he commented that “as graduates you are now prepared with skill sets and know how to pursue a lifelong career in the medical field providing for yourself and your family all while having a beneficial impact on our community.” He encouraged them “not to be afraid to tell their story, sharing it will inspire others and impact other stories around them.” He encouraged them “to be a mentor, a friend and above all else support others in their educational paths.”