Latest news with #BC3
Business Journals
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
A pioneering institution: Butler County Community College, where careers are commenced and futures are formed
expand On a blustery spring day, Megan Coval wastes no time leading a band of first-time visitors across the handsomely rustic Butler County Community College main campus. In her first week as the college's president, the seasoned higher education professional is swift in expressing her confidence in BC3, as it is widely known. 'BC3 very quickly developed a good reputation,' Coval states. 'We had flexible classes where you could work and come at night, and so we grew to expand with that interest in mind.' Go West Her assurance in the employees, board of trustees, and friends of BC3 is well-placed. 'This past fall we had roughly 2,200 students taking credit courses, and nearly 16,000 on the noncredit side,' Coval states. Employing a workforce of over 500, BC3 has a nearly $30 million annual operating budget. Tuition comprises $12 million of the total, with county and state monies adding the rest. And the college's very active Education Foundation supports special projects for the school. The local community steps up wonderfully also. 'Every year, for either big capital projects or things like scholarships or one-off projects, we have an incredibly generous community,' Coval adds. Chartered in 1965, BC3 opened their doors the following year. Four wood-and-stone structures comprised the original main campus. They remain, forming the core of the current 13-building campus, which has spread out in all directions across the 330-acre grounds. 'We were the first community college in western Pennsylvania, a big point of pride for us, and it's the genesis of our mascot and our name, the Pioneers,' Coval states. A new hand at the helm On March 19, 2025, in a 15-0 vote, BC3's board of trustees appointed Coval as the college's ninth president, elevating her from her interim president post. She started at BC3 in September 2021, to fill the role of executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations. Coval brings considerable experience in higher education, leadership, and government relations outside of her BC3 work. Prior to the college, she served as vice president of policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators in Washington, D.C. and, previous to that, she was director of government relations for the U.S. Department of Education's Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Coval holds a master of education degree in higher education administration with a policy focus from The Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor of arts degree in political science with a communication arts minor from Allegheny College. Education for everyone Today, BC3 offers certificates and associate degrees in business and information technology, liberal arts, education and behavioral sciences, nursing and allied health, and in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Additionally, five associate degrees and nine certificate and workplace certificates are offered fully online. 'The associate of arts and science degrees are really our transfer elsewhere,' Coval states. BC3 offers noncredit courses as well. 'Those encompass continuing education, recertification, reskilling, or upskilling,' Coval says. 'Noncredit is more flexible. If there's a business looking for a certain type of training, we can put together for them apart from our academic programming.' 'Our noncredit programs, like our workforce training in business, public safety and industrial safety, and our personal enrichment courses that we call 'Lifelong Learning,' are for community members of all ages." Farmers National Bank — partners in regional education Farmers' relationship with the college goes back decades. 'The bank has provided full-platform banking services for BC3 including treasury management, card management, depository services, building financing and liquidity credit lines since 2010, and we have been partners in other endeavors long before that,' states William Marsh, Farmers Senior Vice President, Market President, Pennsylvania. 'On the community side, we have a tremendous relationship with Farmers,' Coval adds. 'Farmers has for years been the title sponsor of our annual golf outing, the major fundraising event of our year. Kyle Hilfiger, from our local Farmers branch, sits on the organizing committee and works the event.' William Marsh agrees. 'We regularly participate in and support annual student activities like their investment club and foundation donations,' he continues. 'Farmers considers the college a community partner.' President Coval also is a member of the local Farmers Community Advisory Board. 'Having a seat at that table is incredibly important to BC3,' she states. 'We're training and educating the people who work in the industries sitting around the table with us. Today, a college president's role has to focus more on being proactive and connecting with those representatives.' The sky's the limit On this crisp afternoon students waste no time scurrying across the BC3 campus. After all, there are classes to get to, lab work to accomplish, careers to establish. Coval is in her element. 'This is a very meaningful position to be in because I am back in my hometown, working in a field I care deeply about. Providing quality, accessible and affordable higher education to individuals, allowing them a better chance at a higher quality of life.' To see how Farmers can help your business, reach out to William Marsh, Farmers Senior Vice President, Market President, Pennsylvania at WMarsh@ Or 844-800-2193. About Farmers Founded in 1887, Farmers National Banc Corp. is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Canfield, Ohio, with $5.2 billion in banking assets. Farmers National Banc Corp.'s wholly-owned subsidiaries are comprised of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, a full-service national bank engaged in commercial and retail banking with 62 banking locations in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Portage, Stark, Wayne, Medina, Geauga and Cuyahoga Counties in Ohio and Beaver, Butler, Allegheny, Jefferson, Clarion, Venango, Clearfield, Mercer, Elk and Crawford Counties in Pennsylvania, and Farmers Trust Company, which operates trust offices and offers services in the same geographic markets. Total wealth management assets under care at March 31, 2025 are $4.3 billion. Farmers National Insurance, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, offers a variety of insurance products.
Technical.ly
14-03-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Southwest PA students are upskilling for automation with a federally-backed program — and it's seeking instructors
A new local training program is offering job seekers a free opportunity to develop in-demand skills in an increasingly automated industry. Launched earlier this month, Butler County Community College's (BC3) Industrial Equipment Technician program trains students on how to use equipment that goes hand-in-hand with the increased automation of manufacturing processes. Classes are already full through September, but the program is looking for additional instructors to train those who join the waitlist, the coordinator of professional education and certificate programs at BC3, Kate Buza, told 'Since we've had such a great response to it,' Buza said, 'now we are looking to find another instructor so we don't have to wait all the way until September to offer it again.' The program was designed specifically for job seekers and to upskill current workers by offering hands-on training in equipment diagnostics, troubleshooting, safety and maintenance in several key areas: AC/DE electrical systems Hydraulics and pneumatics Industrial electrical wiring Programmable logic controllers $850k in funding and other partnerships crucial to programming This year is the first year a program like this has been offered at BC3, Buza said, and it's thanks to $850,000 from the Build Back Better (BBB) Regional Challenge Grant, a $62.7 million investment in Southwestern Pennsylvania's economic development. The nonprofit New Economy Collaborative (NEC) is tasked with distributing the BBB funding across five distinct projects, all focused on adoption, upskilling infrastructure and commercialization in the robotics sector. BC3's new training program falls under Project 3, which aims to expand pathways to new careers and is the upskilling element of NEC's efforts to support economic development in the region. BC3 also tapped an advisory board of local manufacturers to help design the program, Buza said. 'Our advisory board talked about the need for more automation,' Buza said, 'and finding workers who have skills, at least on a basic level, of electrical work, working with programmable logic controllers and motor control.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local community college branch to end in-person classes in August
HERMITAGE, Pa. (WKBN) — A local community college branch will no longer be offering in-person classes starting in August. Butler County Community College (BC3) @ LindenPointe in Hermitage made the announcement on Tuesday. According to a press release, enrollment at the campus has declined significantly from 300 students in the fall of 2014 to 45 in the fall of 2024. The release states the sharpest decline was during the 2020-21 academic year. 'In-person enrollment at BC3 @ LindenPointe has continued to decline in recent years,particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,' said Joshua Novak, vice president forstudent affairs and enrollment management. 'Enrollment continues to be a challenge at many institutions, and our numbers simply have not rebounded to a sustainable level.' In-person classes will officially end on Aug. 5. All other BC3 locations will remain fully operational and continue accepting new students forthe fall 2025 semester and beyond. BC3's location in Lawrence County will relocate this summerfrom Union Township to Shenango Township. 'Ensuring that currently enrolled students have a clear path to completing their degrees is the top priority,' said Belinda Richardson, provost and vice president for academic affairs. 'We are in the process of developing completion plans for each student, which may include onlinecourses or courses offered at our other locations.' BC3 @ LindenPointe offers associate degrees in 11 transfer programs, four career programs andone certificate program. It also offers training in emergency medical services and fire services at Mercer County fire departments. The release also stated that the campus is looking to reassign LindenPointe faculty and staff to other BC3 facilities. 'We remain committed to serving Mercer County in meaningful ways,' Megan Coval, BC3'sinterim president, said. 'While we are discontinuing in-person credit programs at BC3 @ LindenPointe, we are exploring other opportunities to meet the needs of residents and remain an educational partner in Mercer County.' In the 2024-25 academic year, nearly 100 Mercer County residents took at least one online classfrom BC3. The college hopes to grow its dual enrollment opportunities. 'While this is a difficult transition, it is our responsibility to make sound financial decisions forthe future of the college,' said Jake Friel, vice president for administration and finance.'Discontinuing in-person programs at BC3 @ LindenPointe is expected to save approximately$450,000 annually, allowing us to better allocate resources to serve our students.' Mark Longietti, Hermitage director of business and development, said the property around the campus has been rezoned for housing opportunities and hopes to see some business take over the LindenPointe building. 'We have some real interest in housing development now that it's been zoned for multifamily housing,' Longietti said. 'There's some opportunities for some service-type organizations to relocate there.' Last week, Penn State University announced the possible closure of several satellite campuses including nearby Penn State Shenago in Sharon. Longietti said the city of Hermitage is putting together a letter to Penn State's president highlighting the positives of the campus. 'Higher education is important to the area,' Longietti said. 'Shenango has grown its enrollment through its athletic program, and the city of Hermitage has been a partner with our athletic complex. The women's softball team is coming online now.' Longietti said he is grateful Mercer County also has strong partners with area Thiel, Grove City and Westminster Colleges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
