The Cranberry Eagle
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 Article published November 26, 2012

State program benefits college



BUTLER TWP — A state program that allows businesses to donate funds to educational institutions, in lieu of paying certain taxes, has generated more than $96,500 in donations for the Butler County Community College Education Foundation in the past three months, according to a BC3 news release.
Gifts donated through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program locally to the college have come from several sources, including Farmers National Bank of Emlenton, Northwest Savings Bank, Peoples TWP, Varischetti Holdings and Brayman Construction.
The EITC contributions will be used to fund BC3 College Within the High School (CWHS), a program providing college-level courses to high schools, whose students earn transferable college credits while experiencing college course work.
“The programs supported by EITC gifts are true public/private partnerships,” said Nick Neupauer, BC3 president in the statement released Tuesday.
“Facilities are provided by local school districts; personnel and curriculum costs are provided by BC3; and a portion of direct student costs are now being underwritten in part by the generosity of the private sector.”
According to Jane Dollhopf, coordinator of the program for BC3, the EITC gifts will be used to reduce student costs and to expand courses into more schools.
There are about 600 students enrolled in 50 high school classes in the region this year, at a tuition cost of $342 per course for county residents and $372 per course for out of county students.