Father, son graduate from BC3
BUTLER TWP — Zachary "Zak" Kupec's father wasn't in the audience Thursday night when the 20-year-old received his degree from Butler County Community College.
Kenneth Kupec, 46, was among the other 200 students — getting his own diploma.
This is the first degree for both Butler Township residents; Kenneth's degree is in business management and Zachary's is in business administration.
Zachary Kupec will transfer his credits to St. Vincent College in the fall with a career goal of actuary science.
His father already has a job. He's president and co-owner of Cowan Metal in Pittsburgh's NorthSide.
He chose to finish a degree started long ago partly to be an example.
He started at the college in 1980 then changed programs. Slowly, he tapered off classes with just a handful to go. In 1985, he dropped out.
Meanwhile, he was working his way up the corporate ladder. But, employers didn't let him forget he had just a high school diploma.
"You go into a job and you've got to work five times harder because of a piece of paper," he said. "That diploma ... is important because employers look for that dedication."
Four years ago, even with a good job anchoring him, he decided to return to BC3.
"I wanted to get it done because I wanted to get that piece of paper," he said. "I wanted to say, 'It's not too late.'"
He proved it wasn't too late Thursday as he walked across the stage.
Keynote speaker Jay Hertzog, dean of the College of Education at Slippery Rock University, must have known how Kupec felt.
"Can you believe this day is finally here and then they have the nerve to call it commencement?"Hertzog asked in his speech. "Shouldn't they call it done?"
Kenneth Kupec discovered he had more credits to earn than he thought, but he still went through with it. All but three of the 11 classes he needed he took online.
Zachary Kupec went the traditional route. The fall after graduation in 2006 fromButler High School and the Butler County Vocational-Technical School, he started classes at the main campus of the college.
He said he chose to go to BC3 because he hadn't had a lot of time to look around and pick a four-year school and he knew if he took a year off, he likely wouldn't return to school.
Saving money also was a big factor for him, he and his father agreed.
Even after suffering a serious brain injury in a fall, Zachary Kupec finished his degree in two years.
Both were inducted into the honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, and wore their gold honor sashes to the ceremony.
With Kenneth and Zachary's degrees on the record, the Kupecs became a poster family for the college. Kenneth's wife, Marlyss, graduated in 1982, and their daughter, Tabitha, graduated last year with an associate's degree in communication.
"I'm excited," Kenneth Kupec said. "It took me longer than I ever imagined."
