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DEC INFORMATION
WELCOME TO DOUGLAS EDUCATION CENTER
Your catalog is an excellent resource for understanding the administrative and academic standards that apply to you. Students are strongly encouraged to read their catalog cover to cover. The information contained within is essential in guiding students through their tenure at Douglas Education Center (DEC).
DEC reserves the right to supplement, withdraw, or change this catalog. Students will be notified upon implementation of any changes to the catalog. The CEO / President has final authority in the interpretation and implementation of the catalog.
In order to meet the changing needs of the communities and the student body, DEC reserves the right to make changes in the courses, faculty, or schedules at any time. DEC also reserves the right to adjust tuition with sixty (60) days prior notice in accordance with the policies of the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools.
HISTORY
Douglas Education Center (DEC), located at 130 Seventh Street, Monessen, Pennsylvania, was established in 1904 as a business and secretarial school. The founder of the then Douglas Business College was Warren Douglas. Current owner, Jeffrey D. Imbrescia, has owned the school and has been CEO/President since 1989. Douglas School of Business was incorporated on January 31, 1977 and, thus, became Douglas School of Business, Inc. Upon application for a fictitious name, Douglas School of Business, Inc., began doing business as Douglas Education Center on February 20, 2001.
Between 1989 and 1999 DEC offered Associate in Specialized Business degree programs in business administration and executive secretary. Graduates from these programs were primarily hired by businesses from around the Monongahela Valley. Seeing a need in the community for education in the medical fields, DEC added medical programs into the curricula in 1992.
In 1999 DEC made the bold decision to add Art Programs into the curricula and launched an Associate in Specialized Degree program in Graphic Design and Web. The Millennium (2000) saw continued expansion with the introduction of Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program which moved DEC from a community school to a destination school. The Cosmetology Academy at Douglas Education Center opened in 2003, and in 2008 The Factory Digital Filmmaking Program at Douglas (currently named George A. Romero’s Filmmaking Program) was added. Demands for trained laborers in the skilled trade industries prompted DEC to launch programs in Natural Gas Extraction & Distribution Techniques (currently named Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety and Natural Gas) Program in 2013 and the Commercial Driver’s License Program in 2014. Also, in 2014, DEC began offering distance education course delivery, specifically in its Allied Health programs. Finally, in 2019, DEC expanded yet again by adding a program in Massage Therapy.
Over 115 years ago, DEC opened its doors, committed to serving its students and helping them achieve their educational and career goals. Today, generations of students later, that commitment remains DEC’s top priority.
MISSION
The mission of Douglas Education Center is twofold. Our first responsibility is to provide students with a quality education that will develop the attitudes, skills and techniques necessary to enter and succeed in their chosen field of study. Our second responsibility is to provide prospective employers with well-trained personnel. The curricula of Douglas Education Center are designed to maintain high standards of performance upon which these future employers can depend. Douglas Education Center has the obligation to create an educational atmosphere that will not only foster the highest standards of excellence in all students, but also help these students develop an awareness of social responsibility and ethical behavior.
PURPOSE AND INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES
In fulfilling DEC’s mission, Douglas Education Center’s administration, and management’s purpose is to:
 Provide quality educational programs designed to prepare students to become gainfully employed.
 Provide employers with qualified and well-trained professionals.
 Collaborate and develop positive relationships with local and regional communities to enrich and improve our
programs.
 Foster an environment that attracts and retains qualified faculty while offering them professional development,
continuous learning, and career growth opportunities.
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of DEC, established in 1904, was developed through years of educational experience and knowledge.
The core of this philosophy is the belief that students of diverse ages and backgrounds can work together effectively in the classroom, thereby growing in skill, knowledge and maturity beyond the normal expectations, to achieve any goal they may desire.
Page 5 of 88 Catalog Volume 62 -Version 3 Effective June 5, 2020