The five people selected for Butler County Community College's 2005 Distinguished Alumni Awards are wonderful evidence of how a community college education can be a steppingstone to success in business, education and other endeavors.

This year's award recipients are Shelley Houllion Duffy, a Pittsburgh morning news co-host; Paul Kengor, a New York Times best-selling author and Grove City College political science professor; David Knapp, president of Clear Ideas Consulting; Patty Paytas, vice president of communications for the Pittsburgh Pirates; and Nicholas Toubakaris, president of O.H. Nicholas Transfer and Storage.

The awards ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 6 at the Succop Theater at BC3. Information about the awards event is available by calling the alumni association at 724-287-8711, Ext. 8235.

From its beginnings, BC3 committed itself to providing a quality education to students who chose to remain close to home. That commitment has become even more determined, focused and dedicated down through the years through the development of new programs and addition of new facilities.

Now, the level of the college's accomplishments is evident in what its graduates are achieving both in and outside the Butler area.

An enthusiastic "Well done!" is in order.