Even in a tough economy, there are jobs to be had, and Richard Makin wants them to go to his graduates.

Makin, the president of the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology in Pleasant Gap, sees the school as a vital link between job-seeking young adults and the increasing labor needs of the fastest-growing industries in Pennsylvania.

Recently, the school formed the CPI Foundation, a nonprofit that will spearhead a $10 million fundraising effort. The nonprofit status of the foundation gives people more confidence to make large donations, Makin said. It also allows donations to be tax deductible.

“We’ve developed a pretty comprehensive effort about where CPI is headed,” Makin said. “Having a 501(c)(3) puts us in much better position to do a capital campaign.”

The $10 million will go toward a new transportation training center, the first phase of a three-part plan to add programs and facilities to feed workers into three burgeoning industries in the commonwealth. Enough money has been raised to allow CPI to put the project out for bid later this month.

“We’ll be preparing youth and adults for the occupation of heavy equipment truck driver, which is critical to the Marcellus industry and industries with a heavy reliance on transportation,” Makin said. “Everybody points to Marcellus as a huge economic driver in the state and we want to be a player.”

Eventually, Makin wants to see CPI build two other additions, one focusing on health care and nursing, and the other on either tourism and hospitality or environmental science.

“Those are other parts of our vision,” he said.

CPI’s nursing program is already booming, Makin said, and the institute will soon be pursuing accreditation to issue two-year degrees in fields such as occupational therapy and medical assistance.

Raising funds to pay for these projects is the biggest hurdle CPI faces in its future, he said, especially as state grants dried up during the recession.

“We don’t see this campaign as a one-time thing,” Makin said. “This is going to be the nature of our business from here on in. If you look at the budget situation in the state, you have to look at doing things differently than they have been done in the past.”

Grilled

The storefront at 334 E. Calder Way wasn’t empty for long.

Earlier this fall, Logan’s Grill closed its doors after a brief and unsuccessful run attempting to sell burgers and sandwiches to students. The vacancy was quickly snatched up by Hitham and Fatimeh Hiyajneh, the owners of the Middle Eastern fusion restaurant Pita Cabana Grill. They opened the Pita Cabana Cafe in the former Logan’s Grill spot two weeks ago.

Hiyajneh opened his original restaurant in a downstairs location at 428 E. College Ave. in January. The second location has helped raise his brand name’s profile, Hiyajneh said.

“There’s a lot of traffic,” Hiyajneh said. “Students walk a certain route to and from campus and they don’t change their way, so we’re getting a lot of people who have never heard of us before.”

Both restaurants will feature Pita Cabana’s staples of falafel, hummus, tabbouleh and chicken and lamb sandwiches, and both will soon start a new kebab bar, where customers can pick their own meat, vegetables and sauce and have it grilled while they wait.

In addition, Hiyajneh said he’ll begin serving breakfast at his new cafe, with espresso drinks, croissants, egg and cheese sandwiches, and Lebanese dishes such as meat pies and egg and mushroom quiche with black olives, onions and spinach.

“It’s an experiment,” he said. “We’ll see what works and what doesn’t and hopefully find what people like.”

Dark humor

There are entrepreneurs all over Happy Valley taking advantage of seasonal markets created by the snowy days and long winter nights.

Brothers and co-owners Scott and Tom Bruce have found their niche with the Wise Crackers Comedy Club, a stand-up comedy show on weekends from January through April.

“People are stuffed up in their house with snow all around, and they want to get out for a night,” Scott Bruce said. “What better activity to treat the depression that sets in after the holidays than to go out and laugh?”

Wise Crackers will move to a new location, hosting weekend shows at Celebration Hall, at 2280 Commercial Blvd., off East College Avenue. Private shows can also be arranged for those looking to organize a corporate gathering or a fundraiser.

Last year, the 12-year-old club’s Friday and Saturday night performances at the Elks Club regularly attracted more than 400 people. They were so successful that Wise Crackers extended its run of shows, originally scheduled to end in March, into mid- April. That will happen again this year, Tom Bruce said.

Though Wise Crackers also runs clubs in Scranton, Allentown and Wilkes-Barre, Scott Bruce, who does double duty as a comedian, said he reserves a special place in his heart for State College.

“The crowds in State College are great. They’re so darn smart,” Scott Bruce said. “That makes the show look good and really helps a comedian a lot.”

Shows will begin in early January. For more information, visit www.wisecrackers.biz.

Cliff White can be reached at 235-3928.