The Shaler Area Distinguished Alumnus committee has named Dr. Michael Reed as recipient of the 2026 SASD Distinguished Alumnus Award. Dr. Reed expressed, “Thank you, and I am truly humbled and honored to be the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus. Shaler Area School District is dedicated to championing excellence and fostering the potential of all students, with an exceptional alumni base. I am proud of my roots and am incredibly grateful for the foundation that Shaler Area helped to strengthen.”
After graduating Shaler Area High School in 1989, Reed earned a bachelor’s from Clarion University; a master’s from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. While completing his master’s degree, Reed returned to Shaler Area High School to engage his skills through a practicum. He went on to receive a post-master administrative credential and principal certificate from Penn State and his Doctor of Education from Drexel University. After beginning his career in teaching and counseling and later leading a high school, Dr. Reed joined Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, where he held a variety of leadership roles before becoming president. Today, the college serves nearly 4,600 degree-seeking students, approximately 2,000 high school students through dual enrollment, and approximately 4,500 incumbent workers each year, with a graduate placement rate approaching 98 percent. This September, Dr. Reed provided testimony on workforce development and skilled trades education at a field hearing of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. In 2025, he received the Veteran Student Success Award from Penn College’s Student Veteran Organization.
Dr. Reed credits his upbringing for much of his success. One of ten children in a hardworking, blue-collar family, he balanced part-time jobs and athletics as a Shaler Area student, experiences he says built his work ethic and taught him the power of teamwork. He encourages today’s students, “work hard, get involved, and don’t fear failure.”
Dr. Bryan O’Black, Superintendent of Schools, shares, “Dr. Reed’s story is one every Shaler Area student should hear, because it shows that your future is not defined by where you begin. His leadership has always centered on helping others succeed, and through his work he has created opportunities for thousands of students, educators, and workers across Pennsylvania. We are proud that his journey began here.”
Dr. Reed will be honored on November 19th as part of the National Honor Society induction ceremony at Shaler Area High School.