BC3’s Class of 2024 may reach 491 graduates
David C. Huseman, a professor and employee of Butler County Community College for nearly 57 years, will deliver the keynote address in his final commencement at BC3 and Dr. Nick Neupauer will shake graduates’ hands for the last time as BC3’s president during the college’s 56th graduation ceremony May 15.
Commencement will begin at 5 p.m. in BC3’s Field House on the college’s main campus in Butler Township.
The college’s Class of 2024 could reach 491 graduates, including a record 98 in a Nursing, R.N., program offered on BC3’s main campus and at BC3 @ Brockway in Brockway, according to Becky Smith, BC3’s director of records and registration.
BC3’s graduating class will be represented by students who attended BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City, BC3 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township, BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle or BC3 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage in addition to BC3’s main campus or BC3 @ Brockway.
The ceremony will conclude an academic year highlighted by BC3 receiving a $3 million bequest, being selected as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for the ninth time and as a Military Friendly School for the eighth, awarding a record 152 scholarships and opening the 25,000-square-foot Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building on its main campus.
Huseman, 79, was hired by BC3 in August 1967 and is the longest-serving employee in college history. He attended BC3’s first commencement in 1968, the 54 to follow and said he will retire Dec. 31.
“I am just taking it in stride,” Huseman said. “It has been a great experience because of the students, good faculty colleagues and a good administration. It has been like a family atmosphere here.”
Neupauer, 56, has been BC3’s chief executive officer for nearly 17 years and will retire Dec. 31. His tenure as president is longer than that of any of his BC3 predecessors and of any current chief executive officers among Pennsylvania’s community colleges, its public four-year universities and its state-related institutions.
Commencement, Neupauer said, “is our Super Bowl. I know that is cliché, but it is our Super Bowl. When I look out into the audience, I see our students, their families and friends, and our great faculty and staff. I know when I shake the hands of graduates walking across the stage and hand them their degree it is the result of all of those people.
“I feel that way at every commencement. I think that is exactly how I will feel about this one.”
Seventy-four percent of BC3 students who have completed associate degree, certificate or workplace certificate requirements as of May 1 will graduate debt-free from the college in its Class of 2024, according to Juli Louttit, BC3’s director of financial aid.
Three members of the college’s Rho Phi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society, have graduated debt-free or will graduate debt-free from BC3 and participate in the ceremony. Olivia Vissari will deliver the student address, Daniel Hamilton, the student alumni address, and Amber Maurer, the presentation of the tassels.
Vissari, 21, of Renfrew, is a 2021 graduate of Knoch High School. The former president’s scholar at BC3 will receive an associate degree in Nursing, R.N., and pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Capella University. She has accepted a registered nursing position at St. Vincent Hospital, Erie.
“I’ve had a great experience at BC3,” Vissari said. “Coming out of high school I thought I wanted to go to a big four-year school, but I decided to go to BC3 to save money and be close to home. I am so happy with my decision. I have had so many opportunities at BC3 and I have obviously received a great education that has gotten me a job before I even graduate. And I am debt-free, which is amazing.”
Hamilton, 21, of Zelienople, is a 2021 graduate of Seneca Valley High and a first-generation college student. The 2024 Phi Theta Kappa All-Pennsylvania Academic Team member will receive an associate degree in general studies and pursue a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
“BC3,” Hamilton said, “was definitely the right choice. I came here with no expectations. I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with my life at the time I applied. The people at BC3 definitely pushed me in the right direction of helping me to see what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and the industries I want to work in.”
Maurer, 20, of Cowansville, is a 2022 graduate of Karns City. The former volleyball player was named to three postseason all-academic teams, earned an associate degree in engineering in December from BC3 and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Slippery Rock University.
“BC3 was definitely an amazing experience,” Maurer said. “It felt like I was just with another family. Everyone was interested in me as a person, not just like another number. Everyone is genuinely there for you, and they’re very helpful.”
Twelve students are expected to receive two associate degrees, or an associate degree and a certificate or workplace certificate, and 12 previously earned a commonwealth secondary school diploma, according to Smith.
BC3’s Class of 2024 may also include eight student-veterans, according to Stella Smith, the college’s associate director of financial aid and its veterans coordinator.
The BC3 Education Foundation in August received a $3 million gift, the largest in the college’s history, from the estate of the late state Sen. Tim Shaffer.
BC3 in 2023-2024 was chosen as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for 2024 by BestColleges.com and as a Military Friendly School by Viqtory. The BC3 Education Foundation distributed scholarships totaling $213,000, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, the foundation’s development coordinator, and the college opened its state-of-the-art Phillips building housing the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.
Members of Phi Theta Kappa’s 2024 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team receive a full-tuition scholarship toward completing a bachelor’s degree at a Pennsylvania public four-year university of their choice.
BC3’s president’s scholars program includes a full-tuition waiver for up to 18 credits each semester and may be funded through various named scholarships from the BC3 Education Foundation. It is available to Butler County residents in the Top 10 percent of their graduating class and who have achieved at least a 3.5 grade-point average at any of Butler County’s public high schools.
A cyber school student counted in those public schools’ graduating classes is also eligible. Students must also enroll at BC3 in the first semester following their high school graduation to be eligible for the program, and are required to take scholars-only courses and maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average at BC3.
Megan M. Coval, executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations since September 2021, will become BC3’s interim president May 16.
