Amy Arcurio and Nicole Kuzmiak, both alumni of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Pitt-Johnstown), have taken different paths in their educational careers but share a commitment to supporting students in their communities.
Arcurio, who graduated from Pitt-Johnstown in 1990, began her professional life working in child welfare. She now serves as superintendent of the Greater Johnstown School District, where she works with many students facing socioeconomic challenges. “It doesn’t define them,” Arcurio said. “It’s a variable, but we won’t allow it to determine what they become or who they can be.”
She has played a role in launching an initiative that enables Greater Johnstown students to earn an associate’s degree while still attending high school. This program aims to make higher education more accessible for students who might not otherwise be able to afford four years of college. “We’re giving families the opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives,” she said.
Nicole Kuzmiak, a 1997 graduate, is principal at Westmont Hilltop Elementary School in Johnstown. She maintains close ties with Pitt-Johnstown by regularly participating in student teacher seminars and welcoming student teachers into her school each year. Many have been hired at her school or recommended for positions throughout the district.
“It’s a privilege to get a student teacher in the building and begin building that relationship,” Kuzmiak said. She added that given Pennsylvania’s current need for teachers, “it’s also an honor and a testament to that relationship when they say yes.”
Both Arcurio and Kuzmiak credit Pitt-Johnstown’s small class sizes and supportive faculty for shaping their approaches as educators.
