(Butler, PA) 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 杏吧原创 and Dr. Nick Neupauer will shake graduates鈥� hands for the last time as 杏吧原创鈥檚 president during the college鈥檚 56th graduation ceremony May 15.
Commencement will begin at 5 p.m. in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Field House on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
The college鈥檚 Class of 2024 could reach 491 graduates, including a record 98 in a Nursing, R.N., program offered on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Brockway, according to Becky Smith, 杏吧原创鈥檚 director of records and registration.
杏吧原创鈥檚 graduating class will be represented by students who attended 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Ford City, 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township, 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle or 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage in addition to 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus or 杏吧原创 @ Brockway.
The ceremony will conclude an academic year highlighted by 杏吧原创 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.
"I am just taking it in stride. It has been a great experience because of the students, good faculty colleagues and a good administration. It has been like a family atmostphere here. "
- David C. Huseman, a 杏吧原创 professor for whom the 2024 commencement at the college will be his 56th and final before his retirement
David C. Huseman, center, a professor at 杏吧原创, meets with 杏吧原创 employees Karen Fair, left, and Paula Crider before the college鈥檚 55th commencement Wednesday, May 17, 2023, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Huseman, 杏吧原创鈥檚 longest-serving employee at nearly 57 years, said he will retire Dec. 31. He will deliver the keynote address during college鈥檚 56th commencement May 15.
Commencement "is like our Super Bowl"
Huseman, 79, was hired by 杏吧原创 in August 1967 and is the longest-serving employee in college history. He attended 杏吧原创鈥檚 first commencement in 1968, the 54 to follow and said he will retire Dec. 31.
鈥淚 am just taking it in stride,鈥� Huseman said. 鈥淚t has been a great experience because of the students, good faculty colleagues and a good administration. It has been like a family atmosphere here.鈥�
Neupauer, 56, has been 杏吧原创鈥檚 chief executive officer for nearly 17 years and will retire Dec. 31. His tenure as president is longer than that of any of his 杏吧原创 predecessors and of any current chief executive officers among Pennsylvania鈥檚 community colleges, its public four-year universities and its state-related institutions.
Commencement, Neupauer said, 鈥渋s our Super Bowl. I know that is clich茅, 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.
鈥淚 feel that way at every commencement. I think that is exactly how I will feel about this one.鈥�
Dr. Nick Neupauer, left, president of 杏吧原创, greets a 杏吧原创 graduate during the college鈥檚 55th commencement Wednesday, May 17, 2023, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Neupauer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 longest-serving chief executive officer at nearly 17 years, will retire Dec. 31. The college鈥檚 56th commencement May 15 will be his last as 杏吧原创鈥檚 president.
"...I know when I shake the hands of graduates walking across the stage and hand them their degree it is the result of all those people. I feel that way at every commencement. I thing that is exactly how I will feel about this one. "
- Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创's president and for whom the 2024 commencement at the college will be his last as chief executive officer before his retirement
"I've had a great experience at 杏吧原创. Coming out of high school I thought I wanted to go to a big four-year school, but I decided to go to 杏吧原创 to save money and be close to home. I am so happy with my decision. "
- Olivia Vissari, 杏吧原创 student
"杏吧原创 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 杏吧原创 definitely pushed me in the right direction... "
- Daniel Hamilton, 杏吧原创 student
"杏吧原创 was definitely an amazing experience. 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."
- Amber Muarer, December 2023 杏吧原创 graduate
Olivia Vissari speaks during the community grand opening of the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. Vissari will deliver the student address during 杏吧原创鈥檚 56th commencement May 15.
Seventy-four percent of 杏吧原创 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, 杏吧原创鈥檚 director of financial aid.
Three members of the college鈥檚 Rho Phi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society, have graduated debt-free or will graduate debt-free from 杏吧原创 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鈥檚 scholar at 杏吧原创 will receive an associate degree in Nursing, R.N., and pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing from Capella University. She has accepted a registered nursing position at St. Vincent Hospital, Erie.
Daniel Hamilton is shown Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, in an American literature class at 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township. Hamilton will deliver the student alumni address during 杏吧原创鈥檚 56th commencement May 15.
鈥淚鈥檝e had a great experience at 杏吧原创,鈥� Vissari said. 鈥淐oming out of high school I thought I wanted to go to a big four-year school, but I decided to go to 杏吧原创 to save money and be close to home. I am so happy with my decision. I have had so many opportunities at 杏吧原创 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.鈥�
Hamilton, 21, of Zelienople, is a 2021 graduate of Seneca Valley High and a first-generation college student. The will receive an associate degree in and pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in hospitality management at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
鈥溞影稍�,鈥� Hamilton said, 鈥渨as definitely the right choice. I came here with no expectations. I didn鈥檛 even know what I wanted to do with my life at the time I applied.
Amber Maurer prepares for a return during a 杏吧原创 volleyball game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Field House in a match against Howard Community College, Columbia, Md. Maurer will lead the presentation of the tassels during 杏吧原创鈥檚 56th commencement May 15.
鈥淭he people at 杏吧原创 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.鈥�
Maurer, 20, of Cowansville, is a 2022 graduate of Karns City. The former volleyball player was named to three , earned an associate degree in in December from 杏吧原创 and is pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in civil engineering at Slippery Rock University.
鈥溞影稍� was definitely an amazing experience,鈥� Maurer said. 鈥淚t 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鈥檙e very helpful.鈥�
8 student-veterans may graduate
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.
杏吧原创鈥檚 Class of 2024 may also include eight student-veterans, according to Stella Smith, the college鈥檚 associate director of financial aid and its veterans coordinator.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in August received a $3 million gift, the largest in the college鈥檚 history, from the estate of the late state Sen. Tim Shaffer.
杏吧原创 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 杏吧原创 Education Foundation distributed scholarships totaling $213,000, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, the foundation鈥檚 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鈥檚 2024 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team receive a full-tuition scholarship toward completing a bachelor鈥檚 degree at a Pennsylvania public four-year university of their choice.
杏吧原创鈥檚 president鈥檚 scholars program includes a full-tuition waiver for up to 18 credits each semester and may be funded through various named scholarships from the 杏吧原创 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鈥檚 public high schools.
A cyber school student counted in those public schools鈥� graduating classes is also eligible. Students must also enroll at 杏吧原创 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 杏吧原创.
Megan M. Coval, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations since September 2021, will become May 16.