Account Activation

Start Using College Technology

The College Portal

Accessing myPEAK

Now that you have activated your account, it is important that you login into the myPEAK portal and familiarize yourself with the site.

You will use your college-provided user name and your new password.

 

Get your College Email

Accessed your College Email through Office 365.

Your email address is your myPEAK user name followed by @pennhighlands.edu (e.g. username@pennhighlands.edu)

Click here to access your email through a web browser, or on view it on your mobile device through the Outlook mobile app.


Download the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App from your Favorite app store:

 

Start Using Office 365 and OneDrive

Accessing Microsoft Software through Office 365

As a student of Penn Highlands, you are able to download or use the fully online version of the Microsoft Office Apps.

  • When you log in to Office 365 you must supply your college email address as your login.
  • Your email address is your myPEAK user name followed by @pennhighlands.edu (e.g. username@pennhighlands.edu)

Follow this Office 365 link, or click on the logos to be redirected to the respective site.


For additional information on Office 365 and the Microsoft Student Advantage program, please visit the IT Services Tab | Office 365 Page

 

Find your Courses in Brightspace

After you have registered for college courses
Brightspace by D2L is used as the college's online learning management system. This system will be utilized for all of our online and hybrid courses as well as some face to face courses. Please check with your instructor for usage.
To log in to Brightspace, enter your Penn Highlands email address (user@pennhighlands.edu) where "user" is your username, and enter your myPEAK password for the password.
Click the following link to access your courses in Brightspace.
 

Account Activation Process

Activating your account is a two-step process:

Step 1 - Change Password - You will first need to change your password.
  • Log in to Office 365 by entering your college email address which is your myPEAK user name followed by @pennhighlands.edu and your temporary password.

  • After you log in to Office 365, you will be prompted to change your password. Follow the on-screen directions to change your password.
 
Step 2 - Create/Edit Profile - Once you change your password, you will be prompted with a screen that states More information required.

You will need to set up a security profile by enrolling at least one mobile device such as a phone, tablet, and/or another hardware device.
 

To enroll you can you utilize any or all the following methods: 

  • Use the Microsoft Authenticator App on your mobile device to receive an app notification or generate a code

  • Receive a text message with a code to your mobile device 

  • Receive an email message with a code to your personal Email Address

  • Or receive a verification phone call to your work, home, or mobile phone 

 
You will use this information to resolve future login issues such as resetting your password
 

Download the Microsoft Authenticator App from your app store:

  
Need Help?
Please contact the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Information Technology Help Desk at (814) 262-6470, or by email at helpdesk@pennhighlands.edu if you:
  • Did not receive your user name
  • Need assistance with activating your account
  • Are having difficulty logging into myPEAK
  • Cannot access your email or on-campus network resources

FAQ's

Need Help?{expander}

Please contact the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Information Technology Help Desk at (814) 262-6470, or by email at helpdesk@pennhighlands.edu if you:
  • Did not receive your user name 
  • Need assistance with activating your account 
  • Are having difficulty logging into myPEAK
  • Cannot access your email or on-campus network resources

I received my new credentials, but cannot login to myPEAK or my email, why?{expander}

Unless you have completed the two-step activation process, you will not be able to login to myPEAK, your college email, or Schoology.  You must activate your account by changing your initial password and setting up a security profile. 

What Information do I need to Activate My Penn Highlands Account?{expander}

  1. User Name - This was emailed to your personal email account that you specified on your College Application. You would have received this after you were accepted to Penn Highlands.
  2. E mail Address -  Your Penn Highlands email address i s your myPEAK user name followed by @pennhighlands.edu,  for example, a111a1@pennhighlands.edu

  3. Password - Your temporary password is made up of the first 3 letters of your county name followed by your zip code.


For example, if you lived in Cambria County and your zip code was 15904 your initial password would be: Cam15904 (Please make sure to capitalize the first letter as your password is case sensitive).

Note: If you are an out of state student your initial password will be made up of the first 3 letters of your state name and your zip code (e.g. Mar21517)
For example, if you lived in in the state of Maryland and your zip code was 21517, your initial password would be: Mar21517

What is the Microsoft Authenticator App{expander}

The Microsoft Authenticator app is the preferred method and helps you sign-in to your accounts using two-factor verification. Two-factor verification helps you access your accounts more securely, since passwords can be forgotten, stolen, or compromised, two-factor verification is an additional security step that helps protect your account by making it harder for other people to break in.


I don't have a smart phone, how do I activate my account if?{expander}

When you are activating your account, you will see the screen "Keeping your account secure"  right after the screen that states "More information is required". if you want to choose a different method besides the authenticator app, you can select the "I want to set up a different method"link on the lower left side of the screen.
 
Next, select alternate methods from the drop-down such as Phone, Email, and Alternate Phone.
Provide the necessary information to verify your identity based on the methods you select.
 

How do I update my Security Profile Information?{expander}

If you've previously set up your security info, you want to make changes, you can follow the steps in this how-to article Add or update your security info overview or visit https://aka.ms/mysecurityinfo

Can I change my password again after I activate my account?{expander}

Yes!  All you need to do is click on Change My Password.  You can use the generate new password feature or come up with your own and type it twice.  Please be advised that you can only change your password once every 24 hours. 

Is my username only for myPEAK?{expander}

No.  You now have the same credentials for your myPEAK information as well as the Colege's wireless network and online printing.
 
Your college email account, Office 365, and Schoology will require you to enter your email address for the username, which is your username@pennhighlands.edu. You will use the same password for all.

I have activated my new account, but now it says that I am locked out. What do I do?{expander}

One of the new features of the Self-Service Password Reset System in Office 365 is that you are now able to unlock your own account.  Simply click on Unlock My Account above and follow the prompts in the program.  You will need to know the answers to the security questions you chose in your profile.  If you cannot remember the answers to those questions, please call the IT Help Desk for assistance at 814-262-6470.

How do I Change my Penn Highlands password?{expander}

To change your Penn Highlands Password,
Follow the steps in this Guide: Reset your Penn Highlands password

I got a new Phone/Device, how do I add it to my Security Info?{expander}

If you have already activated your account on an older device, you will need to remove your old device from your security info and add your new one.
 
Note: If you changed phone numbers too, then complete these steps first. Then go on to removing your old phone/device:
  1. Make sure Phone-Text is the default method
  2. Next, delete your old phone by clicking on Delete in the column for your phone
  3. Select Add Method and then Phone-Text from the dropdown.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your device.
 
To remove your old phone/device and add a new follow these instructions:
  1. Click on the Activate Account Button, Follow this link to My security info, 
    or Browse to  https://aka.ms/mysecurityinfo
  2. Sign in to Office 365 - If your Authenticator App was set as your default method, click Sign in another way
  3. Select Text Message or Email to verify your identity, and enter the code that was provided to you.
  4. Once you are into your Security Info, If you have set the Authenticator App as your default method, change it to something else like Phone - Text Message or Email.
  5. Then remove your old phone/device by clicking Delete in the column for your old device.
  6. Select Add Method and then Authenticator App from the dropdown.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your device.

Printable Instructions

Handouts list view Handouts card view

Documentation

Title Description File type
Account Activation Guide
.pdf