BC3 achieves milestone
BUTLER TWP— The sometimes challenging situations that Butler County Community College overcame adds meaning to the 40th anniversary celebration.
But those challenges, including a lawsuit that threatened to prevent the college from breaking ground, can be lost on today's students, President Cynthia Azari said.
"Unless you had a relative who came here," she said, "you might not know the history."
And if a student did have a relative who can tell the story of the beginning it might go like: "This was mud," she said.
Tuesday, the college is celebrating its story of "from mud to college" with speakers and activities.
It marks 40 years from Sept. 26, 1966, when the college opened its doors to students.
The day begins with the dedication of the renovated Founders Hall. The building was renamed from the Convocation Center to honor those like Jim Green, Gail Rose and Clarence Brown, who worked at getting the college open.
Some of those founders and their spouses will speak at the dedication.
Serving as honorary chair are Ray Steffler, chair of the trustees; Nancy Murrin, former trustee and Foundation Board member; Doris Rose, alumna and wife of founder Gail Rose and Green, the former Butler County Commissioner who helped establish BC3's sponsorship by the county.
They will speak along with County Commissioner Scott Lowe; Lucille Shapiro, alumni council; David Huseman, economics professor; Amy Cannon, executive council president and Tom Smith, editor of The Cube, the student newspaper.
The renovations to the hall, including new ceiling tiles, lighting, carpeting, a parquet dance floor and a kitchen for catered events, were just completed. Tours begin at 11 a.m.
A picnic lunch will be available for $2 in the Outdoor Forum, and music will be provided by Waking Matthew.
From noon to 2 p.m. students can have their photos taken dressed in old-time clothing sponsored by the Executive Council for Students, sign a mural painted by the Graphic Design Club, have a neck and shoulder massage by students in the Physical Therapist Assistant Club and guess faculty and staff smiles from photos taken by the Phi Theta Kappa Honorary.
At 1 p.m. a team of students will play softball against a team of faculty members at the baseball field.
Students at three off-campus centers located in Cranberry Township, the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center in New Castle, Lawrence County, and LindenPointe in Hermitage, Mercer County, will have their own celebrations with cake and punch between noon and 2 p.m.
