Cedar Crest College held an official groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, to initiate renovations for the Elaine and John Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology. Located at 2859 College Drive in Allentown, the updated facility is being constructed to provide an educational space focused on technological and leadership development. The venue is also designed to serve regional businesses and organizations with local workforce development and technology strategy initiatives.
The formal ceremony opened with remarks from Dr. Robert Wilson, who serves as the provost and vice president for academic affairs, followed by an address from Cedar Crest College President Elizabeth Meade. Guest attendance included Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, representatives from the institution’s board of trustees, university faculty and staff, members of the Harmon family, and the center’s advisory board. Funding for the renovation project was established through a gift from the estate of late alumna Elaine Oberkotter Harmon, a member of the class of 1959, and her husband, John.
Dr. Beverly Magda will serve as the founding director of the facility. According to project organizers, the finished center will focus on expanding industry collaboration alongside education to address modern regional economic and workforce needs. The infrastructure project coincides with an expansion of academic offerings at the college, which now include specialized undergraduate majors in computer science, cybersecurity, and data science.
The university also added applied artificial intelligence integration opportunities to its curricula starting in the fall of 2025. These specific technology programs are accessible to traditional undergraduate students enrolled through the college for women, as well as adult learners participating in the coeducational school of adult and graduate education.
University administration noted that the development of the center explicitly aims to increase female representation within core career fields such as software development, data science, cybersecurity operations, and technological research laboratories. The physical renovations will continue at the Allentown campus location to prepare the next generation of students for these emerging technical sectors.