With attendance rising each year since 2020, millions of dollars pumped into the local economy, and countless success stories from graduates, many questioned why Penn State University is considering closing its Schuylkill campus.

“Our goal here is simple, Penn State asked for input and we’re going to give them input,” state Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) said at the start of a Friday roundtable discussion at Penn State Schuylkll.

Hosted by Argall (R-29) and Reps. Tim Twardzik (R-123), Jamie Barton (R-124), JoAnne Stehr (R-107) and Dane Watro (R-116), the hearing brought students, educators, employers and local residents who spoke against the university’s plan to potentially shutter the campus.

“We are to give (Penn State) the data they want and show them that closing this would be a catastrophe for many people who reside in this region,” Argall said.

In February, Penn State announced its plan to shutter 12 of its 19 branch campuses, including Penn State Schuylkill. It blamed the potential closings on lower attendance caused by an aging population, affordability and other issues.

“Enrollment-wise, we are up over 11% from 5 years ago,” said Dr. Cory Scherer, the interim chancellor of Penn State Schuylkill. “Those numbers keep increasing.”

Scherer said that despite news of the potential closure, applications continue to roll in.

As of Friday, the campus had received 946 applications, or 37% more than it had this time last year.

“We’re going to hit 1,000. I don’t think we’ve ever hit that before,” Scherer said. “Since the announcement came out, we’ve had a significant increase of students who say, ‘Yeah, we know. But we’re coming here anyway.’ It says a lot about the experience we give here to our students.”

Dr. Patrick Jones, former chancellor of Penn State Schuylkill, shared stories about graduates who have gone on to successful careers.

He talked about how the Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op connects 160 students to 100 employers, providing them with internships and hands-on training.

Joseph Gera, the vice chair of the Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op National Advisory Council, said the co-op’s success “caught the attention of President (Neeli) Bendapudi, to the point where she would like to replicate our co-op education delivery model to other campuses.”

Robert Carl, the president of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, discussed the success of Penn State Schuylkill’s recently created nursing program, which serves as a direct workforce pipeline to local health care systems like Geisinger, Lehigh Valley Health Network/Jefferson Health and St. Luke’s University Health Network.

He also referenced a report indicating that Penn State Schuylkill was an anchor institution that contributed $33.9 million annually to Pennsylvania’s economy.

It’s also a more affordable option for local students, since Schuylkill County’s median household income is below average, he said.

“I don’t even know why this campus is on the list,” Argall said after hearing testimony.

Frank Zukas, president of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., said that businesses seeking skilled workers benefit from the university’s steady supply of graduates ready to enter the workforce.

He also noted that the university’s resources, networking opportunities and industry partnerships make Schuylkill County an attractive location for business investment.

Schuylkill County Commissioner Larry Padora said the announcement caught commissioners off guard.

“Schuylkill County has made tremendous donations to this campus” including land and an access road, he said.

“If it does close, we will look into every single option we have with how we conveyed this land to Penn State, our road and our relationship with Penn State,” Padora said.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said he and his brothers attended Penn State Schuylkill, and that its small size allows students more personalized attention from professors.

Seth Hubler graduated from Penn State Schuylkill in 2023 and works as an outreach director for Argall.

Through his research, he learned that between fall of 2020 and fall of 2024, Penn State Schuylkill’s enrollment rose by 11.7%.

“It makes it the only commonwealth campus in the system, which includes those that the administration have already decided to mark safe, to see that positive trend,” he said.

Hubler said it has 700 students, or the third highest enrollment among the campuses.

“This is important to consider since Schuylkill County is expected to grow by 7.5% in the next 10 years,” he said.

Hubler said closing the campus would be a mistake.

“If they make the decision to shut the doors here, it would be extremely difficult to receive a world class education experience that is affordable in the Schuylkill County region,” he said. “I can personally attest to these benefits because I was able to graduate from this campus, which is 10 minutes from my doorstep, completely debt-free.”

After hearing from several concerned citizens, lawmakers offered final remarks.

“It’s clear to me and everyone who took part in this event that Penn State Schuylkill is an integral part of our community,” Barton said. “If Penn State needed any evidence as to why this campus cannot close, this roundtable is all the proof needed. So many people are fighting to keep this campus open. Faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders, nonprofits, and even unaffiliated community members know how important Penn State Schuylkill is to the area. Closing it would do irreversible harm to Schuylkill County and its people.”

He said closing the campus would be both a “travesty” and a “mistake.”

Argall closed the hearing with a warning, saying that he has supported appropriations to Penn State in his years as a senator and state representative.

“If they close this campus down, I will never support this funding again,” he said.

Other campuses under consideration for closure are Hazleton, Beaver, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Scranton, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York.

Penn State’s campuses in Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Harrisburg and Lehigh Valley, along with its graduate education campus at Great Valley, will remain open.

University officials hope to issue their decision before the end of the spring semester.