Amy Johnson has big goals as she nears her graduation date from Pennsylvania Institute of Health and Technology this August from the Business Administration program.
Amy wants to start a towing business called Precious Cargo, if the name is available.
She explained, “I will be the only female in Southwest PA to own a towing business.”
Before starting at PIHT, she was a housewife and worked several different seasonal jobs.
“I enrolled in PIHT because I was tired of the hard work I was doing and I wanted to do something better with my life. I have always wanted to start my own business but I didn’t have the computer skills or knowledge to do so. I like the fact that the classes at PIHT are small and I could get one-on-one attention if needed,” she said.
At PIHT, Amy says her favorite part was that she always felt like she belonged. She explained, “Everyone always treated me like I was equal.”
Amy is a member of the Student Ambassador Club at PIHT which was designed to assist new students as they begin their enrollment. Current students make them feel welcome and answer questions as they get started in their programs. She also helps by volunteering at the parties and activities that PIHT is involved in including the Heart Walk, Car Show, Arbor Day Tree Planting and the Cancer Walk all held at the campus in Uniontown, PA.
Amy contributes her great enrollment and her success to the teachers at PIHT, particularly one individual.
She said, “Every teacher I had at PIHT played an important part in my school success. One teacher who had the most influence was Ryan Langley. He did everything he could to teach me what I needed to know and he could explain things many different ways to make sure each person understood what he was teaching. If I had questions about starting my business, he would get me the information I needed and he never minded all of my crazy questions. He always had an answer in a timely fashion, too. He gives each one of his business students the confidence to do what we have our hearts set on, even if no one else believed in us. He is an exceptional teacher!”
“PIHT has definitely equipped me with the tools to succeed. I feel very confident in what I have learned and I am not afraid at all to go out into the world with the skills I’ve been taught. Not only do I have my classroom skills, but also hands-on experience from completing an externship,” explained Amy.
Amy says PIHT has changed her life for the better because she gained confidence back that she had lost being a housewife. She said, “I had a fear of technology when I started and now I’m not afraid of it at all. When I got married and raised children, I lost touch with who I was and PIHT helped me regain my identity!”
Starting her own business will open many new opportunities for Amy and she hopes to serve as an inspiration to other women. She says, “Women can do anything if they work hard and set their mind to it!”
Amy would recommend PIHT to others. She explained, “It’s a small school where you can feel comfortable and everyone knows you by name. You are treated with respect from the faculty, the teachers and the other students and you always have answers to your questions. You have a feeling of belonging and learn things that are very important in for field. Plus, you get hands-on experience!”
For more information on graduation rates, median debt of students who have completed their programs, and other important information, please visit our website at www.piht.edu/programs.
