After 32 years, Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute closes

When the final announcement came, Antonelli owner and CEO Edward Gillespie said the school was closing because of the negative effect of the August announcement by the Department of Education to deny the school’s application for continued participation in federal student financial aid programs.

“The fact that they took it back, the damage was already done,” Gillespie said in an interview with Digital First Media. “We’re trying to ameliorate the best we can, and take care of students the best we can.”

In August, Gillespie told Digital First Media that he thought the school could recover.

But the reality, he later said, is that there were no new leads for potential students and no new enrollments. In addition, many members of the staff left for new positions.

In August, there were a total of about 63 students enrolled in the programs at Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute. At the time of the November announcement that number was down to about 20.

“I feel sorry for the students and the community. The school has been here for 32 years and provided training for people to obtain good jobs,” Gillespie said. “I have been in the industry 40 years. I have never seen this — where they tell us we have to close and then turn around and say it was a mistake. I’ve never heard of it.”

Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute operated in Pottstown since 1986. When it was purchased by American Business Academy in 2013, the school shifted its focus solely on medical training and offered courses in medical assistant, medical office secretary

DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA FILE PHOTO Antonelli Medical & Professional Institute announced that it would close before the end of December. The school made a similar announcement in August, following a Department of Education decision — but the school stayed open, only to make the final...