Craig Micija, left, of Freedom, Michael Helfrich, center, of Butler, and Jesse Deitman, of Punxutawney, lay block at the Butler County Community College's new nursing program building in Butler on June 15. The men are employed by R.A. Glancy and Sons. Butler Eagle file photo

A $500,000 allocation to buy equipment and technology for Butler County Community College’s nursing and allied health program has been approved by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.

The BC3 allocation is part of $17.5 million in funding in the 2023 federal budget for 17 projects in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Funding for all the projects was contained in 12 appropriations subcommittee bills that were advanced by the committee, U.S. Sen Bob Casey, D-Pa., said Friday.

BC3 will spend the money to prepare classrooms, laboratories and simulation labs for the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health that will be housed in the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building.

Construction of the building at BC3’s main campus in Butler Township began in October last year and is on schedule to open for the fall 2023 semester. The $14 million building is part of a $21 million south campus construction project that began in June 2020.

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